If you’re new to my 52 zippers project, you can read the backstory, see all the zipper pouches, and download basic zipper pouch instructions here.

For this week’s zipper pouch, I wanted to make a mini first aid pouch that I can throw in my everyday bag. Of course my mind first went to a plus quilt. I decided to do all low volume fabrics with just one red plus on each side, and of course a red zipper! I used Kona Tomato for the red plus, which matches the red zipper just about perfectly.

I pieced these teeny squares without going insane by using Quilter’s grid. Quilter’s grid is a lightweight interfacing with a pale 1″ grid drawn on it. I talk more about how to use it in an old post where I made a watercolor quilt from several years ago. The nice thing about the grid is that you’re not limited to 1″ squares. You can also use 2″ or any size square and just use the grid to keep things aligned. I totally want to make a whole quilt of this! But probably using bigger squares…

I backed the plus panels with some fusible fleece because the back was very stiff from all the seams and would have made the lining weird.

I lined it with this red and white plus fabric from Anne Kelle’s Remix line from Robert Kaufman.

The pouch is definitely on the petite size, but it’s perfect for holding a few pieces of gauze, a few bandaids, tweezers, antibiotic ointment, and Benzalkonium chloride wipes. I use these wipes instead of one of the various antiseptic sprays or foams in my portable first aid kits because I have had them leak so.many.times. I get them on Amazon.com; they’re $5 for 100. They are sting-free, which makes everyone happy.

Zipper pouch specs:

• Outer panels, pieced with Quilter’s grid interfacing and backed with fusible fleece (Pellon 971) after piecing (2): 6.5″ w x 5.5″ h. Little squares were 1″ cut, 1/2″ finished.
• Quilter’s grid interfacing (cut): 12″ w x 10″ h
• Lining pieces (2): 6.5″ w x 5.5″ h
• Zipper tabs: none
• Zipper: 6.5″

See you back here next week with another zip pouch!