Buddy-to-Buddy Pouch Swap

For the month of November, your Sewing Buddy Sewing Challenge is to make a POUCH and swap with your Buddy!

Here’s how it works:

1. Select a pouch design or tutorial–either from the samples and links below, or an original design of your own, or from elsewhere on the internet (or a book, or a magazine, or your mom–get nutty!)
2. Sew your pouch–feel free to make it patchwork, embroider or applique a design on it, add a decorative zipper, make it beaded, whatever you think your Buddy will love
3. Mail your completed pouch off to your Buddy, and wait for the pouch your Buddy has made you to arrive!
4. OPTIONAL: Take a photo and share on Facebook or Instagram with #sewingbuddyproject

Some tips to get the most out of this challenge and swap:

1. Check with your Buddy FIRST to make sure both of you are on board and planning to participate.
2. Send each other a brief list or description of your likes and dislikes, including colors, specific fabric designers, hobbies and interests, and what you might use a pouch for (which can help in fabric selection and size)
3. Check in with your Buddy once you’ve posted your photo–you may choose to ship first and upload your image after the pouch has arrived to your Buddy if you want to keep it a surprise

What if you want to participate but have chosen not to share your physical address?

While this applies to very few Buddies, I always work to be sensitive to the fact that meeting folks on the internet isn’t as comfortable for everyone.  If you’d prefer to not share your physical address with your Buddy, you can still participate!  Try these ideas for a start:

1. Consider making the pouches individually, sending photos to one another to discuss and inspire, then each keeping your own! Be sure to discuss openly with your Buddy ahead of time that you don’t feel great about sharing your physical address but still want to sew along with them–nearly everyone can understand that.
2. Consider sewing individually and then donating your pouches to local shelters or foster organizations, who can always use clean, new bags for toiletry items.  Maybe you and your Buddy can develop a project together seeking out community partners and finding ways to help meet their needs!
3. If you’d really love to swap but have reservations about sharing your physical address, consider a post office box, where you can send and receive mail without revealing your location.  Many shipping retailers, like The UPS Store or FedEx Office also receive mail for clients, for a fee.

Pouch Tutorials on the Web

Anna over at Noodlehead has a TON of great pouch tutorials, in all shapes and sizes, and a few paid patterns, as well.  She writes great directions and takes pretty pictures!

I really love the lined boxed zipper pouch from Pretty Modern–and even adapted it for my baby food carrier when traveling cross-country with our youngest.

Michelle has a great tutorial for making a simple zippered pouch with perfect corners.

Sew Can She has a great round-up of tutorials from around the web, for all shapes and sizes of bags and pouches (along with a few other cute crafty things!)

Have another tutorial for a bag or pouch that would be perfect for this swap?  Share it in the comments–even if it’s your own!  We’d love to see all the different iterations of this pouch shape as we make up our minds what to sew for our Buddies.