How to sew a padded sunglasses pouch

August is always a slow month in the shop and I think it's because people are so busy with summer activities that they have less time to sew. So, I thought it would be fun to share some super quick sewing project tutorials. Today's tutorial is for a padded eyeglasses or sunglasses pouch. Many years ago, I shared a more simple version of this pouch that has just one layer of fabric. But since glasses need a little more protection, I also wanted a version with thicker fabric. I developed this design years ago and just never got around to sharing it.

I'm very pleased that this pouch is easy and quick to sew. It took me about an hour to cut and sew, even while taking photos and notes along the way. It's definitely a great project for busy summer days when you want to sneak in just a little sewing time.

This pouch is kind of a fancy drawstring bag for your glasses. The interior lining fabric provides cushioning and protection while the casing at the top allows you to tie the end tight to secure your glasses inside. I will say that this pouch is not as protective as a hard case but it will prevent scratching and provide some padding for your glasses.

I developed the process for sewing this pouch specifically with thick fabric in mind. The process is a little different than other pouches but imo it’s really easy and there are very few bulky layers to handle.

How to sew a padded sunglasses pouch

A few notes:

For this tutorial, I’m sharing written instructions and photos. There are very brief instructions on the photos and longer, more detailed info below.

Using the dimensions given here, you’ll have a finished pouch of xx xxx. This should fit most regular size glasses. If you want something bigger or smaller, you can adjust the fabric dimensions and follow the same sewing process.

Fabric recommendations: The other great thing is that you don't need a lot of supplies. This design uses just three pieces of fabric and a piece of ribbon. For the exterior fabric, I recommend light to medium weight woven fabrics. For the casing, I recommend a lightweight woven fabric that can be easily pulled tight with a drawstring. A quilting cotton works well for both the exterior and casing. For the lining fabric, I recommend a thick, soft fabric like a fleece or sweatshirt fabric. For the drawstring, you can use ribbon, bias tape, fabric or cording. The casing is .5” wide as the tutorial is written.

SUPPLIES

  • Exterior Fabric: Cut one piece 8" x 8"

  • Lining Fabric: Cut one piece 8" x 8"

  • Casing Fabric: Cut one piece 4" x 8"

  • Drawstring about 18" long (the drawstring should be no wider than .5")

  • Thread

The seam allowance is .5" unless otherwise noted.

STEP 1: Hem the short ends of the casing

Press the short ends of the casing to the wrong side .5". Tuck in the raw edge and press again. Topstitch. To topstitch, I used a stitch length of 2.8mm and moved my needle to the right 7mm. While stitching, I aligned the folded edge with the 1/4" marking on my presser foot.

TIP: If you are having trouble with pressing this tiny hem, you can finish the raw edge with a zig zag stitch and press under one time (.5"). Then topstitch. Essentially, you skip the second fold but finish the raw edge to prevent fraying. This area won't be visible when finished.

STEP 2: Make the casing

Fold the casing in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Topstitch the length of the casing .5" from the folded edge and 1" from the folded edge. This makes a casing that is .5" wide. If your drawstring is .5" or wider, you may want to stitch a wider casing.

Stitching the top seam

STEP 3: Sew the three fabrics together at the top edge

Place the lining down with the right side facing up. Align the raw edge of the casing to the top edge of the lining, centered in the middle. There should be a .5" space on each side of the casing. Place the exterior fabric right side down aligning the raw edges with the lining.

Pin along the top edge and stitch. Grade the seam allowance.

Sewing the sides and bottom

STEP 4: Stitch the side and bottom seams

Unfold the fabric so that the right side is facing up. Fold the casing to one side. Then fold in half lengthwise matching the lining fabric to the lining and the exterior to the exterior. Pin around the raw edges.

Starting with the short end of the exterior fabric, stitch to the corner, pivot and stitch down the long side. Be careful not to stitch through the casing.

Important: Stitch to .75" from the corner of the lining fabric. Pivot and stitch about 1" along the bottom. Backstitch and cut the thread. To reduce bulk inside the pouch, we want to sew a larger seam allowance at the bottom of the lining and trim the seam allowance.

Grade and trim the seam allowance. At the bottom lining edge, trim the seam allowance to about .25" to reduce the bulk.

Turn the pouch right side out

Insert the drawstring in the casing

STEP 5: Turn right side out and add drawstring

Turn the pouch right side out. Push the lining into the exterior fabric and push out the corners. If desired, hand stitch closed the opening in the lining.

Use a safety pin or bodkin to thread the drawstring through the casing.

Above are the cases that I made 12 years ago plus the new one (the striped one). This is a really satisfying project to sew and a great way to use smaller pieces of fabric. I’d love to hear if you make one for yourself. And if you’d like to save this tutorial for later, you can pin the image below. Happy sewing!