Objective: Combine intermediate skills into one complete, saleable product—a lined zippered pouch—while learning to sequence construction and cost it for resale.
An intermediate project is really a sequence of skills you already own, chained in the right order. The key habit is construction planning: before touching fabric, decide the order of operations so each seam is accessible before the next one hides it. For a lined zippered pouch the order is: cut panels, install the zipper between outer and lining layers, sew around the body, then turn through a gap. On the MC6650 you'll rely on three settings. Use the zipper foot (E) and needle-position shift so the stitch runs close to the zipper teeth. Use straight stitch length 2.5mm for construction seams and lengthen to 3.0–3.5mm for visible topstitching so it looks crisp. Finish raw edges with the overcast or a medium zigzag (width ~4, length ~2) so the item survives repeated use—durability is what separates a hobby item from a product someone pays for. Backstitch (the reverse button) at the start and end of every seam, except along the turning gap. Pressing between steps is not optional: press the zigzag flat, press seams open, and press the finished pouch so it photographs well. Finally, think like a seller. Track your cut-to-finish time and material cost (fabric, zipper, thread, lining) so you can price with a margin rather than guessing.
Example: Pouch plan: two outer panels and two lining panels, each 9in x 6in, plus one 9in nylon zipper. Steps: (1) Lay outer right-side-up, zipper face-down on top, lining right-side-down—sew with zipper foot E, needle shifted left, length 2.5. Repeat for the other side. (2) Flip both layers away from the zipper and topstitch at length 3.2 for a clean edge. (3) Open the zipper halfway (critical—so you can turn it later), match outer-to-outer and lining-to-lining, and sew around all four sides at 2.5mm, leaving a 3in gap in the lining bottom; backstitch at gap edges. (4) Overcast raw edges, turn right-side-out through the gap, press, and edgestitch the gap closed. Cost example: fabric scraps $1.50, zipper $0.80, thread/lining $0.70 = $3.00 materials; 25 minutes labor at $20/hr = $8.33; suggested price around $22–25 for retail.
Try it: Write a one-page construction plan for your own lined zippered pouch: list cut dimensions, the exact MC6650 foot and stitch-length settings for each step, and where you'll backstitch and leave the turning gap. Then sew one pouch, timing yourself start to finish. Record material cost and your minutes, and calculate a retail price using (materials + labor) x 2.5.