Little Zipper makeup bags - tutorial and I am not the zipper queen

The other day some one asked me if zippers in the pouches was easy, I think it is. I imagine there a million ways to add zippers, right now this is the best way I know. Keep in mind I am not the zipper queen, in fact I am pretty sure I an not even a zipper princess. I have sewn maybe a couple of hundred zippers, which means I have a few thousand to go before I am an expert.

My finished pouches are available on my web site http://montanaquilts.com/bags.html

Iron a piece of fabric this one os roughly 14" by 16"

Add a pice of batting! 

Free motion quilt. You can do anything you want.
This is a great way to practice new free motion quilting ideas on a small surface.

I am using brown corduroy for my lining. Once it is quilted fold the piece in half , which you place on top of your lining fabric.

I trim the folded edge first! 

Folded edge.

Trim the folded edge first.

Use the trimmed folded side to square from, then trim the edges.

Second edge.

Now use the squared edges to trim the other side.

Back, front and lining.

Fold the front in half, right sides together to find the center line.

Cut 3" off one side of the lining and the back of your bag.

Just like this.

Open the zipper, it is easier to sew!

Place the zipper along the fold, upside down.
Really at this part there is no wrong way.
The zipper may open the opposite way from what you intended, or what you meant to have for the front may now become the inside.  Don't worry about it, this is a practice bag.

Ready to sew.

Zipper foot on the machine, the needle is moved all the way to the left.

I am using the first line on the right for a guide. The needle should be as near the  zipper-zip as possible.

One side of the zipper done! See how easy that is?

I do a couple of lines of top stitching at this point. I do the top stitching with the zipper closed.

Top stitching done and ready to go.

Unzip the zipper again.

The zipper goes between the two 3" pieces now. 

Top stitch with the zipper closed. 

The front is done including the lining.

Now add the back lining. I fold up the front of the bag and trim back  1/4" off the  two sides of the lining.
This helps the lining fit nicely in the bag.

1/4" trimmed

Front of bag, zipper open about 3/4 of the way.

The back is ready to sew now!

I double check that all the sides match.

I sew  the lining side TOP together,  in an inch or two, from each edge, be sure to back stitch , this is where you will be turning the bag right side out.

Now sew all the way around.

Take extra back stitches at the zipper. I do 3 or 4, because this is a heavy use area.

Now you are ready to turn the the bag right side to.

Finished

Little Zipper makeup bags - tutorial and I am not the zipper queen