This tutorial has been designed to support the Curious Crone Magic Charm Pouch kit. However, if you have your own materials (some scrap fabric and a needle and thread are the basics) then you should be able to adapt these instructions to make a pouch using what you have on hand.
I fell in love with making these simple pouches out of vintage fabric scraps because they are easy to make with only the most rudimentary sewing skills, and you can make almost infinite variations with just about any fabric you have available. I call them Magic Charm pouches because they are perfect for small keepsakes like a lucky stone or spell components. I love the idea of writing an intention or secret on a piece of paper and rolling it up and tucking it inside the pouch to keep it safe. But it’s also good for somewhat more practical things – I keep my hearing aids in one when I travel!
Slow stitching by hand is a creative, meditative practice and a very forgiving art form. Don’t worry too much about form or mistakes, just enjoy the process!
Materials
If you have purchased or received a kit, you have enough material to make two magic charm pouches. You’ll find the following materials inside:
- two pieces of base fabric, cut to 8″ long by 3″ wide
- an assortment of smaller scrap fabrics to compliment the base fabric
- three strands of embroidery floss in complimentary colours
- a few decorative buttons
- a sewing needle
- two lengths of cotton cord for the drawstrings
- two pairs of beads to attach to the drawstrings
In addition to the materials in the kit, you’ll need a pair of sharp scissors. The following materials are optional but recommended: a glue stick, a blunt tapestry needle or a small metal paperclip to help thread the drawstring, and you may find a needle-threader to be helpful.
Some of your fabric pieces may have become scrunched or wrinkled in their travels – a quick press with a hot iron on the cotton setting should take care of that. If you don’t have access to an iron, try pressing between the pages of a book for a day or two.
Overview
This is a simple but satisfying project that you can adapt and reimagine with infinite designs, and it’s a great way to use up leftover fabric scraps. First, you’ll lay out the base fabric and arrange the fabric scraps in a way that’s pleasing. You can cut the scraps into smaller squares or rectangles, but be aware that very small scraps may be hard to work with. Don’t feel you have to use every piece of fabric – save some for future pouches using fabrics you have on hand or can upcycle or repurpose.
In this design, you will leave the edges raw and a bit of fraying is part of the aesthetic, but you can look up appliqué techniques like needle-turning if you prefer a finished edge. Once you have a design you like, you’ll use a light coating of glue to hold the blocks in place. Then you’ll use hand-sewing techniques inspired by slow stitching, sashiko and boro to add a design and secure the fabric scraps. Optionally, you’ll sew on one of the buttons or add other designs. You’ll then sew a channel across the top and bottom for the drawstring. You’ll fold the base fabric in half with the right sides touching (so it will be inside out) and sew the two side seams by hand. Then you’ll turn the pouch right-side out and thread the drawstring through the drawstring channels. And finally, you’ll knot a bead to each end of the drawstring. You can see me run through the entire process in the tutorial video embedded below or view it on YouTube.
Step 1: Place and baste the fabric scraps
Choose one of the two base fabrics. These have been cut to a size of 8 inches by 3 inches, as I find that’s a good working size. However, you can make these pouches to any dimension. Save the other one for another pouch.
Lay the fabric flat and choose your decorative fabric scraps. In this case, less is more; I suggest choosing one to three complimentary scraps. Play with laying them out until you find a design that is pleasing. You can layer one scrap over another, but the more layers you have the more bulky it becomes for stitching. You can also cut larger scraps down to size, but be careful of cutting them too small as they will fray somewhat. When laying out your scraps, remember that you’ll be turning the top and bottom 2 – 3 cm (one inch) of the base fabric to make the drawstring channel and making side seams of approximately 1/2 cm.
Once you have a design you like, use the glue stick with a gentle touch to stick the fabric scraps to the base fabric. You only need a thin layer – this just helps hold the fabric in place while you are stitching it, and the stitches will do the long-term work of adhering the fabric. If you don’t have glue, you can also pin the fabric scraps in place, or even try handholding them as you stitch. I prefer to use a bit of glue. The glue is forgiving – if you change your mind, gently peel up the fabric scraps and try again.
Step 2: Prepare your floss and plan your stitch design
Embroidery floss is made up of six strands. You can use all six strands for a thick, bulkier line or separate the threads and use only one strand or any combination of strands. Personally, I like to use two or three strands for these pouches.
To separate your strands, unwind one piece of embroidery floss and cut it to a length of approximately 30 cm (12″). From one end, roll the floss between your thumb and forefinger to lightly separate the strand ends. Choose one strand and while holding the remaining strands in place with your other hand, draw that single strand straight ahead and out of the floss. You may feel the remaining threads bunching up as you draw the single strand, but as soon as you pull the single strand loose you can easily straighten the remaining strands without tangles or knots. Lay that strand aside and if desired, pull additional strands away from the remaining floss. Line up the individual strands you pulled and make them into a new piece of floss with the desired number of strands. Don’t try to pull more than one strand at a time or it will knot and tangle – this is the weird sorcery of embroidery floss.
Once you have your combined strands into a new piece of working floss, thread the strands as one through the eye of your sewing needle and use the quilter’s knot (my preferred method) or any other technique to make a knot at the far end.
You’ll now use hand-stitching to both affix the fabric and apply a design. You don’t need to know any embroidery stitches or special techniques, but if you have never hand-sewn before, I suggest doing a bit of basic research on the running stitch. This tutorial from the Royal School of Needlework shows a formal version of the running stitch, but I prefer to run several stitches at a time. You can see what I mean in the video below.
Your approach to how to sew on the fabric scraps is up to you. You might choose to cover your entire pouch with rows of uniform lines of running stitches. Or you might prefer to add rows of running stitch across each block, in the style of sashiko or boro. You might decide to outline one block with a single line of running stitch, or use a variety of methods. There are no wrong answers! Here are a few examples I made with different techniques.
Choose a spot to start your sewing. You’re ready to begin stitching!
Step 3: Hand-stitch your design
Use your preferred method to hand-stitch your design, using the coloured embroidery floss. I personally like the look of large blocks of running stitch that exceed the edges of the scraps, or use one block of running stitch to cover multiple scraps. See the tutorial below for my approach, but feel free to experiment. If you don’t like how a section of stitching has come out, you can always pull it back out again from the knot end.
In addition to blocks of running stitch, you can learn additional embroidery stitches such as the lazy daisy, star stitch or chain stitch to embellish your design. You may choose to add one or more of the buttons that came with the kit, or you may have your own charms and beads you wish to add. Look up new techniques online or in a book of embroidery stitches! There are no rules, only guidelines and suggestions.
Once you have finished all your hand-stitched designs and embellishments, tie off any loose threads and trim straggling threads. You’re now ready to assemble your pouch.
Step 4: Assemble your pouch
First, we’ll make the channel for the drawstring at each end. Turn your base fabric face down and fold a small channel across the top for the drawstring, with the wrong sides facing each other. Use your finger to lightly press the fold along the seam to help hold it in place as you stitch.
Thread your needle with 2 or 3 strands of embroidery floss and make a knot at the far end. Working from the wrong side, sew a line of running stitches just under the fold to make a channel approximately 1-2 cm (half an inch) for the drawstring. The stitches from this line will be visible on the right side of your design. When you reach the other side, make a knot and cut your embroidery floss.
Repeat this step at the other end of the fabric, so both of the long ends have a channel sewn across them to hold the drawstring. Turn the fabric right side up and then fold it in half with the right sides on the inside, so the two ends with the drawstring channel are beside each other.
On one side, insert your needle through both sides of the folded fabric right where you started the running stitch to make the drawstring channel. Make a few whip stitches to firmly attach the two folds, sewing through all four pieces of fabric. Then use a running stitch to attach the two pieces on one side of the pouch, moving from the drawstring channel toward the fold in the middle of the base fabric. Leave a small seam of approx 1/2 cm (1/8″) and tie off your thread with a strong knot once you reach the fold. Repeat the same process on the other side, moving from just under the drawstring channel to the fold while attaching the two side pieces of the pouch.
You should now have an inside-out pouch with the folded edge along the bottom, seams sewn up the two sides, and two drawstring channels with open ends.
Step 5: Thread the drawstring and add the beads
You’ll now use the cotton cord to make the drawstrings for the pouch. Select one of the two cords and cut it in half. (Remember, the kit has enough for 2 pouches.) A large tapestry needle with a blunt end is a great tool to help you thread the drawstring, but you can also repurpose a paperclip or short piece of firm wire for this task. The important part is that you thread the two strings in oppose directions.
One cord will enter from the left side into the channel at the front of the pouch, cross the pouch, loop around the right side and enter the drawstring channel at the back of the pouch and exit the channel on the left side from the back. The other cord will enter the drawstring channel at the front from the right side of the pouch, cross the pouch and exit on the left, enter the back drawstring channel from the left and exit on the right side of the pouch. You should end up with four dangling cords coming from the right front, right back, left front and left back drawstring channels. When you gather the cords on the right in one hand and the cords on the left with the other hand, you can pull in opposite directions to cinch the pouch.
Smooth out the pouch so it is laying flat and un-cinched, and adjust the cords so that the tails are even in length. Thread the two cords on the left side through one of the beads and tie an overhand knot to secure the bead. Make a second knot if you think the first one might slip through the bead. Repeat on the right side.
Video tutorial
As promised, here’s a video of me making one of the magic charm pouches:
Your magic charm pouch is complete! Now find some secret treasures or spell components to stash inside. Use the remaining fabric base and scraps to create a second pouch with a new design. Now imagine the possibilities for more pouches! I’ve used cyanotype and fabric dye, block stamping and various embroidery stitches to personalize pouches, and have experimented with pouches that are both bigger and smaller than these ones. Recycled and second-hand fabrics are so easy to find at thrift stores and crafter destash markets. Many of mine came from my local buy-nothing group.
Magic Charm Pouch workshops
If you’re in or around Ottawa, Ontario, ask me about a crafting home party where we can make these magic charm pouches in a workshop. I’ll bring all the supplies for one pouch per person and guide everyone through the process. The cost is $55 per person. And another bonus for local folks, if you’d like to purchase a kit from me, reach out to dani@curiouscrone.ca. Kits can also be shipped to any destination outside the USA, but shipping to America is tricky for Canadians right now.
I would love to see your designs! Tag your finished creations with #magiccharmpouch on Instagram.