Sunday, June 16, 2013

Zip pouches to pay the rent

Folks,

From time to time I title my post, something-something to pay the rent. You do know that I am not living in poverty and need to sew stuff to pay the rent for my home. Right? Right? In the first place, we don't pay rent. We pay a mortgage and it comes out of hub's Central Provident Funds. The rent my sewing stuff pays for is the rent for my booth at Vivocity craft market. 

I have another craft market coming up on 29th and 30th of June. I made 10 zip pouches which I hope will sell out totally and the money will fund the rent.


I have not made this size for a long time. In the past these zip pouches were a regular item. So much that people would come to my booth and ask me for the rectangular size I used to make. And they would use their hands and fingers to show me the size.

This size (8.5" long and 5" tall)  is good for stationery. Some women use it to keep their wallets or personal stuff.


I spent quite a bit of time going through my stash choosing fabric, zippers and lining. And I won't say I whipped these zip pouches out because if you've sewn a zip pouch before you'll know there's no whipping. Just good ol' accuracy in pinning and sewing. And lots of ironing. I used a softer interfacing this time. I'm quite over stiff interfacing for the moment. The soft interfacing feels like fabric.


For this batch of zip pouches, I'm selling them without handles so they can't be used as wristlets. Reasons being wristlets are harder to sell as they are priced higher and the other reason is I have almost run out of lobster swivel clasps which are needed for the handles. I usually buy these clasps in 100 pieces so I'll need to make a supply run soon but it's so so so bloody hot. I feel baked whenever I leave my home so there won't be any supply run until it rains. Even in my home with ceiling fans all over (7 in total), I feel like I am drained of my energy just sitting still. Once I made the mistake of closing the windows and doors before we went out the whole day to keep out the insects. When we returned, my home felt like an oven. I could feel myself slightly fainting, losing my balance.   


Where was I?

Yes, I have instead used cute cotton tape which are decorative so I hope none of my customers will attach a handle to them. Check out the first tape with the bobbin on a measuring tape. I could just die.


These five are my favourite. The two flower-flower ones I'm finding very hard to part with.

I devote next week to making stuff for my next craft market. I pray for rain.

Partay: Sew Many Ways

18 comments:

Delphina said...

Am totally digging the black and the bird fabric! ❤❤❤

Projects By Jane said...

I only know one Delphina. You must be her!

mANdarien said...

They're all very nice, but the one with the birds is also my favourite !

Projects By Jane said...

@mANdarien
Now you're making me very curious to see which of these zip pouches would sell first!

Linda Walker said...

Love them all...I make zippered pouches as well. I find making them a bit addictive! I love the floral ones too!!! Linda
mysewwhatblog.blogspot.com

Projects By Jane said...

@Linda Walker
I've made over 400 zip pouches since I started making bags. So, not so addictive anymore for me. But I do enjoy using scraps to patch them into a zip pouch. That is addictive to me. At the moment. Until the next shiny thing comes along...

Delphina said...

@Jane
Yes it's me! :D

Bethany said...

The flowers are my favorite too :)

Kate R said...

Love these! I am still waiting to unpack my sewing room and machine so am itching to get into making some cute things like this. I have only made a few zippy pouches - my concentration doesn't last long enough for any more :)

I hope they sell well! And I hope you're surviving the heat and the mosquitoes :( Hard to imagine from cold Sydney today...

Schulz Family said...

visiting you from sew darn crafty. These look fantastic. We are cold cold cold here. Funny to think of someone in the heat

punkychewster said...

oh yes, there is no whipping about these pouches. I'm usually the one that takes the whipping. I bet you must feel so productive after a whole batch of these. i am still procrastinating!

marym said...

Jane, are you implying that you don't have air conditioning in your apartment? in SINGAPORE??? Or is it that you just keep the AC temp higher to avoid huge energy bills?

Sorry if this is too nosy a comment.

Great job on the zippy pouches!

hugs,
MaryM in upstate New York

Projects By Jane said...

@marym
hmmm... what a nosy question! I'M KIDDING.
We installed air conditioning in our bedrooms but not in our living rooms or kitchen or study area. We never thought about it when we bought the flat 14 years ago. If we had been smarter, we would have. At least in the study area and living room. I think an air-conditioned kitchen is a bit much.
And before you ask, I don't want to sew in my bedroom. Got to keep it as lint free as possible because we are sneezers her.

An Oasis in the Desert said...

These are really cute and so useful, too!

Linda said...

How pretty! I love the decorative tape on the sides! Nice touch!

Wahida said...

Hi Jane

It's been awhile since I had time to visit your blog. The pouches are gorgeous. I love the little tape thing you used. Where did you get that? It's such a neat idea. I finally saw your message from last year at my zaffranjhola account on facebook. Thanks for writing back and sorry I didnt reply. I was busy last summer with my sister expecting her first child and then been too busy being Aunty to check accounts. Anyways, I have new FB website. Please stop by and check it out when have free time. its at
www.facebook.com/zcraftphoria.
Cheers Wahida Mostafa (aka zaffranjhola, now zaffran craftphoria)

Projects By Jane said...

@Wahida

I bought the tapes from Sing Mui Heng in Singapore.

Chris H said...

I knew you didn't have to 'pay the rent' on your home! lol
I love the zip pouches, and the little tapes on the side.

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