Patterns to Try | Patchwork Zip Up Tray Pouch

After trying - and loving - Aneela Hoey's @aneelahoey patchwork version of her Pop Open Pouch, I knew I needed to try another pattern I've had lurking in my Patterns to Try file - her Patchwork Zip Up Tray Pouch. 

To start, I cut and pieced the necessary 2.5" squares from a Cotton Couture Charm Pack. Shown below is just the exterior panel; there were also two patchwork end pieces as well.

The patchwork panels and the separating zipper were a breeze....

.... though things increased in difficulty somewhat from there.

• Piecing of heavy interfacing were inserted to create the four sides of the pouch, and for some reason, I needed to trim them ever so slightly to fit. Easily done, and the sides seem to have ended up evenly enough.

• Creating and attaching the patchwork tray ends was a bit of a mind game - maybe it was just me. Thankfully, I was able to get them attached correctly, but it took some real concentration and reviewing of the instructions. No worries; it just took some time.

• The trickiest step of all (for me) was the final one - the hand-sewing of the binding. The stiffness and shape of the pouch made it difficult to get in there with my needle to take the needed stitches! In theory, it should have been easily done; but in practice, I found it frustrating and spread it out over several days. Until I didn't. I was just two-thirds finished with the first end when I gave up and went to the machine, setting it up for a zig-zag stitch. My closest matching thread was not really close (though pretty), and the process was still cumbersome, BUT I'm happy enough with the end result. I will note that I glued the binding down before starting in on the zig-zag, and I think that helped a lot. Of course, the end that was partially hand-stitched was easier yet.

The finish is unique, darling, oh-so-practical, and I have already put it to use. I probably won't be making a bunch of these, but the pattern does get rave reviews, so other folks haven't found the tricky parts as daunting. The tray finishes at 11" x 4" x 4" closed and 11" x 4" x 7" open, so has the capacity to be a very useful addition to one's sewing practice.