So I was reading “Glamour’ the other day.

(And you are thinking that maybe I’m a little too old to read Glamour and I’m going to respond that you are absolutely RIGHT!)

But I will continue….

On page 74 in the August 2016 (the issue with Mila wearing denim on the front and wearing no makeup on the back) there’s “The Clutch Obession Continues”.  And I usually just glance at the big words and flip the page but I thought I’d actually read the little words in this one paragraph since it was about a clutch and I discovered that a really important instagramer “divulged” the “life-changing” (really, it said life-changing) fashion trick on her feed–“keep your essentials in a small pouch and transfer it into each new purse you use.”

Okay your life can be changed!  With a pouch! So simple!  So quick!

And once again, why am I reading Glamour????

And then I had to make a new very useful pouch so you can see how fun and easy they are to make!  (I don’t really want to change my life so I’m skipping that part!)

I again used the tutorial for the Simple Lined Zipper Pouch from Purl Soho.

I changed it up a bit.

I added some fabric tabs on the end of the zippers just to make them a bit prettier and a little loop for a d-ring so I can hook it to my Perfect Travel Bag. I added fusible fleece to the exterior and boxed the bottom. Everything else is the same from the tutorial. Really.  Everything.

I’m headed out on a little trip in a few weeks and made this pouch to fit my iphone charger, the ipad charger, etc.

Oh what a tangled web we weave….when we go electronic!

I used a 7″ zipper, a d-ring, denim, another piece of the Cotton & Steel fabric from the fat quarter pack I bought months ago, and fusible fleece.  You’ll need less than a fat quarter of each fabric and fusible fleece to make this pouch.

I cut 2 pieces for the lining and 2 for exterior, 9 1/2″ x 10 3/4″

Or I thought I did.  When I realized the lining didn’t match up with the exterior, I checked out my measurements.  I had only cut the denim 8 1/2″ wide.

Hmmmmm, measure twice, cut once?

Guess I missed that step.  So rather than cutting the correct size, I decided to add a little flair.  I fussy cut two 1 1/2″ x 10 3/4″ piece from the Cotton & Steel piece. Then cut the denim vertically.  I didn’t bother doing it at a certain point.  I think one was at 3″ and the other side was 5″.  Then I inserted the printed piece, stitching 1/4″ on each side, added the fusible fleece to the back of the exterior and top-stitched along the edges of the Cotton & Steel.

I added these little tabs to the end of the zippers.  I cut pieces that were 2 1/2″ by 1″.  Pressed the ends under 1/4″ then sandwiched them on the ends of the zipper.

I also cut a piece for the D-ring that was 2 1/4″ wide by 2″ long.  With wrong sides together, stitched, turned right side out and slipped it through the d-ring.  I added this to the right side of the fabric after I did the zip on one side.  About 1/2″ from the top–make sure it doesn’t get stitched into the lining.

Other than all that, I followed the instructions from Purl Bee for their zippered pouch.

Whoops, one more change. Before pulling the lining through the gap, I boxed the corners 2″ on the lining and the exterior. Now the pouch can stand on its own.  If it really wanted to.

Now, my review of this pouch.

I was disappointed that the fabric tabs didn’t really show at the end of the zipper and I would also like the d-ring to be closer to the top.  On the bright side, although it was a fix for a mistake, I like that the Cotton & Steel fabric is on the outside.  A little bit of personality on an otherwise boring denim pouch!

I have enough pouches for my travels, now.  But I’ll be making more because I’m sure I know somebody that needs a pouch to change their life! And I’m just the person to do it!