Flex Frame Tutorial
I promised our Sunny Friends a tutorial for a simple Flex Frame pouch. Today is your lucky day! This tutorial is only a guide; you can easily adjust the dimensions to make your pouch work for you! Make it longer to use for an eyeglass case or give your pouch a rounded bottom. Add applique to the exterior, or even embroidery. There are many ways to personalize it.
Supply List:
You will need fabric for the exterior front and back.
Fabric for the lining
Fabric to make a casing
Interfacing or fusible fleece (optional)
For my Flex Frame, I pieced together an exterior front panel and trimmed my panel to 5.25" wide and 5.5" long. For the exterior back panel, I used a single piece of fabric measuring 5.25" X 5.5".
Once I have my front and back sorted out, I fused Shape-Flex by Pellon to the front and back panels. I chose Shape-Flex to add structure, but not bulk. If you are making a case for your eyewear, you may want to use fleece as your stabilizer. Of course, cut the stabilizer or interfacing the same width and length as your exterior.
Cut your lining the same width and length as your exterior.
Now we are ready to make two casing pieces that will house the Flex Frame! The goal is to have the casing pieces just slightly smaller than the length of the frame. You will need two, one for the front and one for the back. I cut 2 pieces for my casings measuring 1.75" by 5" each.
Press the short ends of your casing pieces a scant quarter inch to the wrong side. Top stitch each folded short end.
With wrong sides facing, press the long edge of the casing pieces in half.
I finger pressed a crease in the center of the casing and the exterior panels.
Match the creased centers to the top edges and sandwich the casing between the front panel and the lining. Using a quarter inch seam allowance, sew the three front layers together along the top only. Repeat for the back panel.
Lay the front and back panel/lining unit together with right sides facing. Match the seams and make sure the casing is free of the seam allowance.
Using a quarter inch seam allowance, stitch around the pinned pieces. Leave a section of the bottom of the lining open for turning right side out.
Turn your pouch right side out and press. Stitch the opening closed.
Take your Flex Frame and gently feed it through the casing on the front and the back. Grab the small pin and place it in the open end of the Flex Frame. You may need to use a small mallet to drive the pin in place. I used my scissor's handle to pound the pin in the open side.
That's it! Now you have a handy dandy Flex Frame Pouch!
