This is a step-by-step pictorial on how to make a pouch with
hidden seams for your small furry friends. These pouches work great as sleeping pouches, cuddle sacks, lap sacks, or just about whatever for all sorts of snuggly buddies in your life. I make them for my sugar gliders, but you can vary the size to make them for ratties, hedgies, guinea pigs, or even your pups if you enlarge it. This design is very basic, so there are many possibilities if you tinker with it. I highly suggest experimenting with the dimensions to see what works best for you!
You will need:
- 4 Fleece Squares of equal size (shown are 10″ x 10″ squares)
- 2 Fleece Strips if you wish to have a hanging pouch (shown are 4″ x 1″ strips)
- Sewing machine
- Good quality thread
- Fabric shears or Rotary blade and mat
Begin with 4 equal pieces of fleece. 2 for the inside of the pouch and 2 for the outside of the pouch. If you wish for your pouch to hang, you will also need 2 strips of fleece cut along the less-stretchy grain.
Take the 2 pieces for the inner layer of the pouch and place them together with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. Line them up so that all edges are even and together.
Sew along 3 sides of the fleece with a 1/2″ seam allowance
Optional steps for boxed corners: Open up the pouch and find one of the bottom corners with your fingers.
Optional steps for boxed corners: Pinch the corner together along the seam so that it forms a triangle at the bottom of the pouch. Match your bottom seam to your edge seam.
Optional steps for boxed corners: Flatten the corner and pin in place.
Optional steps for boxed corners: The pin should go through the seam on both sides. This will let you know that it is lined up properly.
Optional steps for boxed corners: Sew a seam perpendicular to the original seam about 1 inch from the tip of the corner. Sew farther back for a wider bottomed pouch.
Optional steps for boxed corners: Clip the excess corner off. Leave approximately 1/2″ of seam allowance.
Repeat the above steps with your outer fleece. You should now have 2 equal, single layer pouches.
Turn your inner layer right side out. Leave the outer layer wrong side out.
Nest the inner layer into the outer layer. The right sides should be facing each other, leaving the raw seams showing.
Now you will place your tabs (if used) in between the layers. Double over your tab with the right sides facing out, and place the raw edges against the top of the pouch so that the loop is facing down into the pouch. You may place them in whichever orientation you desire. I place my tabs against the side seams. Some like to place tabs along one side. Use whichever placement you find most useful.
Pin the tab to hold it in place. Remember to always remove your pins before sewing over them!
Sew around the top of the pouch at a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving about a 1″ to 1.5″ gap in your sewing to turn the pouch. Make sure to backstitch on either side of your opening.
Begin turning your pouch through this opening.
When your pouch is turned, you will have one long piece that looks like this. Your tabs should also be to the outside if you added them. Go ahead and stuff the inside pouch into the outside and adjust it so that it sits properly.
Tuck the raw edges of your opening under so that it is neat and ready to close.
You may close the opening using a full topstitch around the whole pouch as shown here, or with just enough to securely close it. Close with machine stitch only for safety, and remember to backstitch at the beginning and end of your seam. Trim all extra threads as close as possible.
Tigerlily Threads 