How To Sew A Half Moon Purse (Beginner Tutorial)

I wanted to make a small pouch to store a few of my sewing supplies, such as clips, labels, and small bobbins. That’s how this half-moon purse came about! It’s so adorable – it can easily fit in the palm of your hand.

This half-moon pouch is incredibly simple and easy to make, even if it’s your first time sewing a pouch.

You could also use this pouch to store other things like your keys, lip balm, or spare change. It’s also a cute, handmade gift idea you can do in just 10 minutes or less.

If you were looking for an easy, quick, and fun sewing project, this half-moon purse is a great option!

I’ve included all the supplies you’ll need to get started and step-by-step instructions in this guide.

There’s also a video tutorial you can watch before you get started.

Let’s begin.

Finished pouch size: 11 cm x 5 cm x 6.5 cm (4.33 inches x 1.97 inches x 2.56 inches)

Half Moon Purse Tutorial

Supplies

• Patterned Cotton Fabric – 25 cm x 25 cm (9.84″ x 9.84″)
• Lining – 25 cm x 25 cm (9.84″ x 9.84″)
• Interfacing
• Zip – 25 cm (9.84″)

If you want a high-quality, AD-FREE version of this sewing guide with step-by-step instructions included under each picture, grab the printable PDF guide over here!

Video Guide

Instructions

Draw A Circle

• Take a bowl that measures 18 cm. Place the bowl on the wrong side of the fabric. Then use chalk or a fabric pen to trace around the bowl.
• Once you’ve outlined your circle, carefully cut the shape from your fabric.
• Go ahead and cut another circle for the lining.
• Press the outer fabric circle onto the fusible interfacing, then trim away any excess interfacing.

Create The Pattern

• Next, fold the outer fabric piece in half as shown above.
• Pin the fabric to hold it in place. Then, mark out 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm (1 inch square) on both sides of the fabric using a fabric marker or tailor’s chalk.
• Cut out the corners of the piece, and it should look like this.
• Follow the previous steps for the lining piece as well.
• With both sides marked, go ahead and remove the corners.

Add The Zip

• To prepare your zip, make small cuts until you reach the end of the zip on both sides.
• Open the zipper, take your outer fabric piece, and position the zipper with the right sides facing inward, following the curve of the fabric.
• Use sewing clips to secure the zip in place, and then take hold of your lining piece.
• Place your lining piece on top, following the round edge of the piece to the zip, and use the sewing clips to hold it in place. The right sides must be facing in.

• Go ahead and attach the zip to the piece. Once completed, lift the lining piece from the bottom.
• Take the other side of the zip and repeat the same process as shown before.
• Here’s what it should look like. Go ahead and stitch the zip.
• To turn the piece to the right side, insert your thumbs through the open end.
• Pull or fold the fabric through the opening, and bring the right side of the fabric out.
• Adjust the layers. You can iron the piece if you’d like.
• Pin the inside of the fabric.

Create The Pouch

• Next, you’ll want to add a topstitch to both sides of the piece.
• Here’s what it looks like after the topstitch.
• Close the zipper halfway, then turn the piece inside out. The lining side should be facing you.
• Adjust the zip.
• Bring the sides together.
• Remove the excess zip from both sides of the pouch.

Close The Sides

• Remove the excess zip from both sides of the pouch.
• To close the sides, bring the sides together as shown above.
• Use a sewing clip to hold it in place and then sew using a 0.5 cm seam. Repeat this process for the other open side of the pouch.

Sew The Sides

• Once you have finished stitching, unzip the zipper.
• To tidy up the sides, start by preparing the two side tabs, each measuring 7 cm x 6 cm. Position a tab on one side, ensuring the edge is aligned and the right side is facing inward. Next, stitch the tab securely to the side.
• You might also consider folding the ends in before stitching.

Finishing Touches

• Next, lift the tab.
• Turn the pouch around and fold the top edge down.
• Fold the tab once more, covering the seam.
• Finally, sew as indicated and repeat for the other side.
• Take hold of both ends of the pouch and fold them over to the opposite side.

Finally, adjust the inside and you’re pouch is complete!

There you have it! This small half-moon purse is now complete!

I absolutely love how it turned out, and it looks great on all sides.

You could also make this pouch in literally any size, depending on the circle that you draw.

As you can see, it’s such a simple and straightfoward pattern and I do believe even a beginner can sew these pouches.

I also love that you can use any color zip to match your fabric. There’s no rule, and it will still turn out great. I used this brown zip for the blue pouch and a red zip for the patterned star pouch, and you can definitely see the red zip pop against the fabric.

This adds a nice little detail to the pouch that makes it stand out more!

You could also add a label to the front of the pouch if you’d like to customize it further, but it’s fine without it.

With that said, I hope you enjoyed following along with this half moon purse sewing guide. If you have any further questions or need any help, drop a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you!

Before you go, here are a few more step-by-step sewing tutorials you can try next:

How To Sew A Keyring Pouch

Strawberry Zipper Pouch: Step-By-Step Sewing Guide