Objective: Combine your intermediate skills to construct a lined zippered pouch that is clean, durable, and ready to sell.
A zippered pouch is the classic first product for a home sewing business: it uses cheap fabric scraps, sews in under 30 minutes, and sells well at markets. It also exercises every intermediate skill you have learned—zipper insertion, lining, topstitching, and seam finishing. The key to a sellable pouch is order of operations. You sandwich the zipper between the outer fabric (right side up) and the lining (right side down) so the zipper tape is hidden inside when the layers are flipped. On the MC6650, switch to the zipper foot (attachment E) and move the needle position left or right using the needle-position arrows so you can stitch close to the zipper coil without hitting the teeth. Reduce stitch length slightly (about 2.0mm) near the zipper ends for strength, and use the Half Speed button so you can steer precisely around the zipper pull. After both sides of the zipper are attached and topstitched, you open the zipper halfway (critical—so you can turn the pouch right-side out later), then stitch around the perimeter with outer-to-outer and lining-to-lining, leaving a turning gap in the lining. Finish raw edges with the overcast stitch or a simple zigzag so the inside looks neat to a buyer.
Example: Making a 8"x6" pouch: Cut two outer pieces and two lining pieces at 8.5"x6.5". Lay outer piece right-side up, place the 9" zipper face-down along the top edge, then lining right-side down on top—all top edges aligned. With zipper foot E and needle moved left, stitch the length at 2.5mm. Flip both fabrics away from the zipper and press, then topstitch 1/8" from the fold to keep fabric off the teeth. Repeat with the second outer and lining on the zipper's other side. Open the zipper about halfway. Arrange so outers face each other and linings face each other, pin, and sew all around at 3/8", leaving a 3" gap in the lining bottom. Clip corners, pull everything right-side out through the gap and the open zipper, topstitch the gap closed, push the lining inside, and press.
Try it: Plan and sew one lined zippered pouch on the MC6650. Before sewing, write a 6-step construction order on paper. Then cut your pieces, attach foot E, set stitch length to 2.5mm, and build the pouch—remembering to open the zipper halfway before the final perimeter seam. Inspect the finished inside: all raw edges should be enclosed or zigzagged. Time yourself and note where you slowed down.