Destash Zip Thanks

 My friend and I had been planning for weeks to go back to the creative re-use thrift store, and I wanted to donate as much as I could--I largely turned a critical eye on yardage fabric I probably never would use, and similar odds and ends of lace and trim, and craft stuff I hadn't touched for years (if ever.)  I emptied some storage boxes/areas and made space in more, which, yes, would allow me to acquire new stuff, but the real intent was just to...generally eliminate things.  I get a lot of satisfaction, at this stage of life, from honing my craft and hobby stashes.  (It's not exactly the Konmari approach, but it's similar.)  I made enough space that I could move some things, which had been in an annoying storage situation, into a concealed storage spot, and now it makes me happy to look at where the stuff used to be and not see it sticking out anymore. (I will never be a minimalist, but clutter doesn't sit well with me, either.)

The creative re-use store's website says they don't accept fabric donations under a yard--I know they do accept calico in quarter yards/fat quarters, so I did donate some of those (and a quick chat with the register lady said they accept smaller cotton pieces that can be used for doll clothes--she tried to sell me some bags of those, but, heh, nope, I have so many I could donate to them...)  I have two big bags of scraps--one of calicos and one of everything else.  My storage concerns need to figure out what to do with them, as well as leave space to keep filling future bags, because I will always generate a lot of scraps I'm not personally prepared to use for doll clothes or patchwork.

ANYWAY.

One of the remnants of fabric I didn't want to keep but I thought was too small to donate, leftover from a skirt I made last year, I decided to sew into a Thanks item for the friend, who is the one who drives to the place (friend has a Prius, so there's less...uh...ecoguilt about driving a long distance to a thrift store.)

Vintage metal zipper, too.

Nothing going on on the back, beyond the vintage burnt sienna, teak, and harvest gold palette

It wasn't until I started assembly that I realized I'd never made just a pouch with the zipper offset from the top like this--yes, I'd made features like that in purses, but the assembly is a little different.

I fumbled my way around sewing the lining at the ends of the zipper and it turned out well enough.  And I did my usual "machine sew the opening left for turning, who do you think I am if you think I'd hand stitch."  I also used red thread in the bobbin because I already had a bobbin with red thread in it.

And I honestly never thought I'd use this brown, slightly synthetic-feeling gingham (which would have been in the donation bag if I knew I could donate pieces as small as it was), so that was nice, too.