Finish a Zippered Pouch with the Onyx 30 Sewing Machine

Now that the decorative stitches are complete, it’s time to sew the zippered pouch together. It’s going to be so easy using the Husqvarna VIKING Onyx 30. Let’s get started!

I directed you to that previous tutorial on making zippered pouches, but I neglected to read my instructions! I usually only put the heavy interfacing on the outer part and nothing on the lining. I made this one extra thick by adding fusible fleece to the outer part and heavy interfacing to the lining. Well, it doesn’t matter – it shows that you can make your bags and pouches any way you like!

I was so excited to use the Singer Steam Press that I went a little overboard! Now that all the pieces are ready, it’s time to sew.

Here’s a little tip about the GÜTERMANN thread. I typically put the spools on the sewing machine in a way that pops off the label on the end that contains the color number. If that happens to you, take your scissors and drill a hole through the label before you thread your machine. The color is now intact, and when the spool gets low, you can easily replace it with the same color.

Or you could be smart and place the spool on the machine in the opposite direction! If you look closely at the label, it has perforations on it. Putting the spool on the spool holder label first pushes the center of the label inside the spool, keeping the label intact. I MUST remember to do that in the future!

There are many different ways to insert a zipper, but this is one of my favorites for zippered pouches, although with the extra layers of fusible fleece, sewing the top will be a bit of a challenge. You’ll find more details on these steps back in that tutorial. I need to revamp that original tutorial, but there’s no time today.

I’m creating a tab on the end of the zipper. Notice that I’m using the Zipper Foot E and have moved the needle to the far right to make it easy to topstitch through the tab.

Then, place the zipper on the front of the outer piece to see where to cut the zipper. I like buying zippers that are longer than necessary, as they are easy to cut down to whatever size you need. For this method, I leave a half-inch at both ends to accommodate sewing the sides together. Trim the side where the zipper pull is, making sure the zipper pull is on the part you’re keeping!

Add the little tab (stopper) at the other end. Keep those ends together, as you want the zipper to close correctly.

Let’s sew the zipper to the outer pieces. Center the zipper face down along the top edge of one of the outer pieces. Again, using the zipper foot, stitch along the marked line on the zipper.

I start at the end, where the zipper pull is closed. I open the zipper, and as I approach the zipper pull, I ensure my needle is in the down position (easy to achieve on the Onyx 30) and then gently move the zipper pull behind the needle.

You can use basting stitches (stitch length of 4.0) if you wish.

Next, align one of the lining pieces (right sides together) with the top edge of the outer piece and stitch through all layers, encasing the zipper between the outer piece and the lining. I used the Zipper Foot E center as my seam guide. It doesn’t have to be perfect – just be consistent.

You may wish to pin these pieces, but I didn’t, as I’m not a pinner. But ensure the edges on both ends are even. You don’t want wonky edges, making it harder to sew the pouch together.

Now, one side of the zipper is between the outer section and the lining. Press the seams toward the outer section. It’ll be a challenge as there’s a lot of bulk, especially with the extra fusible fleece!

Let’s sew the other side. Place the right side of the zipper face down (right sides together) along the top of the second outer piece.

Be careful that the sides line up with the other piece. Otherwise, you’ll be trimming, and the zipper won’t line up correctly, making it challenging to deal with. At this point, you just need to stitch to the end of the zipper.

Repeat the process with the other lining piece; the zipper is between the lining and the outer pieces on both sides. The notch at both ends of the zipper accommodates the seam allowance when sewing the sides together. The zipper ends would be in the seam if the zipper went all the way to the sides, causing a lot more bulk. Again, this is just one way to insert a zipper.

After pressing both sides as best you can, and trust me, it would be a lot easier without the excess fusible fleece; it’s time to topstitch the zipper in place. Topstitching gives the top a finished edge and helps to keep the opening stable. Because I’ll stitch that side seam, I only topstitch beside the zipper, not to the edge. Because of that, my topstitching is very narrow – it’s right beside the zipper and goes through all layers, including the seam allowance and the lining.

I use the Zipper Foot E and move the needle to a position appropriate for the topstitch’s width. The edge of the zipper foot becomes my guide.

In this instance, I again did not follow my instructions, stitching only through the top layer, so you will see the lining just behind the zipper pull. That was not the correct way to do it! Did I have one of those days? You bet, and  I did the other side the proper way. The bottom line is that no one will know that, but I had to confess so if you were trying to copy what I did, you would wonder about that piece of fabric!

Once the zipper is in, we’re close to the finish! Before I sew the sides and bottom, I need to cut the corners, as I love to use box corners on my pouches. It makes them stand up and look nice. I used 1¼” for all four corners. I noticed that my lining and outer part were bang on – the front and the lining pieces matched exactly. That comes from accurate sewing (easy to achieve on the Onyx 30) and good pressing.

Check out the other tutorial to see how to sew the side seams, the bottom of the outer, and the lining. It’s easy – just remember to OPEN the zipper and not stitch completely across the bottom of the lining, as you need to leave an opening to turn the piece inside out.

It was bulky to sew along the sides right at the zipper insertion. I had to give the Onyx 30 a little assistance as I went over the MANY layers of heavy fabrics, but it stitched beautifully! I was impressed! You can use your zipper foot in that area because the foot won’t touch the lumpy seams on the other side. The zipper foot doesn’t give you the best support, so be careful that the seams don’t shift.

The last step before turning is to complete the box corners. Fold the corners into a straight line and stitch. I switched to the Presser Foot B, or you could use Utility Foot A for this part.

If you want an extra strong seam, stitch it again, but it’s unnecessary. I’ve only stitched this seam once, and it’s fine.

Then comes the fun part – turning the bag inside out, which was a little bit of a challenge with the extra fleece inside. But it all worked out just fine. Lastly, close the opening at the bottom of the lining, which I do by machine, or you could hand stitch that opening closed.

Hopefully, you left the zipper open! Poke out all the corners and stand back and admire your beautiful zippered pouch.

Do you want to see the ends of the zipper tabs? I’m very impressed with them. Keeping the zipper insert shorter by ½” ensures the end is tight but not bulky. Even with the extra layers of fusible fleece, they turned out amazing.

Here’s the final project. I LOVE IT! It was incredibly easy to make, and I love how the decorative stitches enhance the overall look. That’s the beauty of working with solid or blender fabrics. You can personalize them to be anything you want! It was super easy with the Husqvarna VIKING Onyx 30. It’s an impressive entry-level sewing machine that will allow you to stitch pretty much anything you want. Be sure to sit down with the User’s Guide and explore the functions, as it’ll make sewing much more enjoyable.

Be sure to visit your local Husqvarna VIKING dealer to give it a test drive!

Have a great day!

Ciao!!!

This is part 5 of 5 in this series

Go to part 4: Decorative Stitching with the HV Onyx 30 Sewing Machine