How to make a pouch (gusseted)

1. Materials & tools

Materials (cosmetic-bag size)

• Main fabric — about 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in)
• Lining — same as the main fabric
• 1 zipper, roughly the finished width
• Optional: fusible interfacing

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Bags” → “Pouch (gusseted)” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the finished width, height and gusset (base depth).
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Trace the pattern
   Trace the cut line and seam line onto the wrong side of the fabric.
2. Cut
   Cut 2 main and 2 lining. The pattern shows a dashed gusset line a little above the base.
3. Finish the edges
   Zigzag or serge edges that fray.

4. Sewing

4-1. Attach the zipper

1. As for a flat zipper pouch, sandwich the zipper between the main and lining at the top edge and sew; topstitch alongside the zipper.

4-2. Sew around

1. Open the zipper halfway. With main-to-main and lining-to-lining, right sides together, sew all the way around, leaving a turning gap in the lining.

4-3. Box the corners

1. At each base corner, open it into a triangle so the side and base seams line up.
2. Sew straight across at the gusset line. Do all four corners (main and lining).
3. Trim each triangle tip leaving 1 cm.
4. Turn right side out through the zipper and the gap, close the gap, and shape it.

5. Tips & variations

• Hold its shape: add fusible interfacing to the main fabric.
• Deeper pouch: a larger gusset value adds capacity.
• Easy grab: catch a fabric tab by the zipper end.