Fish Print Zipper Pouch

[craftADDchick]

Or...How I Spent My Saturday Afternoon

Using the amazing tutorial by e.r.i.k.a found here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=22875.0 I made my first zippered pouch! I had this awesome fabric panel of a coral reef, and I cropped out a couple of the fish for the outside. For the inside, I used a blue batik (note to self: pre-wash batik in the future to avoid blue fingers...). The only zipper I could find that even came close to matching was a 22" yellow one. And, since the pouch is just wide enough to hold new pencils, I had to trim the zipper (what can I do with the bottom half of a zipper?). I also put a yellow fish button on, along with some beads, to make the zipper pull.

[junquette]

that is adorable. Your framing that fish was perfect. triming zippers is not a problem and is so easy to do. For the bottom you might be able to get a new slider to make it into another functioning zipper. So easy to do.

[craftADDchick]

Thanks! I took my pattern piece (a rectangle of printer paper) and placed it on the fabric panel to choose the sections I wanted. I had another fish that I wanted, but it was too big and I would have only been able to use part of it. If you look at the panel now, it has rectangles cut out in random spots! But, it still has some very neat sections left on it that I'll probably turn into a purse or another pouch (maybe both!).

For the bottom you might be able to get a new slider to make it into another functioning zipper.

Where could I get another slider? Fortunately, I haven't "unzipped" the bottom half, yet.

If I can't find another slider, I was thinking it could be the teeth for a small monster...something else to add to my to-do list!

[junquette]

some sewing and fabric stores have sliders. In order to reuse your zipper you will need to take it apart at the bottom. But that little square or rectangular piece at the bottom is pinched closed over the zipper. Now when you have the slider you can just use your seam ripper to pry open the prongs on the bottom side of the zipper and then save it and replace it again once you have the new slider on.
I have dozens of sliders if you can't find one.
You need to know what style of zipper you have. It looks like a dress or skirt style to me if I'm seeing correctly the zipper you are using. At least I'm picturing it in my head.  So first thing I did when I started using parts of zippers was to find broken zippers on my own clothes and then taking the slider from it and putting it on the one I wanted to use. Problem here is sometimes it's the slider that's broken and can't always reuse it. But sometimes I'd have a yellow zipper and a purple or green slider. They looked odd but usually worked with what ever I was making.
I was always taking clothes and stuff apart to remake things. I was what my mother called a scavenger. Anything in our house that wasn't worn in six months I took apart. Mother hated it and dad would laugh. But I have been sewing for forty years now and still can't through away clothes with stains or tears that can't be fixed and not remove the buttons or zippers. YOu would laugh at my icre cream pails of supplies.
Anyhow if you are stuck for a slider pm me and I'll try to help you out there. I'm positive I have something in every clour and zipper size imaginable.

[craftADDchick]

Thanks junquette! Is your scavenging personality how you chose your username? 

I've saved buttons off of old clothes, and I'm going to be converting some sweaters into teddy bears, but I never thought about scavenging the zippers from anything!

[mishti]

Yeah, junquette, that's a great idea!  *note to self: more stuff to save!*

I. Love. Your. Fish. Bag.  The zipper is an awesome contrast. 

I was thinking about this half-a-zipper-thing yesterday, since I cut my zipper too short for my own zipper pouch project. 

You could sew it crosswise into a bag, so both ends of the zipper end up in a seam.  It wouldn't serve a purpose, but it would look neat. 

Or, you could open it, sew it in like you would a regular zipper (except secure the open part somehow so it wouldn't flap) and use it as a pocket edge or pocket opening to make everyone think you've broken your purse. 

If you find yourself with a collection of half-a-zippers, you could sew them together like strips of fabric, and use fabric to make up the length differences.  Make a wallet or a coin purse out of the resulting "fabric."

You could open it, pin it so it stayed open just a bit like a pair of lips and sew a piece of fabric to the back around all the zipper sides.  Cut off the excess fabric (or don't) and sew it into a project.  Now you have a piece of 3D interest with contrasting fabric peeking through.

Again, if you have more than a few, sew them together end to end and use them as a strap.  You could sew fabric to the backside for even more eye candy. 

Heh, that's all for now.... 

[craftADDchick]

Thanks for all of the zipper ideas mishti! I actually have a purse made out of a verrrryyy long zipper. It unzips completely and rolls up. To use it, you just re-zip it. If I end up with enough zipper sections, I could make a "faux" bag in a bunch of zipper colors- I just wouldn't be able to zip and unzip it now...hmmm...maybe I'll start buying too-big zippers on purpose (or at least not worry about it if I have to!).

[FineGirl]

I love fish. That pouch is adorable!!

[sonnetbird]

Hey it's Dory! Cute!

[jMi]

Very cute!