Pouch pattern/design

[Taffy Saltwater]

By sheer good luck, I found several good sized  - about 20"x20" - pieces of beautiful tapestry fabric for a buck each, just the right size for a pouch - or three - of which I'm in dire need.  Does anyone have any easy patterns or designs.  I can sew them, but my imagination button appears to be broken. Help!

[Kate XXXXXX]

To make a neat little drawstring bag, I drew round a plate and added straight sides to make it into a U shape.  I cut one in fabric and one in lining, and used a drawstring round the top...  Actually, I used TWO drawstrings threaded so that they each came out on opposite sides.  You just pull on both to close the bag.

With 20" squares, you have enough for a flapped pouch...

Cut one square in half, so you have 2 rectangles.  Cut one of those down by a third or so, to make one shorter rectangle...  Trim one end of the short one and BOTH ends of the long one into semi-circles or points like a church door - or whatever shape pleases you.  Cut lining to match.  Line both shapes.  Sew the short shape to the lining side of the long shape.  Whip-stitching by hand with upholstery thread is a good method...  Sew a small kilt buckle to the flap and the bag to close it.  Use the spare fabric to make belt loops.

[operafantomet]

If you want a cool period approach, you could make a decorated loose pocket with a slit in the front, tied to the waist either over or under your skirt. If worn under you would of course need a slip in the skirt. There are various examples in the bottom of this gallery (all painted by Florentine Alessandro Allori):

http://geocities.com/pisslei/galleryflorence

I assume they would have been worn under a fine dress, but possibly over the skirt of an informal household dress? There are many 18.th century patterns for very similar pockets available. Basically it's just two "ovals" sewn together, and then turned. The upper one would have decorations and a long slit/opening, the bottom one would (most often) be plain and without slit. This seems to be common for both the 16.th and the 18.th century - but the 18.th century pockets seems to have become rounder in shape, and embroidered with multi-coloured floral motifs. They were often worn in pair as well, with one over each hip. Renaissance pockets appear to have been longer and narrower, seldom worn in pairs, and with a monochrome trim or embroidery.