Meet the Good Luck Pouch!
The Good Luck Pouch is a versatile and beginner-friendly project that combines basic quilt piecing techniques with bag making. It is perfect for using up scraps, showcasing your favorite prints, or playing with patchwork.
The pattern includes two size options, so whether you’re sewing a small pouch for a pencil case or sewing notions, or a large pouch for cosmetics or craft supplies, you’re covered. Plus, it comes with three different design options:
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a quick and classic solid fabric version,
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a playful patchwork square layout, and
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a bold half-square triangle variation.
The Good Luck Pouch is as fun to make as it is to gift (or keep for yourself!). With clear instructions and room for creativity, it’s the perfect weekend project for makers of all levels. You can purchase the Good Luck Pouch pattern as a digital download from my shop HERE.
If you’re looking for a little extra guidance in making your own Good Luck Pouch, please join me for the Good Luck Sew Along! Whether you’d like some extra tips and videos to guide you, or are looking for some motivation to finish a quick project, please join in! The Sew Along itself is completely free to join, but you will need to purchase the Good Luck Pouch Pattern to make the bag.
If you’d like to participate in the sew along, make sure you’re signed up (click HERE for the link), have the pattern purchased from my shop , and have all of your supplies gathered and cut out by Monday, September 22nd. Every morning (for West Hemisphere participants. It will be later in the day for those in earlier time zones), you’ll receive an email with the day’s assignment and any extra tips I have to add. Plus, I’ll be posting a daily video on Instagram to help those of us that are visual learners! Yay!
Since we will have people joining from all over the world, there aren’t any live portions of the sew along. You can sew at your own convenience–including working ahead or catching up later in the week if needed. And if you can’t sew with us the week of the 22nd, no worries! Still sign up so you can save the emails and refer to them when you’re ready to make the Good Luck Pouch.
I get asked all the time about where to find specific supplies, so I put together a list of items that I have personally purchased and used for sewing zipper pouches like the Good Luck Pouch. Many of the products are linked to Amazon, because that’s an easy source for me to link and for a lot of people to purchase items from. Please feel free to check out other options, too, as you can certainly find the products elsewhere.
Supply Recommendations:
Fabric:
I have purchased fabric from SO many different shops (and have generally had very positive experiences). However, below are a few links to my absolute favorite online fabric shops that I shop at again and again.
Monograms for Makers: The Monograms for Makers shop is one of my go-to fabric sources! Meg has so many fun prints (Ruby Star and Rifle Paper galore!), fast shipping, and the best customer service!
Crimson Confection: Jennifer puts together the sweetest bundles of fabric! If you like darling prints and perfectly curated bundles, check out Crimson Confection.
Stitch Supply: A large selection of fabric and other notions like zippers, bag hardware, webbing (for handles). Plus, order over $50 or $100 and get a free small or large project bag!
Zippers:
For the Good Luck Pouch, I recommend either a standard size #3 nylon zipper (like what you’d find at a big box store like Walmart or Hobby Lobby), or a larger size #5 zipper. Size #5 zippers have larger teeth, a bigger zipper pull, and wider zipper tape, which makes them a little easier to sew with. A nylon zipper is preferable over a metal zipper, as you can sew right over the nylon (plastic) zipper teeth without breaking a needle. I almost always purchase and use size #5 zippers by the yard. When you purchase a zipper by the yard, it comes in a long coil so you can cut the zipper to size then attach a zipper pull. This is a really efficient way to use zippers, as you cut off the exact amount you need for the project. I have some of my favorite zippers and sources linked below.
YKK Zippers from the Etsy shop ZipIt
Zippers by the yard generic brand. I have purchased this brand on Amazon many, many times. They come in 10 yard lengths (!) and it’s a great price: Amazon link
By Annie Zippers by the yard. I have pretty much every color of By Annie Zippers by the yard. They are a great quality and come in fun colors. They are actually size #4.5, so slightly smaller than #5 zippers, which doesn’t make a noticeable difference except that the zipper pulls aren’t interchangeable with size #5 zippers: Amazon link
Quilting material:
I prefer using Soft and Stable in between my layers as I quilt. Soft and Stable is a foam stabilizer that gives more structure and protection than a regular batting. There are other foam stabilizers (like Pellon Flex Foam) that also work well–just make sure you are getting a big enough piece for your project. You can also use regular batting like Warm and Natural or Hobbs Heirloom batting (these pouches are GREAT for using up batting scraps left over from quilts!). You can even use a layer of flannel in between your fabric! The flannel will give the pouch less structure than foam stabilizer or batting, but is a great alternative and keeps the seams less bulky
Soft and Stable: Amazon
Pellon Flex Foam: Amazon. (Pellon Flex Foam comes in 20″ width, so make sure it’s big enough for your project! Also, Pellon Flex Foam has fusible options–I prefer the non-fusible versions, but many people use and prefer the fusible type–it’s just personal preference).
Other Sewing Supplies:
Hera Marker for marking straight quilting lines: Amazon
Wonder Binding Clips. (I use these ALL the time to hold things in place while I sew): Amazon
Odif 505 Basting Spray: my preferred method for basting small projects like zipper pouches. Amazon link HERE.
OLFA Rotary Cutter: my favorite rotary cutter out there! Amazon link
OLFA 6.5″ Frosted Ruler. I love the OLFA rulers and this one is super helpful for trimming half-square triangles to size. Amazon Link
Please let me know if you have any other requests for supply recommendations. You can always look at my Amazon Favorites page HERE for items that I have purchased and use regularly. Again, feel free to shop at your local stores for supplies–Amazon is just a handy tool for me to link my favorites.
Happy Sewing!
-Kristina