1 piece cotton, woven fabric 11 inches x 15 inches
1 piece ripstop nylon approximately 11 inches x 15 inches
Pins
Matching thread
Velcro, soft, 1/2 inch wide
Self-healing cutting mat and rotary cutter (recommended but not necessary)
Cut your cotton fabric first, then pin (wrong sides together) securely to the ripstop nylon. Make sure the pins do not overlap the edges that need to be cut! Trim the nylon to match the cotton. (Your mat will work better if small children have used it to color on top of and over-colored on it with markers and crayon.)
Cut the fabrics in half to make two 7.5 inch by 11 inch bundles, then pin the open sides.
Sew, using about a 1/4" to 3/8" seam, around the edges, leaving about a 2" opening on one of the long sides. I find it easier to sew cotton side up toward the foot.
Leave your opening on the top half of one of the long sides, so that when you fold this piece in half later, the opening isn't at the fold. It seems to behave better this way.
Trim your corners, then turn pouch right-side-out. Poke corners out neatly, using a pin to pick out the corners carefully.
Using a cool iron (synthetic setting), iron your pouches flat with the cotton side up toward the hot iron plate to prevent scorching the nylon. Make sure the edges of the opening are tucked in neatly and are even with the sewn sides.
Cut a piece of velcro to fit the short sides. Separate into two pieces, then pin one in place, or use Wonder Tape to hold. The loop side is easier to pin than the hook side. You may just want to sew very slowly and place it as you go. Sew around the velcro piece entirely, taking care to secure stitching at beginning and end.
Repeat with other half of velcro.
Carefully fasten velcro strips together, making edges as square and even as possible. Pin sides in place.
Stitch up the sides, starting at the bottom of the pouch. Make sure to backstitch to secure well at the beginning, and again over the velcro edge. I backstitch about an inch, back over the velcro and down a bit. If you have something like a blind hem foot, it will help keep your side stitches nice and even.
Your pouch is complete! If you are making two of them, it's easier to make them step-by-step together. You'll have two done in no time flat!
If you have younger children, or children with fine-motor issues, you may want to sew the velcro on about 1/2 inch from the top, leaving something for them to grab onto when they're opening. My 4 and 5 year olds could open these without problems, but YMMV.
Make the pouches larger to hold sandwiches. Or more snacks!
