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DIY Hand Sanitizer Holder – Free Pattern + VIDEO Tutorial

I have a confession to make. Up until recently I was still digging inside my purse to find my hand gel every single time I needed to use it. The digging was usually followed by an eye roll and a sigh as it was the last item to find in my purse. So.. enough was enough and I decided to make a hand sanitizer holder that I can attach on the strap of my purse. I was not impressed by the hand gel pouch patterns and tutorials I found online. Almost all of them used metal hardware all I wanted was a fabric hand sanitizer pouch to strap on my purse or on the kid’s backpack. Long story short, I decided to create my own DIY hand sanitizer sewing pattern and today I’m sharing it with you along with a handy VIDEO tutorial

hand sanitizer holder for purse

Below you will find my step by step written tutorial with VIDEO instructions for all the visual learners. I show you how to make your own hand gel sanitizer holder template for any small hand gel bottle. It’s great both for ordinary people like us, or for the medical professionals like doctors and nurses who need it on the go.

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How to Make a Hand Gel Pouch

Hand Sanitizer Holder Supplies and tools

hand sanitizer holder supplies and tools

  • travel size hand sanitizer bottle (with No products found.)
  • main fabric – 100% cotton (tightly woven cotton, such as quilting cotton or cotton used in quality bed sheets)
  • lining fabric – 100% cotton
  • matching thread
  • scissors (or rotary cutter and a cutting mat)
  • ruler or measuring tape
  • sewing machine (it’s an easy sew, so even your kids sewing machine will do, or you can even hand sew this, although admittedly it will take you more time)

Follow us for free patterns & tutorials! [easy-profiles]

How To Sew Hand Sanitizer Holder

Watch the diy hand sanitizer holder video first and then follow the written step by step instructions below.
Please enjoy and don’t forget to Like and SUBSCRIBE over on YouTube to be kept up to date with new videos as they come out.

Fabric Hand Cream Holder VIDEO TUTORIAL

HAND GEL POUCH INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Draw your hand sanitizer holder pattern

Place the hand gel bottle on top of the paper. Hold the pencil straight (don’t tilt it!) and draw around the bottle. Don’t trace the bottle neck. Add 1/2 inch on each side of the bottle (add to the widest and highest points of the bottle) and create a rectangle pattern. You should also add 1/4 inch on each side of the bottle neck pattern to allow some space. At this point the hand sanitizer pouch template should look like this:

drawing custom hand sanitizer holder pattern

Cut out the paper hand gel pouch pattern.

STEP 2: Cut the fabrics for the DIY hand sanitizer holder

You need to cut 6 pieces of fabric as follows:

template with all cut fabrics for the fabric hand gel holder

A – cover – 3/4 of the height of the template

B – back – according to template

C – front – according to template

D – front lining – according to template

E – back+cover lining – template + cover

F – handle – 8 x 2.5″

Here’s a handy trick – to save some time place your lining fabric on a flat surface, fold your main fabric in half and place it on top of the lining and then pin the pattern to the fabrics. You’ll cut all three at one go.

STEP 3: Make the  handle of the hand gel pouch

Press one of the shortest sides 1/4″ inches in. Fold in half lengthwise and press again. Open up the handle and press each of the edges towards the middle crease you’ve just created. Press again, and fold the handle. Sew in place both the short and the long side. Leave the other short side unsewn.

folding fabric to make the handle of the hand gel pouch

STEP 4: Make the front

Place front piece on top of the front lining, right (pretty) sides together. Sew along top and bottom edges using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

STEP 5: Sew handle and front

Stitch the handle and the front piece.

STEP 6: Assembling the back

Place the back (B) on a flat surface, then place the unfinished edge of the handle (F) in the middle of the top edge, and then place the cover (A) on top. Right sides of the pieces should be facing each other. Sew along the top edge.

stitching lines to assemble the backof the hand gel sanitizer holder

STEP 7: Topstitching front and back

Turn the front piece around. Topstitch along the top, as close to the edge as possible.

Open up the back piece, and fingerpress the seam allowance towards the backpiece. Topstitch in place to secure it.

STEP 8: Lining the back

Place the back lining (E) on top of the back piece and sew along the bottom edge

STEP 9: Adding front cover

Open up the back you’ve just assembled. Place the front assembly on top of the back lining. Align the unsewn edge to the middle seam.

assembly front and the back of the hand gel holder

STEP 10: Assembling the hand gel holder

Fold the side with the handle towards the cover. Pin everything in place with pins or clips.

Now mark your stitching lines. Use your template to mark the opening for the hand sanitizer. Draw 1/2 inch markings along the sides near the bottom and join them with the markings for the opening. Mark the stitching line 1/4 inches in around the whole thing, and don’t forget to leave an opening for turning along one of the sides of the cover.

layered fabrics pinned before sewing the hand sanitizer pouch

STEP 11: Stitch

Stitch along the lines you’ve drawn. Backstitch at the beginning and the end of each seam.

STEP 12: Clip and trim

Trim the seam allowances and clip the corners to allow them to lay flat.

STEP 12: Turn around and press

Turn the hand gel holder around through the opening. Push the corners out with a point turner or anything pointy (scissors or pen) you have on hand to give them a nice, sharp and professional look.

Don’t skip pressing – I know that many of you might cringe – but believe me. Pressing is VERY important for the overall look of your makes.

STEP 13: Topstitch the cover

This also closes the gap left for turning.

STEP 14: Sew buttonholes

Mark the position of the buttonholes on the cover and on the handle. Sew them up. Use your seamripper and a pin to open them.

sewing the buttonhole on the flap of the hand gel pouch

STEP 15: Sew buttons

Insert the hand sanitizer in the holder and close the cover to mark the placement of the button. Sew the buttons on the cover and on the back.

That’s it. Your DIY hand sanitizer holder it ready to get in action and join the war against the nasty germs!

applying hand gel on hands using the fabric hand gel holder

On a scale from 1 to 5, how easy it was to learn how to make hand sanitizer pouch? Which step you found was most challenging?

Do you have any suggestions for improvements?

Do you like this? Pin for later:

how to make a hand sanitizer pouch - step by step sewing tutorial

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Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 36 comments
Mainy - May 31, 2020

Really good way of keeping the sanitiser clean and easy to find.
Mainy
#bloggerspitstop

Reply
    Helen - May 31, 2020

    And it’s soo easy to keep the hands of our little munchkins clean 🙂

    Reply
Hannah - June 1, 2020

This looks great – what a fab idea!! 🙂 #anythinggoes

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Hannah - June 1, 2020

This looks amazing 🙂 If only I was a bit more creative haha! #anythinggoes

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    Helen - June 2, 2020

    Haha! Just try it. It’s soo easy – just watch the video and follow the steps. I’m sure you can do it

    Reply
Nina Lewis - June 2, 2020

I love this! I need to make a couple of these to keep and to give to family members. Thanks so much for sharing at our Party in Your PJs link party. I’m going to feature this at my link party on Grandma Ideas that starts tomorrow evening. Thanks so much for sharing this great idea!

Reply
    Helen - June 2, 2020

    That’s amazing. thank you so much, Nina. That comment made my day.
    I’m sure your family would appreciate these

    Reply
Kathleen - June 2, 2020

CONGRATULATIONS! Our Roseann has chosen this creative project to be featured on the next Blogger’s Pit Stop. Well done.
Kathleen

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    Helen - June 2, 2020

    Thank you, Kathleen. That’s awesome

    Reply
Marie - June 2, 2020

Very clever idea, my purse needs one of these! Pinned

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    Helen - June 2, 2020

    Hey Marie,
    Thanks for dropping by. Indeed every purse needs one of these! Thanks for the share!

    Reply
Donna @ Modern on Monticello - June 2, 2020

This is such a great idea and something we all need to have. You included a great tutorial as well and video. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty

Reply
    Helen - June 4, 2020

    Thank you so much, Donna. Indeed we all need to have these handy!

    Reply
creativejewishmom/sara - June 2, 2020

Fantastic! thanks for sharing on craft schooling sunday!

Reply
    Helen - June 4, 2020

    Hey Sara, thank you for hosting!

    Reply
Shelbee on the Edge - June 3, 2020

These are so adorable! And what a fantastic idea to have your hand sanitizer easily accessible hooked to your bag. Thanks for linking up with me.

Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

Reply
    Helen - June 4, 2020

    Thank you for the kind words, Shelbee! We all need to have the hand gel handy at all times to keep our hands clean. Thanks for hosting

    Reply
frugal hausfrau - June 3, 2020

Now that’s a fabulous idea!! Love it! Thanks for sharing this week at Fiesta Friday!

Mollie

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    Helen - June 4, 2020

    thank you, it’s very handy to keep these germs away! Thanks for commenting

    Reply
Kerryanne - June 4, 2020

It’s something we all need to have handy these days and your holder is so cute too Helen.
Thank you for sharing your DIY hand sanitiser holder at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I’m delighted to be featuring it at tomorrow’s party and pinning to the party board too.
Hugs,
Kerryanne

Reply
    Helen - June 4, 2020

    I’m delighted to hear you decided to hear you decided to feature my hand sanitizer! I’m grateful for the chance to share my projects with your readers!

    Reply
Marie - June 27, 2020

Well, I probably need to give up sewing all together. This was so difficult. It took hours and it still didn’t turn out right. I kept Putting it together wrong and then having to rip it out Over and over again.The video was too fast to follow. It would’ve been helpful to have a specific pattern rather than drawing my own.

Reply
    Helen - June 29, 2020

    I’m sorry to hear that. I wish I could make a pattern, but there are so many different hand gel bottles that it is impossible to make one fits all pattern. Maybe you can try following the written tutorial?

    Reply
Streamska - July 10, 2020

Thank you for sharing this! I’m new to sewing things and just have minimal knowledge but making this was super fun! I had to keep pausing and going back or forwarding the video a little and they might not look perfect but this got me pretty excited to look for more things to sew! Thank you very much!

Reply
    Helen - July 11, 2020

    they don’t have to be perfect Streamska! Your sewing will get a bit better with each projects. Browse tghe “Patterns and Tutorials section” you will find plenty of exciting and beginner-friendly projects to sew. Sew on!

    Reply
Bobbi @ Snowy Days Quilting - October 14, 2020

This is SUCH a brilliant idea! Touching everything in the purse completely defeats the purpose of sanitizing in the first place. I absolutely love the idea of keeping it on the outside of the bag where you can use it without touching anything else.

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    Helen - October 14, 2020

    Absolutely! I made a bunch for my family and friends they use it all the time.

    Reply
Marsha Cooper - October 14, 2020

Definitely giving this a try for Christmas gifts….perfect!

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Naush Samama - October 19, 2020

What a brilliant idea !!! Love the pattern on the pouch as well.
Thank you for sharing at Meraki Link Party.
Naush

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Kimberly - November 5, 2020

Thank you so much for sharing this pattern. Now I know what to do with all the left overs from mask making.

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    Helen - November 5, 2020

    It’s a very practical use of all these scraps. Really handy

    Reply
MK - November 9, 2020

Maybe add buttons to the material list?
I’m planning on making a few these as Christmas gifts for the school goers. One girl on my list has asked an owl one. So I might do some heat bond applique on the front.

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Gale - October 7, 2021

Hi, I’m battling to get the free hand sanitizer pouch patern to download.
Is it possible to email it to me please, I absolutely love this idea and would love to make for gifting. Thank you do much for your wonderful tutorials.
Regards
Gale

Reply
Marie - November 4, 2021

How do I get the free printable pattern for the Hand Sanitizer pouch please

Reply
    Helen - November 7, 2021

    They come in different sizes, just draw around your bottle of sanitizer and add seam allowance as shown

    Reply
Marie - November 4, 2021

Could you please email me the printable pattern for the hand sanitizer pouch as I am having trouble getting the pattern. I really love these little pouches. They are such a good idea
Thank you in advance Regards Marie

Reply

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