Looking for a beginner bag making pattern that’s actually useful? The Earl Grey is a classic zippered box pouch pattern designed for everyday carry and travel. It’s straightforward to sew and built to use.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make your own gear, this is a great place to start. There are no curves to sew and no complicated pattern pieces. If you can sew a straight line, you can make this pouch.

The Earl Grey is sized to fit a quart size zip top bag with a little room to spare, making it perfect for organizing toiletries, snacks, or tech gear like charging cables, extra batteries, and adapters.

Closed pouch angle 2: "Earl Grey zippered box pouch sewing pattern, side view showing depth

When I set out to create this pattern, I wanted something that was both simple to sew and genuinely useful. This is a project you can finish in a day. I also wanted to play with the brick-like shape of the traditional box pouch and create a slightly different style.

Flat slip pockets on the exterior and interior add organization and give the pouch some structure. The great thing is that they’re optional. Leave them off if you want a simpler build.

Pack shot with contents: Earl Grey EDC pouch packed with travel essentials including earbuds and charging cables

The zipper runs across the top and down the sides for easy access to whatever your day calls for. Whether you’re headed to the airport, the office, or just running errands, the Earl Grey keeps your essentials organized and easy to find.

I’ve used this pouch as a compact toiletry kit while traveling, and as an in-flight pouch that fits perfectly in an airplane seat pocket. Earbuds, snacks, hand sanitizer, charging cables. Everything you need for a flight in one place.

What you’ll learn:

The Earl Grey teaches the fundamentals of box pouch construction — one of the most common and versatile techniques in bag making. Once you understand the basic concept you can modify it to make different shapes and sizes, not just pouches but bigger bags too.

  • How to install a zipper — I walk you through every step in the instructions and video, so don’t worry if you’ve never sewn one before
  • How to finish seams with binding tape — a technique that shows up in all kinds of bag making projects
  • How to sew a French seam — a clean structured finish that gives the pouch its shape and durability

The pattern includes full written instructions with diagrams, and there’s a complete step-by-step video tutorial on YouTube.

About the name:

The Earl Grey pouch is named after a foster kitten my wife and I took care of in the spring of 2026. He found the perfect forever home pretty quickly. It’s easy to see why given how fun and lovable he was.

Kitten photo: Earl Grey the foster kitten, inspiration for the Earl Grey EDC pouch pattern

Resources

The Pattern:

Earl Grey Sewing Pattern

Fabric & Materials:

Ripstop By The Roll — quality technical fabrics perfect for EDC pouches and bag making
Rockywoods — another great source for technical fabrics, webbing, and hardware

Tools:

Note: These are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps support me and lets me make more tutorials and patterns.

Gingher 8″ Fabric Scissors: https://amzn.to/4cBXBaT
Small Fabric Scissors: https://amzn.to/4s6g7Nm
Rotary Cutter: https://amzn.to/4bw0EQK
Self Healing Cutting Mat: https://amzn.to/4s6jgNa
Seam Ripper: https://amzn.to/4uazRki
Chalk Wheel: https://amzn.to/47Cr0OD
Chalk Refill: https://amzn.to/47Cr0OD
Fabric clips: https://amzn.to/3NeIQjU
Rulers: https://amzn.to/3NeNxKz