Scrunchie With A Hidden Pocket

These durable scrunchies can store several small items at once—the perfect size to hold spare keys, makeup, cash, bank cards, jewelry, and more. Hide your valuables in plain sight!

Materials & Tools You’ll Need

Before you begin, gather everything listed below. Having the right materials on hand makes the process smoother and your finished scrunchie more durable.

• Fabric: One strip approximately 4” x 22” (10 x 56 cm). This gives enough length to gather nicely around the elastic and create a small pocket cavity. See the Fabric Selection Guide below for recommendations.
• Elastic: 1/4” (6mm) wide elastic, cut to about 9” (23 cm). Adjust slightly for a tighter or looser fit.
• Zipper: A 4” (10 cm) nylon coil zipper works best. Avoid metal zippers—they are heavier and harder to hand-stitch. Choose a color that blends with your fabric for a truly hidden look, or contrast it intentionally for a design detail.
• Needle: A hand-sewing needle with a sharp point. For heavier fabrics like velvet or denim, use a size 5–7. For lightweight fabrics like satin or chiffon, use a finer size 10–12.
• Thread: Polyester thread in a color matching your fabric. Polyester is stronger and more flexible than cotton thread.
• Scissors or rotary cutter: Sharp fabric scissors are essential. Dull scissors drag and fray the edges.
• Pins or clips: To hold the zipper in place before stitching.
• Safety pin: For threading the elastic through the tube.
• Iron & ironing board: Pressing your seams as you go makes a significant difference in the finished look.

Fabric Selection Guide

The fabric you choose affects how your scrunchie looks, feels, and holds up over time.

• Cotton (recommended for beginners): Easy to cut, press, and sew. Quilting cotton and cotton lawn are both excellent choices. Cotton also takes to the whip stitch cleanly, making zipper attachment more manageable.
• Velvet: Luxurious and popular, but requires more care. Cut consistently in one direction and use clips instead of pins to avoid leaving marks.
• Satin or charmeuse: Silky and elegant, but slippery. Consider stabilizing the edges with a thin strip of interfacing before attaching the zipper.
• Jersey or stretch knit: Soft and comfortable, but the stretch makes zipper attachment trickier. Interface the zipper area with a small strip of woven interfacing to stabilize it.
• Linen: Crisp and durable with a natural texture. Finish your edges before sewing as linen frays more than cotton.

General rule: For your first hidden-pocket scrunchie, choose a medium-weight woven fabric like quilting cotton. Save the slippery or stretchy fabrics for once you’re comfortable with the construction.

Step 1: Make the Basic Scrunchie

To make a scrunchie without a hidden pocket, follow the steps in this video:

Step 2: Add a Hidden Zipper Pocket

Once you’ve made your basic scrunchie tube, follow these additional steps to add a hidden zipper pocket.

1. Mark Zipper Placement

• Lay your fabric strip flat with the right side facing up.
• Place the zipper face down along the middle of the long side of the strip on the edge (teeth against the fabric).
• Pin it in place so it won’t shift.

2. Attach the First Side of the Zipper

• Thread your needle and knot the end.
• Starting at one end of the zipper, use a whipstitch (tiny diagonal stitches wrapping over the zipper tape into the fabric).
• Sew along the zipper tape edge until you reach the end.
• Keep your stitches small and even so the zipper holds firmly.

3. Attach the Second Side

• Flip the zipper flat so the second edge of the tape is aligned with the other side of the fabric strip.
• Again, use whipstitch to sew it down.
• Check as you go: the zipper should open and close smoothly without puckering.

4. Finish the Scrunchie

Sew the scrunchie into a long tube, then complete as shown in the video below.

Technique Deep-Dive: The Whip Stitch

The whip stitch is the key hand-sewing technique used to attach the zipper in this project. Understanding it well will make your zipper secure, neat, and long-lasting.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Thread your needle with about 18” (45 cm) of thread and knot one end. Working with shorter lengths prevents tangling.
2. Bring the needle up through the fabric from the back side, just beside the zipper tape edge.
3. Wrap the thread diagonally over the zipper tape and insert the needle from back to front again, about 1/8” (3mm) along from your first stitch.
4. Continue wrapping and stitching at a consistent angle and spacing all the way along the zipper tape.
5. When you reach the end, knot off securely on the back side with two or three small stitches.

Tips for even stitches:

• Try to keep the same angle on every stitch—aim for about 45 degrees.
• Keep your spacing consistent. Uneven spacing weakens the hold and looks untidy.
• Don’t pull too tight. The thread should hold the zipper tape snugly without causing it to pucker or gather.
• Use a thimble if the needle is hard to push through—especially with heavier fabrics.

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Stitching through the zipper teeth: Keep your stitches on the zipper tape (the fabric part), not over the teeth themselves. Stitching through the teeth will jam the zipper.
• Skipping the knot: Always knot your thread securely at the start and end. A scrunchie is pulled on and off repeatedly—loose ends will unravel quickly.
• Rushing the spacing: Take your time. Evenly spaced stitches distribute tension across the zipper tape and prevent it from pulling away with use.

Troubleshooting Tips

Even experienced sewists run into snags. Here’s how to handle the most common issues with this project:

• The zipper puckers or gathers the fabric: You’re pulling your whip stitches too tight. Loosen your tension slightly. If puckering has already occurred, carefully remove the stitches with a seam ripper and re-sew with lighter tension.
• The zipper won’t open or close smoothly: The zipper tape may be twisted or the stitches may be too close to the teeth. Running the zipper pull up and down a few times after attaching each side can help identify the problem early.
• The scrunchie tube is too tight to turn right-side out: Try trimming the seam allowance slightly and using a blunt tool (like a chopstick) to gently push the fabric through.
• The elastic bunches unevenly: Make sure the elastic isn’t twisted, and distribute the gathers evenly around the tube before finishing.
• The pocket opening is too small to be useful: Use a longer zipper (up to 6”) and adjust your fabric strip length accordingly.

Variations & Next Steps

Once you’ve mastered the basic hidden-pocket scrunchie, there are many ways to customize and expand on the design:

• Contrast zipper as a design feature: Choose a bold color that stands out against your fabric. A bright zipper on a neutral fabric turns a functional detail into a style statement.
• Mix fabric combinations: Use two different fabrics—one for each long side of the strip—for a reversible or two-tone effect.
• Size up for a larger pocket: Increase your fabric strip to 5” x 26” and use a 6” zipper for a scrunchie that can hold a folded bill, a small lip balm, or a few coins more comfortably.
• Add embellishment: Embroidery, iron-on patches, or fabric paint can be applied to the fabric before construction. Keep embellishments away from the zipper area.
• Make a matching set: Sew several scrunchies in coordinating fabrics as a gift set. Vary the zipper colors and fabric textures for a cohesive but varied collection.
• Try a machine-sewn zipper: Once you’re comfortable with the hand-sewn version, experiment with attaching the zipper by machine using a zipper foot for a cleaner, more uniform stitch line.

This project is a wonderful gateway into functional accessories. The skills you build here—zipper insertion, hand stitching, tube construction, and elastic casing—transfer directly to bags, pouches, garments, and beyond.