Half-Moon Pouch Pattern Maker
A half-moon pouch is a zip pouch with a half-circle front and back, which gives it a soft, rounded shape that suits a coin purse, make-up bag or clutch.
Set the width and the height of the curve. Sew it flat, or give it a depth with a gusset strip so it boxes out, and choose zip tabs and lining.
Make it yours: Change the width and depth, and the gusset width.
Make this pattern in your size →What you can change
Size
- Width: 9–40 cm (3½–15¾″). Along the zip, side to side.
- Height: 5–25 cm (2–9⅞″). From the middle of the zip down to the lowest point of the curve. Half the width makes a half-circle.
Sizes are typed in centimetres, millimetres or inches. The starting size is Width 18 cm (7⅛″), Height 9.5 cm (3¾″).
Options
- Sides: flat or boxed with a gusset
- Switches: Zip tabs, Lined, Interfacing
- Measurements and counts: Depth, Zip tape width, Sew the zip on at
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Half-moon pouch | 18 × 9.5 cm | 7 × 3¾″ |
| Coin purse | 12 × 6.5 cm | 4¾ × 2½″ |
| Boxed half-moon pouch | 20 × 10.5 cm, 4.5 cm deep | 8 × 4¼″, 1¾″ deep |
| Make-up bag | 24 × 12.5 cm, 6 cm deep | 9½ × 5″, 2¼″ deep |
| Pencil case | 23 × 9.5 cm, 4 cm deep | 9 × 3¾″, 1½″ deep |
| Zip clutch | 28 × 14 cm | 11 × 5½″ |
Cutting list
At the starting size (Width 18 cm (7⅛″), Height 9.5 cm (3¾″)) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front and back | Main fabric | 2 | up to 20 × 10.45 cm (up to 7⅞ × ≈4⅛″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Front and back | Lining | 2 | up to 20 × 10.45 cm (up to 7⅞ × ≈4⅛″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Front and back | Interfacing | 2 | up to 18 × 8.85 cm (up to ≈7⅛ × ≈3½″) | 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 each outer piece. It is cut to the stitching line, so keep the seam allowance clear.
- Lay a 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 front lining on top, wrong side up, straight edges level. Sew 0.6 cm from the edge with a zipper foot.
- Press the outer and lining away from the zip, wrong sides together, and topstitch beside the zip. Sew the back outer and back lining to the other tape the same way.
- Open the zip at least halfway: it is how you turn the pouch.
- Open the pieces out so the two outers are right sides together and the two linings are right sides together, the zip between them. Match the notches. Sew all round the curve and across the corners at 1 cm, outer and lining, leaving the gap between the lining’s notches open. Do not sew over the zip teeth: stop at the straight edge's ends. Then cut off the spare zip.
- Snip small V notches into the curved allowance, close to the stitching but not through it, so the curve turns smoothly.
- Turn the pouch right side out through the gap in the lining and push the corners out. Fold the gap’s edges in, edgestitch it closed, and tuck the lining inside.
Fabric suggestions
Outer: Quilting cotton, linen, canvas, cork, faux leather or velvet.
Lining: Quilting cotton, or a laminated cotton for make-up.
Interfacing, padding or other layers: Light fusible interfacing for a crisp pouch; fusible fleece for a soft, padded one. The curve turns more smoothly in thin fabric.
How each fabric family suits it
- Stable woven: great choice. Holds the curve and turns neatly with interfacing.
- Heavy or stiff: possible, with care. Thick fabric is hard to turn round the curve and the zip ends get bulky. Snip the curved allowance often and use thin lining.
- Stretchy knit: not recommended. The curve stretches as it is sewn and the zip waves. Fuse every piece to interfacing if you try it.
- Slippery or fine: works well. Fine with interfacing; good as a lining.
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 1 A4 page, 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 half-moon pouch pattern takes width from 9–40 cm (3½–15¾″); height from 5–25 cm (2–9⅞″). It starts at Width 18 cm (7⅛″), Height 9.5 cm (3¾″), and you can work in centimetres, millimetres or inches. There are 6 starting points to begin from (Half-moon pouch, Coin purse, Boxed half-moon pouch, Make-up bag, Pencil case, Zip clutch). Every starting point stays fully editable.
Which fabric suits the half-moon pouch pattern?
Quilting cotton, linen, canvas, cork, faux leather or velvet. In the maker’s fabric advice, stable woven is a great choice; slippery or fine works well; heavy or stiff is possible with care; stretchy knit is not recommended.