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Media Press Zip-Itself Coin Purse {Tutorial}
This zip-itself coin purse is truly an amazing and creative handmade design… zip-up to a tetrahedron shaped coin purse, unzip to a long ribbon. This zip-itself coin purse is made from 2 simple materials that you can get from the shop easily – ribbon and zipper. Get the tutorial on how to sew zip-itself coin purse with lining after this jump.
I accidentally saw this zip-itself coin purse when I did a search for the tetrahedron coin purse and I love the idea. I knew I am going to scratch my head and drill into the detail of the design and make it one day…. But, this day hasn’t been long before I need to pull my hairs and bite my fingers to find out the how-to from a mere internet picture. The story goes…..
On a relax weekend in June while shopping at a flea market in Straits Quay, I walked towards the only stall that sells handmade materials and finished handmade. I was so happy to find the little cutie zip-itself coin purse hanging at the stall. Dawn and San San, the 2 friendly and lovely lady owners of HaHa Plaza are so nice to guide and teach me how to make this purse. They even gave me a sample and some materials to try it out. Take a peep to see me shopping at Haha Plaza stall, yeah, the one wearing green T (thank you, Vickson, for this wonderful photo and uploaded to their facebook page). I am so glad I made this trip to the flea market, not only to learn to make this zip-itself coin purse but to be friends with these 3 wonderful people, Dawn, San San and Vickson. If you happen to be in Penang and would like to get some nice & niche handmade materials (handles, frames, fabrics, buttons etc), HaHa Plaza will be at the flea market at the following dates:
July 30, 2011
August 27, 2011
September 24, 2011
October 29, 2011
Time: 10 am to 10 pm
If you are not able to make it to meet them personally, then visit their online shop.
Materials:
1. Zipper (nylon) – 20″, 1pc.
2. Ribbon (1/2″ or 5/8″)- 20″, 1pc. (Note: you can use grosgrain, woven, satin ribbons, or other alternative materials like lace, ric rac, fabric strip, soft twill tape etc.)
3. Ribbon – short length for the purse loop.
4. Lining fabric strip (3/4″) – 20″, 1pc. (optional)Tools:
1. Sewing needles.
2. Matching threads
3. Pins
4. Marker
5. Warm iron (optional, use only with lining)
Get ready the materials and tools as per quantities stated above.
Measure 2 3/4″ from zipper’s bottom stop, including the bottom stop.
Lay the ribbon slightly over the marking. If the ribbon has direction (in this case, the Pucca doll), the bottom edge should point to the zipper.
Back stitch the ribbon to the zipper, about 1/32″ from the teeth in order for the slider to get through.
Note: I sewed with longer stitch on the wrong side but shorter stitch on the right side for the backstitch. Scroll down to the lining step and you will see the stitches on the wrong side. Due to the short stitch on the right side and the way the needle pick up the zipper tap, it didn’t show a lot like backstitch from the back, but I swear that it is backstitch 
Bend the zipper tape down at the end, adjust it to make the edge smooth.
Continue sewing the ribbon. Pin the ribbon on the tape will make sewing easier.
Continue sewing until you reach about 4″ – 5″ from the top stop of the zipper.
Your actual ribbon should look longer than this, I trimmed some away before taking this picture.
Unzip the zipper.
Come back to the start point. Arch the tape at the marking, pin the ribbon to the tape as shown.
Sew ribbon to the tape of the other side of the zipper.
Trim off the extra length, fold the raw edge of the ribbon and slip stitch the ribbon to the tape by following the curve.
A nice smooth curvature determine the beauty of the purse.
Continue back stitching the ribbon to the zipper tape until you are about 1″- 2″ away from the top stop.
Zip-up the zipper and the purse is formed through a upward spiral closure.
Press the top edge of the purse to find the top corners of the tetrahedron shape, which is usually the center of the bottom corners.
Mark both points.
Judge the shape from different angle to check if it is balance.
Once you are satisfied with the shape and marking, unzip the zipper for the next step to continue sewing the ribbon to complete the purse.
Arch the longer zipper tape at the marking, the zipper ends should meet and intersect at the other marking.
Place a ribbon loop on the intersection point of the zipper, pin.
Sew to complete the coin purse. Trim off the extra length of the ribbon and insert the raw edge of the ribbon, slip stitch to the tape.
Whip stitch the zipper edges at the back of the purse.
[Update: Thanks to Gandma G's suggestion to add more information in the photo that is self explanatory.]
If you would like to line your purse in order to hide the stitches, do the following.
Fold and press the raw edges to make a 1/2″ wide fabric strip. Slip stitch along the stitching lines of the ribbon.
A fully liner zip-itself tetrahedron coin purse is completed.
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thanks for sharing. for long time i search this pattern because i want to make it by myself. i want to make as soon as possible, and hope succesfull.
Thank you so much for the tutorial! As soon as I found it I grabbed a zipper and a ribbon and made one. Thanks to the clear instructions my first attempt worked out great!
Can I make this using 1″ ribbon? I have the cutest ribbon I’d love to make this with but it’s 1″.
Hi Christine, I haven’t tried 1″ ribbon before. From my understanding, the height of the purse with 1″ ribbon will be higher than the one done with 1/2″ or 5/8″ ribbon. I am afraid that it will be out of proportion but I could be wrong. Grandma G, mom of Jessica of How About Orange managed to sew one with 7/8″ ribbon with this tutorial but using sewing machine. I was surprised to see that the proportion is good and it is shown here. Perhaps, a 1″ ribbon can be done too. Let us know if you have tried it. Thanks.
I just made this, and it is so cute! My 8 year old daughter will be giving it to a friend as a birthday gift tomorrow. I had a little trouble figuring out the last few inches, but once I realized that the zipper had to come back on itself it fell into place. Thank you, I really like this!
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Does the width of the ribbon matter? or the width of the zipper? I have a huge box of ribbon and zippers just waiting for a the perfect project. Thanks for the tutorial!
The ribbon width does matter. Try to use back the same width mentioned here to maintain the right proportion. Use other width may require different zipper length.
Muy encantadores, gracias por estas ideas.
Translation (by Google):
Very lovely, thank you for these ideas.
Hi there, I am a little confused and wondered if you could help. i got to the last step, but my zipper is not at the top but at the side. I cant figure out how to do your last step (the one before the lining step. Please help.
thanks!
Hi Kenya, please take a photo of your purse and send to me via the “contact us” form. I need to have a look at your purse before I know what is wrong. Thanks.
Hi, I’m a begining sewer and thought this would be a cute fun project, I did fine until the last couple of steps, I pressed the purse together and marked the corners with pins, then it states to judge the shape, it doesn’t look anything like yours, it does look like the picture of when you zip it up, is there a step missing or am I just not bright enough to figure it out? Please help. Thanks
Teresa, please send me a few photos via the contact form so that I can take a look on your purse.
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Hello,
I love the patterns. All of them…Thank you…
Berra
Hi,
That’s a very interesting shape, cute and useful as well. Thanks for sharing. I’ll be trying to make it soon.
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Made one! I love it although it’s not very tetrahedron…
Thank you for your detailed tutorial!
Clau
This looks amazing. Thanks a lot for such nice tutorial. I am curios though can we make this using 18′ zip. I seem to have lot of 18′ zip and not finding 20′ in the craft store. What proportion need to change while working with 18.
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This is soooo cute!! I’m going to make this soon, but where can I buy the ribbons like the ones you showed?
You really need to shop around to find them, I bought from the local craft shop here.
Too cute
Is there a video tutorial?
Sorry, Jane, no video tutorial.
pictures here might make it easier to understand: http://pzdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/tetrahedral-coin-purse-fun-puzzling-diy.html
Hi,
I bought a couple of rectangular zipper coin purses a few years ago for my girls. I love the idea making a purse with different materials. I’m so glad to find this instruction. I had already made five purses. This purse makes a great stocking stuffer! Plan to make more with a different theme. Thank you!
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These are absolutely the worst instructions I have ever encountered! I have never been so frustrated in my life! Why can’t there be a video to show how this is done?
Thank you for your instructions. I just love this zip purse. I found a zip and grosgrain ribbon which I inherited from my mother in law who died aged 82 in 1990 (I have loads of old bits). Yesterday the last stage re crossing over the short side and long side, was foxing me but today I can see how it fits together clearly. My zip was perhaps longer than 20ins though so the top opening is not at the right angle to the base to make it a tetrahedron. Nevertheless I am thrilled with the results and will buy the correct size zip and have another attempt.
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