Handmade Flex Frame Pouch Tutorial

Hello :D 

It's time for another tutorial. This time its all about the internal flex frame. Give the flex frame pouch a squeeze and you can see it is a fun and versatile form of pouch closure. 

This easy tutorial is all about showing you the little tips that will give you a really well finished pouch. 

I would like to thank Lisa Lam of U-Handbag for the original tutorial that inspired me.

 

Supplies or What You Will Need

    ♥   Exterior Fabric

    ♥   Lining Fabric

    ♥   Interfacing

    ♥   3.5 inch / 9 cm Metal internal flex frames

    ♥   Sewing Machine  

    ♥   Aqua- Trickmarker Pen

    ♥   Thread

    ♥   Wonderweb or similar

    ♥   Pouch Pattern (with seam allowance)

1. Cut your pattern from your chosen exterior fabric, lining fabric and interfacing. The width of the pattern should be 3.5 inch / 9 cm plus your seam allowance. You can make this pattern any shape or size for whatever you want to use it for, a glasses case, gadget pouch, pencil case the choice is yours.

2. Attach interfacing to exterior fabric. I use stitch and tear and attach interfacing to the fabric with wonderweb at the top only.

 

3. Pin both layers of the exterior fabric (right sides together) and both layers of the lining fabric.

Measure 6.70 cm from the top of the fabric on both sides and mark with your trickmaker pen and only pin below this mark. 

When sewing use a backstitch first from the mark, sew all the way around and backstitch before the other mark to secure in place. 

Do the same on the lining fabric but leave a gap so you can turn the right way around later.

4. Trim away the excess fabric, but trim at an angle just below the mark.

5. Fold back the top pieces of fabric before you start pinning them together.

6. Take the top of lining fabric and match it up with the top of the exterior fabric (right sides together). Make sure you line up the marks and the stitches and the corners too. Pin the layers of fabric together.

 

7. When sewing the two top layers together make sure that you only sew through the two layer. Fold back the fabric before you sew and mark where to start sewing with your trickmaker if this helps.

8. Start with a backstitch to secure your stitching , sew all the way around and finish with another backstitch. Do the same to other layer.

9. Trim away the excess fabric, but trim at an angle just above the mark.

10. Through the gap you left in the lining fabric turn the right side out. Push the top flaps through gently and the sew up the gap in the lining.

 

11. Push the lining fabric inside the exterior fabric then iron the top flaps flat, making sure the corner are nice and square.

12. Fold the flaps half down into the pouch and pin in place. Sew as close to edge as you can, using a backstitch at the start and finish to secure into place. Trim excess thread.

13. Take you flex frame and gently push the open hinge into the openings as the same time, be careful not to snag it on the fabric. 

Once the open hinge is through the other side use pliers to bend down one of the end caps and then bring both parts of the hinge together. Slide through the little metal pin and then bend down the other cap end to secure.

14. Ta-dah! You have one flex frame pouch. It is a very adaptable pattern, you can make any size pouch. There are different sized flex frames on the market and you can also design your pouch with a gathered top (increase top size by a half), with a square bottom, you can add padding for gadgets, outside pockets or just make a simple coin pouch. The possibilities are endless.

List of Suppliers

♥ Flex Frames : I buy mine from Ahkokbuckles, a great supplier of bag hardware that ship all over the world.

♥   Interfacing : I use 'stitch and tear' stabiliser, I find with iron-on interfacing it can pucker up the exterior fabric when ironing. I attach the interfacing with wonderweb or other similar products at the top of the fabric only. Go to Barnyarns for a good deal on interfacing.

♥   Fabric : I buy a lot of my fabric from Etsy and the following online stores 

     Fabric Rehab

     Fabric Worm

     Hawthorne Threads

I hope you have found this very helpful, please contact me if you have any questions.

If you would like to share your fabulous pouch creations with me and others I have set up a Flickr Group for just that. I can wait to see the results :D

Have super fun :D

Emma xx