Pencil Case

Interfacing

Using the manufacturer’s instructions, apply interfacing to the 1x Button Tab.

TIP – If you are using quilting cotton, I recommend adding interfacing to all pieces before sewing. 

Fold Pencil Divider B in half widthwise, wrong sides together, matching short edges. Press.  

Mark the ⅜ inch seam allowance on the left and ½ inch seam allowance on the right side of this piece.

Starting at the left ⅜ seam allowance marking, draw a line at ¾ inch intervals until you reach the ½ inch seam allowance marking.

Lay Pencil Divider A right side facing up. Place Pencil Divider B on top, right side facing up, matching short bottom edges. Pin.

Stitch down each of the four marked lines.

NOTE – You will now treat this as one Pencil Divider piece.

NOTE – If you are using pre-made bias tape, skip to step 2.2

Fold the Bias Tape piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Press.

Open the piece back up, fold and press the two long sides into the middle. 

Then fold in half again and press. 

Open the Bias Tape. Lay the Pencil Divider wrong side facing up. Place the Bias Tape right side down, onto the left long edge, matching raw edges. Pin.

Sew using a ½ inch seam allowance, along the first fold.

NOTE – When finished, this should be on the right edge of the Pencil Divider.  

Fold the Bias Tape over the right side of the Pencil Divider, enclosing the raw edges.

Edgestitch the Bias Tape down. Set this piece aside.

Lay the Zipper Pouch A right side facing up. Place the zipper onto one long edge, right sides together, with the top zipper stop ⅜ inch away from the short edge. Pin.

Using a zipper foot, stitch along the zipper tape, using ¼ inch seam allowance. 

Lay Zipper Pouch B right side facing up. Place the other side of the zipper right side down, matching raw edges. 

Using a zipper foot, stitch along the zipper tape, using ¼ inch seam allowance. 

NOTE – Check that you have not stitched over any of the zipper and that you can still open the zipper fully. 

Flip Zipper Pouch A up so that all pieces are facing right side up. Press.

Topstitch both sides of the zipper. 

Serger or zigzag stitch the unfinished edges where you attached the zipper to the Zipper Pouch pieces. If serging, do not cut off any fabric.

NOTE – You will now treat this as one Zipper Pouch.

Fold the Outer Case Lining in half widthwise, right sides together. Press. 

Place the Zipper Pouch right side down, matching the long edge of Zipper Pouch B to the pressed center of the Outer Case Lining. Pin.

Sew the long edge of Zipper Pouch B to the Outer Case Lining with a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Flip the Zipper Pouch over the Outer Case Lining so that the right sides are facing up. Press.

Lay the Outer Case Lining right side up with the Zipper Pouch on the right hand side. Place the Pencil Divider onto the left hand side, matching raw edges. Pin the Pencil Divider and Zipper Pouch.

Baste all four edges of the Outer Case Lining, using a ¼ inch seam allowance.  

NOTE – Do not baste down the long edge with the Bias Tape.  Watch out for the metal zipper stops!

Take the two Button Tab pieces and place them right sides together. Pin.

Sew using a ⅜ inch seam allowance, leaving one straight short edge unstitched. 

Clip the seam allowances in half and clip the corners.

Using a safety pin or fabric turner, turn the Button Tab right side out. Press.

TIP – Push out the corners with a blunt object, like a chopstick, so that there are crisp, sharp edges and corners.

OPTIONAL: Topstitch around the stitched edges using a ⅛ inch seam allowance. 

NOTE – Do not stitch the short straight end.

BUTTON CLOSURE: Stitch a buttonhole near the stitched short edge, approximately ¼ inch away.

SNAP CLOSURE: Using the manufacturer’s instructions apply the female side of the snap at the stitched short edge, approximately ¼ inch away.

VELCRO CLOSURE: Cut a small piece of hook tape to fit on one side of the Button Tab.

Lay the Main Outer Case right side up. Find the center point on one short side.  

Place the Button Tab at the center, right sides together, matching raw edges. Pin.

Baste in place.

Fold the Main Outer Case in half widthwise, wrong sides together.

Fold the Button Tab over to the opposite side.  Mark where your button, snap or Velcro will go.  

TIP – If inserting a snap, I recommend adding a bit of interfacing to the wrong side of the Main Outer Case before adding the snap.

Add your button, snap, or Velcro to the Main Outer Case at the marking.

SNAP – You are attaching the male side of the snap here.

VELCRO – You are attaching the loop part. 

Place the Main and Lining Outer Case pieces right sides together. Pin.

NOTE – Match the Button Tab side of the Main Outer Case to the Zipper Pouch side of the Outer Case Lining.

NOTE – Check that the Button Tab is sandwiched between the two pieces.  

Sew around all four sides with a ⅜ seam allowance, leaving a 2 inch gap for turning.  

When sewing near the zipper, be careful not to hit the metal zipper stops with your needle.  Trim excess from the zipper and clip the corners.

Turn the pencil case right sides out through the gap. Press. 

Close the gap by hand using a slipstitch (also called a ‘ladder stitch’).

ALTERNATIVE: You can topstitch around the entire pencil case to close the opening, however, that will be visible on both the inside and outside.  

NOTE – The pictures show a different pattern. However, the steps are the same.

Thread the needle, tying the thread tail ends together in a knot. This will provide added strength to your finished seam. Push the needle up and through one of the folded seams, from the inside of the lining to the outside, pulling the thread tail completely through.

The knotted end will now be nicely concealed within the seam on the inside.

Directly across from the starting point, push the needle down and then back up through the fold on the opposite seam to create a stitch that is between ⅛ – ¼ inch long. When the thread is pulled through, the stitch is concealed within the seam crease, and there will be a horizontal stitch connecting the left and right sides of the opening.

Repeat steps 6.5 to 6.6 to the end of the opening. To tighten the stitches, gently pull the thread. This will conceal the stitches in between the seams.

To end off, create a loop for your needle to pass through by picking up a tiny section of the opposite seam and passing the needle through the loop. Tighten to form a knot. Reinforce the stitching as needed by repeating this step.

Poke the needle back into the fabric next to your stitching and pull it all the way through to the other side.

Pull the thread taut and snip it close to the fabric. Allow the thread tail to slip back inside the wristlet so that the tail is now hidden inside.

NOTE – The stitches have been left loose in this picture to show what the ladder stitch looks like. Pull the thread through and taut after each stitch.

OPTIONAL: ‘Stitch in the ditch’ along the bottom of the Zipper Pouch. This will help keep the two Outer Case pieces in place. 

NOTE – You will see the stitching on the outside of the pencil case.

Your Pencil Case is finished!