Sometimes it's Good to Pick Up a Needle and Thread

I've been feeling a little too electronically attached lately, missing the feel of materials in my hands. Fortunately, I was connected enough to read an email from Spoonflower announcing a new service, Sprout Patterns, with an offer to order a pouch at a very nominal price. I clicked over to learn more:

"Sprout Patterns is a new service that offers curated indie sewing patterns that you combine with Spoonflower designs to create customized cut and sew projects. Each project is digitally printed by Spoonflower at their Durham, NC headquarters. We take out all the work of putting a sewing pattern onto fabric and leave you with the fun.

You simply choose your sewing pattern from our curated collection of indie patterns, then fill the pattern with your fabric design of choice from Spoonflower’s marketplace. Select your size and type of fabric, and we do all the rest! You will receive a package that includes a digitally printed custom sewing pattern—all you need to do is cut and sew!"

I quickly picked a couple of fabrics I had on Spoonflower and placed the order. Couldn't have been any easier.

A short time later I received the order, folded neatly into a small envelope.

A Sprout Pattern Zipper Pouch printed with patterns designed by Carlyn Clark for Spoonflower. 

There are great instructions for sewing the pouch on the website for making a basic pouch, with a link to make a buttoned version. I wanted to do some handstitching and wanted the pouch to be structured, and able to stand up on it's own when filled with my traveling art journaling supplies. I used HeatnBond Lite to fuse the outer print to plain white cotton. Then I did parallel rows of running stitch, inspired by kantha quilts. Once that was done it was quick and easy to stitch it up, with a gusseted bottom to make it stand up. I added a bit of grosgrain ribbon I had for a pull.

Finished Sprout Pattern Zipper Pouch using Spoonflower Fabric by Carlyn Clark.

It sits nicely when filled with my journaling supplies.

Finished Sprout Pattern Zipper Pouch filled with art journaling supplies.