Choose fun kid-friendly fabrics for back-to-school pencil pouches.
Sewing your own clothes, accessories and other items can save you money while providing you with a task to keep your skills and mind sharp. A homemade pencil pouch is one sewing project that can make a great back-to-school gift or a handy accessory. Children can use the finished product to organize their school utensils or you can use it to keep your handbag or briefcase organized. Either way, the project requires few materials and is a convenient craft for sewers of all skill levels.
Instructions
Prepare Workspace
1. Select a flat surface, large enough to fit your bolt of fabric, on which to work.
2. Clear the surface of any objects not needed for the project.
3. Place your scissors, thread, needle, measuring tape and pins to one side of the surface. Be sure to keep any sharp items such as needles and pins well-organized to prevent spillage or injuries.
Prepare the Fabric
4. Roll your fabric out onto the flat surface.
5. Smooth the fabric to remove any bumps and press the fabric with a hot iron to remove wrinkles or creases.
6. Roll out the measuring tape to mark the desired size of the pouch. For an average size pouch, measure out approximately 10 inches. This will make a 3 inch deep pouch with a 2 inch flap.
7. Cut the fabric and place the rest of the bolt of fabric away from the workspace.
8. Place the cut fabric pattern-side up or so the fabric that will be on the outside of the pouch is facing you.
Sew the Pouch
9. Fold the bottom of the fabric to create the pouch shape. Leave a portion of the fabric for the flap. For the 10-inch fabric piece, leave a flap of roughly 2 inches. The flap can be any size, though, depending on the desired look, as long as the pouch portion is deep enough to hold the utensils.
10. Press the folded sides, if needed, to smooth the fabric and and pin the fabric in place.
11. Sew the left and right sides of the folded fabric together and trim the excess fabric and thread strands.
12. Flip the newly-sewn pouch "outside-out" so the patterned side of the fabric or outside of the fabric is now facing out.
13. Optionally, add a button, snap, clasp or other closure.
Tags: bolt fabric, fabric place, flat surface, keep your, measuring tape, size pouch
