So, I got half a yard of duck cloth (a thick canvas-like cloth) and a zipper, then began searching for suggestions on sewing one. I found several tutorials, such as this one about how to make a lined zippered pouch,and this one about how to make the corners look nice. Since duck cloth is pretty thick, lining didn't seem necessary, so I opted for a simpler style without it.
Dad dug up Grandma's old featherweight Singer sewing machine and I read the manual to familiarize myself with its use (been a few years since I used a sewing machine!). We dropped oil into every little nook the manual said to drip oil into and I did a quick practice run on a rag, then got to work. Without a lining, I could use the sewing machine to sew all three sides of the material to each other after sewing each to the zipper. With a lining, you have to leave a few inches unsewn then push the material right side out and sew the rest up by hand.
finished zippered pouch with mechanical pencil for size comparison |
And the other nice thing about duck cloth: you can draw on it!
zippered pouch with colored pencil sketch |
I'm pleased with it, and if I can find affordable zippers, I will be making more (zippers are so expensive!).