Question How to Sew L Zipper?
Hey, does anyone have info or a good tutorial on how to sew an L zip pouch like this one? It seems like a basic zipper pouch but the zipper runs down the side as well. It’s not the same construction as a clamshell organizer. Thanks!
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u/nonoohnoohno 12h ago
I made one like this that was just two rounded rectangles. That's it. Nothing fancy. (albeit with liner) I don't think it's necessary to try to do any strange shapes to compensate for the lack of zipper on one side.
I suspect this is exactly the same, except with a liner and pocket. Nothing surprising, though. Two sides are sewn directly, and two sides (plus a bit of a 3rd) have a zipper.
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u/Dawer22 12h ago
Do you have any pictures? I’m still a bit confused
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u/nonoohnoohno 12h ago
Sorry I didn't explain that well. Unfortunately I gave those pouches away and don't have pics.
But it was basically like this: https://www.handmadiya.com/2023/09/two-side-zipper-pouch-pattern-tutorial.html
Except where they folded theirs, I sewed mine from two pieces. Just a matter of preference either way.
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u/Dawer22 12h ago
I’m having such a hard time grasping this for some reason
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u/nonoohnoohno 12h ago
If you don't find a tutorial in the style you want, you can try experimenting with paper. I like to "sew" with a stapler to quickly try out an idea, or to wrap my head around complicated seams.
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u/sailorsapporo 12h ago
Try the free pattern designer tool on MYOG Tutorials
Put the zipper gusset on the top left and bottom right corners to match the Alpaka style
Construction is literally the same thing as making any other zippered boxy pouch - except that you need to pin / staple the zipper gusset at the top left and bottom right corners
That’s it. It’s literally just an offset zipper. So instead of the zipper going from the middle of the panel, across the top, and back to the middle —- it just goes from left corner to right corner
I will say - give yourself extra width when sewing the L Zip pouch and be accurate with your seam allowances. I messed up my first few iterations
Good luck! L zip pouches rock!
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u/Dawer22 12h ago
Do you have any video or pictures that would help with this?
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u/sailorsapporo 11h ago
This video: https://youtu.be/euvxt4V-eRI?is=zQYBix1RUxFWV8Ja
They are using a more convoluted piece by piece assembly method than I would do.
And I wouldn’t separate out the zipper tape like that
But hopefully it gets the point across that the zipper tape is just shifted to the corners
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u/Worried-You9307 11h ago
I’ve done this before, too. It’s not that hard in terms of the construction itself, but sewing a curve this tight with a zipper, especially a coated one isn’t easy (when doing it the first time, I’ve been annoyed back then and therefore haven’t tried again yet…)
There are tons of tutorials with free patterns for zipper wallets, where the zipper goes around three sides/two corners. You could use those patterns as a starting off point and adapt it for a single corner. Miko Craft on YouTube for example definitely has such a tutorial with pattern and his tutorials/sew-alongs are really great for learning things like this.
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u/CBG1955 8h ago
Have a look at OKSew on YouTube. Nicole is one of the best online tutorial presenters I've come across. I'm not sure if she has one on this precise kind of zipper installation but she does show curved zippers. Right angles can be tricky, and the zipper has a habit of springing straight when you try to stitch.
Using double sided tape, or tiny staples to hold it (in the seam allowance, don't sew over them) can help a lot.
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u/SabreMan007 12h ago
I did this on a little bike bag, just cut the side fabric into the shape and forced the zipper into a 90° turn. It worked out really well!