Zipper Flaps and Pack Pouches

Going to do a double-whammy of a tutorial here, both zipper flaps and assault-pack-style front pack pouches.  There are countless ways to do zipper flaps, but this is the way that works best for me.  I’ve also seen a lot of questions on how to do the pack pouches like on USGI MOLLE Assault Packs, so here you go.  To start with, these were taken while constructing one of my kiddie packs, the Y.U.C.K., so if you’re wondering why it looks really small… well… that’s why.  Keep in mind, the shiny revers of the fabric isn’t a messed up DWR coating, but 420D packcloth lining.  I won’t get into that here, just pointing it out.  One other note, this works for both regular and reversed zippers.

Step 1) determine the thickness of the pouch you desire, then add seam allowance and 1" extra for the zipper flap (or more if you want a more weather-resistant flap).  Mark and fold at 1".

Step 2) Sew 1/8" from the edge to flatten the fold.

Step 3) Align the edge of the zipper tape with the raw edge of the folded fabric and sew.

Step 3b) Using a zipper foot or just by running the edge of your regular foot along the edge of the zipper teeth, run a second row of stitching down the zipper tape.

Step 3c) Put your slider(s) on.

Step 4) With a #9 or #10 zipper, you should create the bottom half of your pack/pouch sides to be 1/2" narrower than your zipper flap.  When you add the zipper tape, they should be the same width.  Bind all four end edges.

Step 5) Align the edges of your binding on both pieces so that it leaves 1" of overlap.

Step 6) Sew across the bottom binding, close to the edge, then back up to the top binding, also close to the edge.  Then come back around and stitch over the original stitching on the bottom piece’s binding.

Step 7) Repeat step 6 for the other side, creating a ring.

Here’s where it gets to the pack pouch part of the tutorial…

Step 8 ) Align and clip, pin or glue your face piece to your sides.

Step 9) When sewing, make sure to pleat your sharper corners so they lay flat, and look even all around.  On the Y.U.C.K. and most of my pouches, I make the bottom corners tight, and the upper corners looser, so as to not constrict the movement of the zipper.

Step 10) Trim off the corners of the face piece.

Step 11) Bind.  I prefer to double stitch.

Step 12) Flip your pocket inside-out, pushing out all your corners for a crisp appearance.

Step 13) Pin down your edge, folding it underneath for a finished appearance.  I only fold it under 1/4", since this is plenty to double stitch it with overlapping stitches.  Make sure that when you pin it, you pin it in such a way that you don’t trap the pins in the direction you will be sewing it.  Extracting a pin from underneath completed stitches can be frustrating.

Step 14) Stitch.  As I mentioned in step 13, I double stitch it for strength.

Now, attach the face piece of your pack to your main pack zipper flap and bottom, constructed in the same manner as for the pouch, then attach the back.  Easy-peasy.