The Pockets A-Plenty Purse – POTM

Pockets A-Plenty Purse I've got a very special pattern for you this month.  It's another bag, but this one is just a little bit different, with some new techniques for you to try out and a different look to most that have come before.

You'll need accurate cutting and sewing skills for this one and there is a little hand-sewing involved.  It's worth the extra effort though to make such a pretty end result, and a bag that can be used in lots of different ways.

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

This pouch wristlet is a must have.  It is perfect for everything you need to carry around. It’s fully lined and roomy enough for your long wallet, your smartphone etc.  The strap is optional, and this bag also makes a great cosmetics bag, because it stands up nicely by itself and has a flat base.

Features of the Pockets A-Plenty Purse:

  • With slip and zipper pockets so you can keep everything organized and secured.
  • Great design with a contrasting strip that disguises a slip pocket in the front.
  • The zipper at the back is also situated in the middle of a contrasting strip making the pouch back just as pretty as the front
  • Open-wide zipper closure with zipper tab
  • Flat bottom so it stands on its own
  • Optional detachable strap
  • Finished size 9” wide x 5 ½ ” high x 2 ½” deep
  • Full video tutorial as well as the usual step by step photo tutorial
  • Cutting directions table and labels to keep you organised

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

Watch me make one

With 45 minutes of video tutorial on this bag, its quite a long project, but I want to make sure you are with me every step of the way to get the best possible result.  You can see more details of the bag at the start of the video before we go onto the sewing section.

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Buy the Pockets A-Plenty Bag pattern

You can download the pattern from my design account on Payhip.  Add it to your cart and check out.  The pattern will be saved in your Pattern Library safely until you are ready to sew, then you can download and print it at any time.

Materials needed:

  • Main Bag – 1/2  yard
  • Lining  – 1/2 yard
  • Contrasting fabric – Piece 10 x 10 inches
  • Light weight Interfacing  – ¾ yard
  • 1 x 12” zipper
  • 2 x 8” zipper
  • Optional – 1 x 1.2cm / ½ inch swivel hook
  • Optional – 8 inches of Steam A Seam

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

Skill level –Intermediate

You should ideally have experience in cutting and sewing bias binding edges, and in neat hand stitching.

The pattern tester versions and feedback

Betty Anne of The Kitchen Closet – I thought it was a very nice looking, good structure and well put together bag. The little accent pieces really stood out, and I like lots of pockets.  Another fantastic Bag Deby, I really enjoy sewing your patterns , this one was a good refresher for my hand sewing, all the little details and extra time put into this bag , made for a beautiful result.

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

Louise – I really liked the outside pocket zipper and inside pocket zipper. Not to thrilled with bias tape, one of my least favorite sewing things, but it turned out very nice. I'm glad the instructions suggested the hand basting, I like hand-basting to hold things in place before stitching. Thanks!

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

Sue at Fadanista – I thought this would be a really useful bag and I loved the design, with the sturdy base and sides. I like bags with lots of pockets and this one doesn't disappoint! The instructions are very clear and the pattern worked brilliantly. 

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

Margaret – What a lot of pieces. I love how detailed everything was. Never had anything with labels before, nice idea.  Learned some different techniques. Have always previously decided away from top zippers as never had much luck, but the finished product looks amazing and professional.

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

Lori – Cute shape, love the pockets on front and back… A little tip for the gussets.  I sewed corner to corner bottom edge 1/4″ and tacked at beginning and end…then I used zipper foot to sew on both sides and binding..was little bit easier for me, no hand stitching involved.

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

Theresa of the DIY Page – The ready-printed pattern piece labels really made a difference in keeping track of the pieces. I like to keep my essentials in an organizer that I can move from pocketbook to pocketbook but also wanted one that I could use as a small purse too. This fits the bill perfectly.

I did make my strap wider to show off my the one inch daisies. The hand sewing was much easier than trying to struggle with the sewing machine.

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

Sheri of Sassypants Satchels – I loved the contrasting panels on the bag, gives it a lot of punch! I liked the shape and thought it would be a great make-up bag.  Thanks for an awesome and challenging pattern! I debated between calling it intermediate or advanced, I think it's partway in between. Those gusset corners and the bias tape, although normal bag-making skills, are always a challenge to get looking neat in the end. But it all worked well.

Pockets A-Plenty Purse

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Buy the Pockets A-Plenty Bag pattern

You can download the pattern from my design account on Payhip.  Add it to your cart and check out.  The pattern will be saved in your Pattern Library safely until you are ready to sew, then you can download and print it at any time.

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Dani
Dani

I’ve made about 5 of these for gifts. They look so good, I get many compliments on them. And I learned to make the zippered pockets as a bonus.

Suzanne R
Suzanne R

I would love to see a larger version of this, for a cross body bag.

Michelle Lopez
Michelle Lopez

I want to buy the pattern but I can´t find a link to buy it.

Suzanne R
Suzanne R

Thank you for sharing this pattern. I would love to see a much larger version as a cross body bag!

Janice
Janice

Thanks for this tutorial which I found on YouTube! Couldn’t get your pattern as I live in India, but guesstimated the dimensions and this is what I came up with… apart from a couple of errors re depth of pocket, didn’t turn out half bad ;). Final size was 10x6x2.5 inches.

Asma
Asma

I am asma from malaysia..
Thanks you for this pattern and tutorial

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Asma

HI Asma, Lovely bag! Malaysia is such a beautiful country. I lived in Kuala Lumpur for 6 months a long time ago and people thought I was local 🙂 wish I spoke Malay.

Asma
Asma

I asma from malaysia…Thanks you so much for this pattern n tutorial

Diane Hughes
Diane Hughes

I love this bag. I have made 2 so far. I did however make the strap longer so I could hang it on my shoulder. I made 1 black and white and 1 red and black and white.

Nile Remsing
Nile Remsing
Reply to  Diane Hughes

Did you make the strap from both sides then as tgat is what I imagined when I was reading the reviews. Great idea of yours.

Debbi Gerard
Debbi Gerard

Awesome video! Can’t wait to make one!

Sherri
Sherri

Thank you. I can’t wait to get started. I miss you on Saturday mornings, on PBS.

Amanda Botha
Amanda Botha

From Stellenbosch, South Africa: Thank you for the great pattern – I can never have too many pockets – I look forward to make it, much appreciated.

Iris
Iris

Hi from Canada..thank you for sharing the pattern with us…can’t wait to get started on it.

Bev Gunn
Bev Gunn

Although I already have Craftsy Unlimited, I appreciate the opportunity to have access to the multi-pocket tote. I have been looking at it and hope to make it in a couple of months!

Alex O'Hara
Alex O'Hara

Thanks for this pattern and tutorial. I have my Christmas Presents all sorted now.

Helena
Helena

Thank you so much for this plenty pocket bag and sharing it with all of us not living in the U.S.A, I love sewing and making bags but I always
need a pattern to work from. I am sure this is going to be a winner! Keep up the good work.

shoshana vogel
shoshana vogel

thank you for the pattern!

Janis LU
Janis LU

Awesome project. Thank you for sharing with us.

Joanna Barltrop
Joanna Barltrop

Just wanted to say “thank you” …….as I live in England I couldn’t use the link but I really appreciate you offering this as an alternative. Can’t wait to try it out!

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member

You are most welcome!

Lorraine
Lorraine

Thank you so very much for your kindness not your fault Craftsy didn’t explain themselves properly. I really appreciate the information you regularly send and all the help you offer so freely.

Carolyn L.
Carolyn L.

Thank you so much for this pattern. Never made a purse before, but I’m going to try it with this lovely pattern.
Thank you again.
Carolyn

Marilyn Becker
Marilyn Becker

Have you done this bag in a light leather? If so, did you line the bag with a cloth liner? What weight of leather have you used?

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Marilyn Becker

I haven’t but what a great idea.

Magdy Fayek
Magdy Fayek

dear sir

i need your help on how to make a fabric cover inside the coiled bag like in the image

best regards
magdy fayek

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Magdy Fayek

Basically, you will have to make a pattern of the inside of the bag. I do not have a tutorial for this project at this moment.

Betty Biscuit
Betty Biscuit

Hi Deby. I love the look & shapeof this bag and especially the way you’ve designed the outer side zips to blend in. I have just tried (on three separate site visits) to add it to my cart on Craftsy, but I kept getting “oops” messages telling me there was a problem and to try again later. This is not a complaint! I just wanted you to know that I’d experienced a glitch, in case its affecting other people too and is a problem that you’re unaware of. Very best wishes, Deb (based in Scotland)

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Betty Biscuit

Hi Betty, thank you for the feedback, i am afraid is a server issue and one we are not yet have found an answer to. It happens when there are many people on the site. We will try to rectify soon. As for Craftsy they also have huge traffic. Please empty your cache and browsing history then try again. Do this once a week to speed up your computer.

Michelle C Faustermann
Michelle C Faustermann

I need a new bag, mine is falling apart. This is perfect!!!

Lori Fisher
Lori Fisher

How do you become a product tester?

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Lori Fisher

Send me an email to mayra@so-sew-easy.com with your contact details and your level of skill, as well as the products you are willing to test: size, Menswear, woman wear or bag and accessories or open to all. Also I will need your social media account or blog name so I can give you credit.
Kind Regards,

Mayra

Dixie Oatsvall
Dixie Oatsvall

Can you buy a paper pattern. I would like to have the purse pattern, but, I don’t have a printer. Thank You Dixie Oatsvall doatsvall7@gmail.com address 9724 E Edgewood Ave. Mesa AZ 85208

Lisa
Lisa

I use Staples. You can send pdfs and they will print for you.

tea
tea

Love the purse and watching video now. Great tutorial

Susan
Susan

I want to be one of your pattern testers! (However, I’m moving soon, so will be out of commission for a couple of months, but after that, I would love to do it! )

I haven’t watched the video yet, but the purses are beautiful! I would need mine a smidge taller, to hold my iPad mini, (it measures 5.5″, and I assume your measurements are for the outside) but I’m sure it could be adapted. Or maybe I could squish it in, seeing as it’s several inches deep. Will one of you girls try it? Thanks.

I love designing things like these, but sometimes it’s fun to just let someone else figure out the details, and just use their pattern. Especially when it’s so cute!

I also love watching your videos; that’s how I discovered you. I stumbled upon you on YouTube.

Brenda Ackerman

In my 10 plus years of sewing I have only made 2 bags and they were both within the last year. LOL at myself. I always thought they had to have special fabrics and would be hard to sew together. It really was an eye opening experience. Totes, bags and purse patterns are the first thing I search for at garage sales, second hand stores and so on now. Your purse caught my eye with having all of the pockets and the wonderful fabric that you chose. I certainly pinned it and will have to make one very soon. Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful creative day!

Daryl

I clicked to watch the video and it says “this video is private.”

Daryl

Yes it’s now working thank you!