Dumpling Pouch Pattern Maker
The dumpling pouch is a rounded, softly pleated zip pouch, the sort that sits plump in a hand or a bag. Its curved pieces are the awkward part to draft by hand; here they are drawn for you, with seam allowance round the curves.
Set the width and height, how much the belly bulges, how many pleats there are and how deep, and add zip tabs or a wrist strap.
Make it yours: Change the width, height and pleat count, and add or drop the wrist loop.
Make this pattern in your size →What you can change
Size
- Width: 11–35 cm (4⅜–13¾″). The zip: side to side across the top.
- Height: 7–25 cm (2¾–9⅞″). From the middle of the zip down to the lowest point.
Sizes are typed in centimetres, millimetres or inches. The starting size is Width 20 cm (7⅞″), Height 11.5 cm (4½″).
Options
- Switches: Zip tabs, Wrist strap, Lined, Interfacing
- Measurements and counts: Belly, Pleats, Pleat depth, Zip tape width, Sew the zip on at, Strap length
Starting points
These are sizes and settings to begin from, and every one stays fully editable. Type your own measurements, or start from the nearest one.
| Starting point | Finished size, cm | Same starting point in round inches |
|---|---|---|
| Dumpling pouch | 20 × 11.5 cm · 3 pleats | 8 × 4½″ · 3 pleats |
| Mini dumpling | 13 × 8 cm · 2 pleats | 5 × 3¼″ · 2 pleats |
| Dumpling clutch | 26 × 14 cm · 4 pleats | 10¼ × 5½″ · 4 pleats |
| Smooth dumpling | 18 × 11 cm | 7 × 4¼″ |
| Wrist dumpling | 19 × 11 cm · 3 pleats | 7½ × 4¼″ · 3 pleats |
Cutting list
At the starting size (Width 20 cm (7⅞″), Height 11.5 cm (4½″)) the pattern has these pieces. Fabric sizes include seam allowance, interfacing is cut to the stitching line, and pieces cut on the fold are shown opened out. Each size is the width and height of the piece as cut.
| Piece | Fabric | Cut | Size to cut | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back | Main fabric | 1 | up to 26.4 × 12.45 cm (up to ≈10⅜ × ≈4⅞″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Back | Lining | 2 | up to 26.4 × 12.45 cm (up to ≈10⅜ × ≈4⅞″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Back | Interfacing | 1 | up to 24.4 × 10.85 cm (up to ≈9⅝ × ≈4¼″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Front | Main fabric | 1 | up to 30.3 × 12.45 cm (up to ≈11⅞ × ≈4⅞″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Front | Interfacing | 1 | up to 28.3 × 10.85 cm (up to ≈11⅛ × ≈4¼″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
You will also need: Zip; Thread. The cover page and materials list give the amounts for your size.
The maker’s fabric estimate at this size: Main fabric about 0.2 m of 112 cm fabric; Lining about 0.2 m of 112 cm fabric.
How it goes together
These are the maker’s own instructions at the starting size. They change with the options you pick, and the PDF carries the full set with the cover, cutting list and materials list.
- Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the outer pieces, to the stitching line. On the front, keep it clear of the pleat lines’ allowance.
- Pleat the front. At each pleat, fold the front on the first fold line and bring the second fold line over to the placement mark, so the fabric lies in three layers, and press. Baste across the pleat inside the seam allowance. Every pleat is folded the same way, towards the same side. Do all 3 and check the front’s curve now matches the back’s: the notches on the two curves should land together.
- Lay the front outer right side up with the zip face down along its straight edge, tape edge level, the ends running past the corners. Lay a lining on top, wrong side up, straight edges level, and sew 0.6 cm from the edge with a zipper foot. Press both away from the zip and topstitch beside it.
- Sew the back outer and the other lining to the other tape the same way. Open the zip at least halfway: it is how you turn the pouch.
- Open it out so the two outers are right sides together and the two linings are right sides together, the zip between. Match the notches, including the pleat marks. Sew all round the curve at 1 cm, outer and lining, leaving the gap between the lining’s notches open. Stop at the zip edge at each end. Cut off the spare zip.
- Snip small V notches in the curved allowance, close to the stitching but not through it. Trim the pleats’ extra layers in the allowance to reduce bulk.
- Turn the pouch right side out through the gap in the lining and push out the curves with a blunt tool. Fold the gap’s edges in, edgestitch it closed, and tuck the lining inside.
Fabric suggestions
Outer: Quilting cotton, linen, velvet, corduroy, light canvas or faux leather. A soft, drapey fabric makes the best pleats.
Lining: Quilting cotton or poplin.
Interfacing, padding or other layers: Light fusible interfacing on the back; fusible fleece on the front makes it plump. Leave the pleats’ seam allowance clear of it.
How each fabric family suits it
- Stable woven: great choice. Pleats well and holds the shape.
- Heavy or stiff: possible, with care. Thick fabric makes bulky pleats. Use fewer, shallower pleats, or a thin fabric.
- Stretchy knit: not recommended. The curve stretches as it is sewn and the pleats will not hold.
- Slippery or fine: possible, with care. Slippery fabric is hard to pleat accurately; baste the pleats and use clips.
The maker’s advice adjusts to the fabric family you pick in the Fabric tab.
Printing it
At the starting size the printed pieces take 2 A4 pages, taped together using the page labels, alignment marks and page map. For a print shop, choose a sheet from A0 to a 36″ roll: the pieces are packed onto as few sheets as they will fit on, and if one is too big for the sheet the maker says so. How printing, tiling and the test square work.
Frequently asked questions
What size can I make?
The dumpling pouch pattern takes width from 11–35 cm (4⅜–13¾″); height from 7–25 cm (2¾–9⅞″). It starts at Width 20 cm (7⅞″), Height 11.5 cm (4½″), and you can work in centimetres, millimetres or inches. There are 5 starting points to begin from (Dumpling pouch, Mini dumpling, Dumpling clutch, Smooth dumpling, Wrist dumpling). Every starting point stays fully editable.
Which fabric suits the dumpling pouch pattern?
Quilting cotton, linen, velvet, corduroy, light canvas or faux leather. A soft, drapey fabric makes the best pleats. In the maker’s fabric advice, stable woven is a great choice; heavy or stiff and slippery or fine are possible with care; stretchy knit is not recommended.