The “Double Turn” Secret for Fully Lined ITH Phone Cases & Zipper Pouches (No Raw Seams, Minimal Hand Sewing)

If you have ever finished an In-The-Hoop (ITH) project, turned it right-side-out with breathless anticipation, and immediately saw a raw seam, a lumpy corner that looks like a bruised peach, or a lining that screams “homemade” in the worst possible way—take a deep breath. You are not bad at embroidery; you are simply fighting physics.

A fully lined ITH project can look like it came from a high-end boutique, even if you despise manual sewing. The secret isn't better digitizing; it's better engineering of the layers.

Martyn Smith from Sweet Pea demonstrates a reliable “double turn” method using a phone case and a zipper pouch. The concept is ingenious yet simple: you turn the project through once to clean up the interior, then turn it through again so the join disappears at the bottom. The result is a lined, functional item with zero visible raw edges—just a small opening to close (or even glue) at the end.

The Calm-Down Check: What a “Fully Lined ITH Project” Really Means (and Why the Join Hides at the Bottom)

Before we thread the needle, we need to reset your expectations. A “fully lined” ITH project isn’t magic—it’s spatial planning.

In this specific method, the unsightly "join" (where the turning gap exists) is intentionally placed at the bottom edge of the lining. When you perform the double turn, that join ends up tucked away deep inside the bottom of the bag. You can’t see it from the outside, and you don’t see raw seams inside either.

This is why these projects are the "gateway drug" for people who hate traditional sewing machines: the embroidery machine builds the structure, and you only act as the finisher.

Two psychological anchors to set before you start:

1. Expect Resistance: You will be handling a lot of layers (Fabric + Batting + Stabilizer + Lining). Turning will require firm hands. It will feel wrong before it looks right.
2. The "Pro" Look is Post-Production: The machine creates the stitches, but you create the finish. Trimming, debulking, and shaping are where the actual quality lives.

The “Hidden Prep” That Makes Turning Easy: Tear-Away Stabilizer, Batting, and Stiffener Without the Bulk

Martyn’s sample uses a specific "sandwich": tear-away stabilizer and batting, plus a strip of bag stiffener near the top fold/crease area.

Here is the part beginners miss: the turning step doesn’t fail because you are weak—it fails because the project is too bulky in the critical zones.

Expert-Level Prep Principles:

• Bulk is the Enemy of Geometry: If the top edge is meant to fold cleanly, stiffener that runs right into the crease will fight you like a spring. It must be positioned below the fold line.
• Stabilizer is Temporary Scaffolding: Tear-away holds everything together long enough to stitch, but if you leave too much inside, the finished item will feel stiff and sound "crunchy" when handled.
• The Hooping Struggle: When you stack batting, stiffener, and fabric, you are creating a thick sandwich. Forcing this into a standard screw hoop often causes "hoop burn" (permanent friction marks) or distorts the fabric grain as you tighten the screw. This is a primary reason why pros switch to magnetic embroidery hoops for layered ITH work. The magnets clamp straight down without dragging the fabric, preserving the grain and saving your wrists from the "tightening fatigue."

Prep Checklist (Do this **before** you start trimming)

• Visual Check: Confirm you can clearly see two rows of stitching around the perimeter. This is your safety fence—never cut past it.
• Locate the Exit: Identify the turnout opening where the stitching stops. Mark it with a water-soluble pen if it's hard to see.
• Tool Check: Keep your best, sharpest scissors at the table. Dull blades force you to "chew" the fabric, increasing the risk of slipping and snipping a stitch.
• Consumables: Have your closure ready (hand needle/thread, craft glue, or iron-on web tape).
• Hoop Assessment: If you are hooping multiple thick layers and fighting slippage, stop. Consider if magnetic hoops for embroidery would solve the slippage. If you stick with a screw hoop, wrap the inner ring with bias binding to grip the thick layers better.

The Make-or-Break Trim: Cutting Close to the Stitching Without Nicking It (and Leaving the 1/2" Turnout Margin)

Martyn trims around the perimeter relatively close to the two rows of stitching—close enough to reduce bulk, but not so close that the seam unravels.

The Golden Rule: When you reach the turnout area (the gap), flare your cut out to leave about 1/2 inch of fabric margin.

Why? When you turn the bag, this extra fabric folds inward, giving you a clean, straight edge to stitch or glue closed. If you trim this gap too short, it will fray and look like a jagged scar.

Technique Notes for Safety:

• Glide, Don't Snip: On straightaways, try to glide the scissors. On curves, small controlled snips prevent jagged edges.
• Curves Need Less Bulk: Curved corners are forgiving only if you trim them cleanly. Leftover bulk here equals a lumpy corner later.
• The "V" Cut: At sharp internal corners, clip a small "V" notch (ensure you don't cut the thread) to allow the fabric to flare open when turned.

Warning: Physical Safety
Keep fingers clear! Trimming through thick batting requires force. If your scissors slip, they will travel fast. A single snip into the stitch line forces a sew-repair or a total restart. Cut slowly; speed is not your friend here.

Debulk Like a Pro: Trimming Batting and Removing a Strip of Bag Stiffener at the Crease Line

After the perimeter trim, Martyn performs two specific debulking moves that separate the amateurs from the pros:

1. Top Edge Trimming: He trims the batting/fleece down to the stitch line at the top edge, leaving just the fabric. This ensures the opening isn't thick and clumsy.
2. The Stiffener Surgery: He removes a strip of bag stiffener near the fold/crease line—crucially, without cutting the main fabric.

The "Cardboard Effect": Stiffener is excellent for structure, but if it runs through a fold, it behaves like cardboard. It fights the turn and forces the seam to sit open and round. By removing it at the crease, you allow the fabric to hinge naturally while keeping the body rigid.

The First Turn (“Origami With Fabric”): Crunch, Push Through the Tube, and Don’t Baby It

Martyn describes the turning process as “origami with fabric,” and that is accurate. You are manipulating a layered tube through a small hole.

The Action Plan:

1. Crunch: Collapse the project gently in your hand to break the stiffness slightly.
2. Push: Push the furthest end up through the "tube" created by the fabric layers.
3. Pull: Grasp it from the other side and pull until the project is turned inside out.

His warning is real: with batting and stiffener, it is quite a lot of material, so you need to be firm. You will feel resistance.

The Ergonomic Reality: If you are doing these projects for holiday gifts or craft fairs, the physical effort creates significant wrist strain. This is another scenario where embroidery magnetic hoops help—not during the turn, but during the setup. By reducing the repetitive cranking motion of standard hoops, you save your grip strength for this turning phase where you actually need it.

The Cleanup Step Everyone Skips: Pulling Tear-Away Stabilizer Out Through the Opening (Without Catching the Extra Stitch Row)

Once the project is turned inside out, you are looking at the "insides." Martyn reaches through the opening and rips out the tear-away stabilizer from between the layers.

He flags a common "gotcha": there is often an extra little row of stitching (basting stitches or placement lines) that can hold onto the stabilizer.

Sensory Check:

• Sound: Listen for the clean "rrrrip" of the paper.
• Feel: If you feel a sudden snag or hard stop, freeze. You have likely hit a placement stitch.
• Action: Pull stabilizer in controlled sections. Use tweezers to pick out small bits caught in tight corners.

This cleanup matters because leftover stabilizer inside a lined project acts like a hidden layer of trash—it crinkles when the user squeezes the bag and makes the final press difficult.

The Closure Choice: Why Martyn Turns It Twice *Before* Sewing the 2.5–3" Opening

Logic suggests you should sew the hole shut now. Martyn suggests you wait.

The Smart Workflow:

1. Turn it out completely first.
2. Inspect the result. Check that all corners are poked out and no stabilizer is trapped.
3. Then close the opening.

The opening size is typically about 2.5–3 inches. If you close it too early and realize you missed a piece of batting stuck in a corner, you have to rip your hand-sewing out.

Closure Options:

• Ladder Stitch (Invisible Stitch): Best for high-end gifts.
• Craft Glue: Fast, but can stiffen.
• Iron-on Web: Clean and fast, but requires heat precision.

The Second Turn (Right Side Out): Getting Crisp Corners Without Tools That Poke Through

Now, perform the second turn so the patterned exterior becomes visible. The join is now hidden at the bottom.

Shaping the Corners: Martyn uses his fingers to push corners out.

• Caution: Avoid sharp tools like metal knitting needles or scissors. A sharp tool + wet fabric + force = a hole right through your corner.
• Better Tools: Use a bamboo chopstick (blunt tip) or a dedicated bone folder. They are strong enough to push the batting but dull enough not to pierce the seam.

If you are running a batch of these for Etsy, your "time leak" is rarely the stitching speed—it’s the setup. Hooping, trimming, and turning consume 60% of the cycle time. A workflow upgrade like a hooping station for embroidery machine can pay for itself by making the initial alignment instant and repeatable, leaving you more time to focus on this manual finishing work.

The “Wet Fingers” Trick: Rolling Seams for Smooth Curves, Then Pressing for a Retail Finish

Your bag looks puffy and "homemade" right now. Martyn’s finishing move fixes this:

1. Lubricate: Slightly wet your fingers (water, not saliva, if selling!).
2. Roll: Roll the seam edges firmly between your thumb and finger. You want to feel the seam allowance sliding fully to the edge.
3. Set: immediately use a press (iron) after rolling. The heat evaporates the moisture and "sets" the fibers in that sharp crease.

This thermal shock is what gives the bag that crisp, flat, professional edge rather than a wavy, balloon-like seam.

When Stabilizer “Hairs” Poke Through: The Clean Fixes (Nail, Emery Board, or a Careful Burn-Off)

Sometimes, tiny white whiskers of stabilizer poke through your beautiful satin stitches. This is normal.

The Fixes:

• The Scratch: Run a fingernail firmly over stitches to dislodge loose bits.
• The Sand: Use an emery board (nail file) gently against the edge.
• The Flame: Carefully use a lighter to singe them off.

Warning: Heat Safety
If you use a lighter, keep the flame moving constantly using the "blue part" (base) of the flame. Synthetic threads (Polyester) and batting will melt instantly if touched. Cotton threads will burn. Test this on a scrap first!

The Zipper Pouch Version: Same Double Turn, Just Turn Through the Zipper Opening

Martyn applies the exact same "double turn" logic to a zipper pouch.

The Variation: instead of a gap in the bottom seam, you turn the project through the open zipper.

• Crucial Step: During stitching, the zipper is held closed by a strip of tear-away or wash-away stabilizer. You must remove this strip to unzip the bag for turning.

If you are building zipper pouches for volume orders, consistency is everything. Every pouch needs to be hooped at the same tension and location. Many production-minded embroiderers pair a repeatable setup like a hoopmaster hooping station with magnetic frames so that every single zipper lands exactly where the digitizer intended.

Setup Checklist (Do this **before** the first stitch)

• Bobbin Check: Ensure you have enough bobbin thread for the full liner. Running out mid-liner is a pain to fix.
• Scissors Ready: Have both large shears (for perimeter) and precision snips (for threads) nearby.
• Opening Check: Did you cut the stiffener short of the seam allowance?
• Glue Gun/Iron: Plug them in now so they are hot when you finish turning.
• Batching: If making 10 bags, stitch all 10, then trim all 10, then turn all 10. Your brain works faster in "mode" batches.

A Quick Decision Tree: Choosing Stabilizer + Structure (So Turning Isn’t a Wrestling Match)

Use this logic to avoid creating a bag you physically cannot turn:

• Project: Small Phone Case (Light Use)
  • Recipe: Tear-away stabilizer + Thin Batting.
  • Result: Easy to turn, soft feel.
• Project: Standing Cosmetic Pouch (Heavy Use)
  • Recipe: Tear-away + Fusible Fleece + Bag Stiffener Strip.
  • Result: Hard to turn (needs strength), but stands up on its own.
• Symptom: Fabric Slipping/Hoop Burn during Hooping
  • Diagnosis: Your "sandwich" is too thick for the inner ring of your screw hoop.
  • Prescription: Switch to magnetic hoops for embroidery. The vertical clamping force holds thick layers without the friction-drag of a screw hoop.
• Symptom: Alignment is always crooked
  • Diagnosis: Human error in hooping.
  • Prescription: Use a jig or hoop master embroidery hooping station to standardize placement.

Operation Checklist (The “Don’t Ruin It at the Last Minute” List)

• Turn slowly: If you hear popping threads, STOP and investigate.
• Remove Hidden Paper: Did you get the stabilizer out of the very corners?
• Inspect Before Closing: Turn it right side out before sealing the hole.
• Roll and Press: Do not skip the wet-finger roll and iron press.
• Seal the Deal: Ensure your glue or stitching on the bottom join is secure.

The Upgrade Path (When You’re Ready to Go Faster Without Sacrificing Quality)

If you are making one gift for a grandchild, standard tools are perfectly fine. Take your time and enjoy the process.

However, if you are making fifty pouches for a craft fair, your "time leak" is hooping thick layers and managing wrist fatigue.

A Logical Upgrade Ladder:

1. Level 1 (Comfort & Quality): Magnetic Hoops.
   • Why: Essential for layered ITH work to prevent hoop burn and reduce wrist strain.
   • Safety Note: > Warning: Magnet Safety Strong magnetic hoops can pinch fingers severely. Never place them near pacemakers or sensitive electronics. Slide them apart; don't pry them.
2. Level 2 (Speed & Repeatability): Hooping Station.
   • Why: muscle memory. If you can load a hoop in 10 seconds blindly, your profit margin doubles.
3. Level 3 (Scale): Multi-Needle Machine (e.g., SEWTECH).
   • Why: When you are tired of babysitting thread changes on zipper pouches, a multi-needle machine automates the color swaps so you can focus on trimming and turning.

Fully lined ITH projects are the "magic trick" of the embroidery world. They look impossible to the untrained eye, but with the double-turn method and the right layer management, they are satisfying, durable, and highly sellable.

FAQ

• Q: How much fabric margin should an In-The-Hoop (ITH) double-turn lined bag leave at the turnout opening to close the join cleanly?
  A: Leave about 1/2 inch of extra fabric at the turnout gap so the edge folds in neatly for stitching or gluing.
  • Flare the cut outward only at the opening; trim closer everywhere else to reduce bulk.
  • Cut slowly through batting so the scissors do not jump into the stitch line.
  • Success check: After turning, the opening edge folds into a straight, clean line (not jagged or fraying).
  • If it still fails: If the gap looks ragged, the opening was trimmed too short—restart is often cleaner than trying to “patch” frayed edges.
• Q: How can an ITH fully lined zipper pouch use the open zipper as the turning opening without getting stuck by stabilizer?
  A: Remove the temporary stabilizer strip holding the zipper closed so the zipper can open fully for turning.
  • Unzip completely before attempting to turn the pouch through the zipper opening.
  • Reach in and pull out the stabilizer in controlled sections instead of one hard yank.
  • Success check: The zipper slides freely and the pouch turns through without a hard “snag stop.”
  • If it still fails: If the stabilizer catches on a small extra stitch row, stop pulling and use tweezers to pick out trapped bits.
• Q: How do you remove tear-away stabilizer from inside a fully lined ITH project through a small opening without ripping stitches?
  A: Pull tear-away stabilizer out in small sections and stop immediately if it snags on an extra stitch line.
  • Listen for a clean “rrrrip” sound; slow down when the sound changes or resistance spikes.
  • Freeze when you feel a hard stop, then reposition the pull direction to avoid stressing stitches.
  • Use tweezers to extract tiny bits trapped in corners.
  • Success check: The inside feels smooth and flexible, with no crinkly paper sound when squeezed.
  • If it still fails: If a placement/basting stitch is trapping paper, pick the paper out in fragments rather than forcing a full-sheet pull.
• Q: What causes bulky, lumpy corners on a fully lined ITH phone case or zipper pouch after turning, and how do you fix the bulk?
  A: Lumpy corners usually come from excess seam allowance and batting that were not trimmed or clipped for curves.
  • Trim perimeter seam allowance close to the stitching (but never past the “safety fence” stitch rows).
  • Clip a small “V” notch at sharp internal corners without cutting any thread.
  • Debulk by trimming batting at the top edge down to the stitch line where a crisp opening is needed.
  • Success check: Corners push out with fingers and look crisp rather than round and bruised.
  • If it still fails: If the fold area fights like cardboard, remove a strip of stiffener near the crease line (without cutting the main fabric).
• Q: How should bag stiffener be positioned in an ITH double-turn lined bag so the top fold/crease turns cleanly instead of springing open?
  A: Keep stiffener below the fold line and remove a strip near the crease so the fabric can hinge naturally.
  • Place the stiffener strip near the top structure area but stop it short of the exact fold/crease zone.
  • Perform “stiffener surgery” by removing stiffener at the crease line without cutting the outer fabric.
  • Success check: The top edge folds flat and stays flat instead of rounding or forcing the seam open.
  • If it still fails: Reduce bulk further by trimming batting away from the opening edge before turning.
• Q: What is the safest way to trim an ITH project close to stitching without nicking the seam, especially with thick batting?
  A: Treat the two stitch rows as a hard “do-not-cross” fence and cut slowly with sharp scissors to avoid slips.
  • Verify two rows of stitching are clearly visible before cutting anywhere.
  • Glide on straight sections and use small controlled snips on curves.
  • Keep fingers clear because thick layers require force and scissors can travel fast if they slip.
  • Success check: No stitches look cut or loosened, and the seam holds when gently tugged.
  • If it still fails: If a stitch line was nicked, stop and repair immediately before turning to prevent unraveling.
• Q: What is the safe process for using embroidery magnetic hoops on thick ITH layer “sandwiches” to reduce hoop burn and wrist fatigue?
  A: Use magnetic hoops to clamp straight down on thick layers, and handle magnets by sliding to prevent pinched fingers.
  • Align fabric, batting, and stabilizer flat first; then lower the magnetic top ring straight down without dragging the grain.
  • Slide magnets apart to remove the hoop—do not pry upward where fingers can get trapped.
  • Keep strong magnets away from pacemakers and sensitive electronics.
  • Success check: The layers stay secure without friction marks (hoop burn) and without heavy screw-tightening effort.
  • If it still fails: If layered fabric still shifts, reassess stack thickness and stabilizer/batting choices before forcing more clamp pressure.
• Q: What is the fastest productivity upgrade path for batch-making fully lined ITH zipper pouches when hooping and turning take most of the time?
  A: First improve technique, then upgrade setup tools, and only then consider higher-capacity equipment if volume demands it.
  • Level 1 (Technique): Batch by mode—stitch all items, then trim all, then turn all to reduce mistakes and mental switching.
  • Level 2 (Tooling): Use magnetic hoops to reduce hoop burn, slippage, and wrist fatigue during repeated hooping of thick stacks.
  • Level 3 (Workflow): Add a hooping station to standardize placement so zippers and outlines land consistently.
  • Success check: Each pouch aligns consistently and setup time drops noticeably compared with single-piece start-to-finish work.
  • If it still fails: If thread-color babysitting becomes the bottleneck in volume runs, consider moving to a multi-needle machine for automated color changes.