School Pencil Case

     School is starting at the end of this month and my daughter needed a pencil case.  Yea, there's pencil cases in the stores, but I can never find a fabric case that is big enough to put her 12" ruler in.  My mom made a pencil case for me when I was in school, then I started to just make my own.  I think this case is the ultimate because she can put all of her pencil supplies in it, including her ruler.  She loves it.  Here is the process I used to make it.  If you want to take any of these steps to make your own...be my guest.  It was really easy!  I do want to add the design for the back of the case came from Nancy Halverson's "Art to Heart" book Garden Song.  She is my idle for applique!

Let's get started....I decided how long and wide I wanted the case to be.  So I cut a 13 1/2" x 11" rectangle out of white cotton.  Then I cut the same size out of cotton lining.  I bought a white zipper.  And then I drew a pattern of letters on paper to get the size that I needed.  I also used the applique pattern from Art to Heart book "Garden Song".

 

When I traced the letters onto the applique film I remember to flip the letter pattern over first so when I cut them out after they are facing the correct way.

I make sure that I chose bright colors to go against the white for the front and the back.  Then I cut out the shapes on the pattern line.

Before I iron on the appliques I sew on the zipper.  I do this so that I can get a better feeling of where my applique pieces for the front and back are going to go.

After I have the zipper sewn then I position my applique pieces where I want them, and I iron.

I then pin my batting to the back of my white cotton rectangle and proceed to satin stitch around all of my pieces.  I try to match the thread color to my applique pieces.

Once the appliques are all satin stiched then I add 3 small pink button between the pedals of my pink flower to give it some depth. 

I sewed the ends of the case closed with right sides together on the fold.  I then prepared the lining to be sewn to the inside of the case.  I ironed the top end of the lining down about 1/2" so that when I sew it to the inside, I have a nice folded line to sew.

I have to hand sew the end of the lining once I get to the end because my sewing machine can't go over it, and that's it!

I'm planning other great things...yah, I know....I'm still working on Jordan's quilt.  I promise I'll have pics.