How to Sew a Welt Zippered Pocket — Bucket Tote Sewalong Part 2

How to Sew a Welt Zippered Pocket — Bucket Tote Sewalong Part 2

Today, I’m excited to share the second installment of the Bucket Tote Sewalong. Last week, we selected fabric and prepared for sewing and today we can start stitching. The instruction booklet that comes with the pattern uses line drawing illustrations and written instructions so for the sewalong, I like to share a video of the process. In the video, I talk through all the steps and provide extra tips and info that would be too cumbersome to include in the instructions.

In this part, we’ll be sewing the welt zippered pocket for the Regular Size tote. You can use this same technique to sew a welt zippered pocket anywhere you want one. The cool and scary thing about sewing this style of pocket is that you have to cut a hole in the middle of your fabric. The pocket fabric acts as both a facing for the opening and the pocket bag and when completed, the pocket bag is hidden inside the bag and only the zipper will be visible. It can feel very daunting to sew but if you take it one step at a time, it’s not too hard.

Introduction, fabric and supplies for the Sew DIY Bucket Tote

Introduction, fabric and supplies for the Sew DIY Bucket Tote

Welcome to the first installment of the Sew DIY Bucket Tote Sewalong. Today’s installment includes everything you need to know to get ready to sew the Bucket Tote. I’m sharing a video where I give an overview of the pattern features and a show-and-tell of different samples that I’ve made and the materials I used. The video also includes an overview of the pattern pieces and a quick interfacing demo. In addition, I’m sharing links to fabric recommendations and a list of supplies and tools that I recommend. Let’s get started!

Bucket Tote Pattern Tester Photos

Bucket Tote Pattern Tester Photos

Last week, I released a new pdf pattern, the Bucket Tote. This fully-lined tote features an oval base, pleats at each end and exterior and interior pockets. It’s designed to open wide at the top for what I’m calling a “throw and go” style. The pattern comes with both a regular and a small size, giving you options for wherever life takes you. You can learn more about it in the introduction post.

One of the most important steps in creating a pattern is the testing phase. I was lucky to have 21 amazing testers for this pattern. They gave me really helpful feedback on both the pattern pieces and the written instructions. Today, I’m sharing a few of their photos to serve as inspiration as well as insight into how different fabric types work with this pattern. I hope you will be as inspired by them as I have been.