Peppermint Pencil Pouch TUTORIAL
It's time for the TWELVE WEEKS OF CHRISTMAS again. A huge welcome to the readers from Bluprint Textiles!! This week we are making a cute little pencil pouch. There's a zipper, but don't fear the zipper! Just follow along and I'll get you through it!!
1. Fabric: You'll need two 9 1/2" x 5" pieces of flannel. For the front panel, you need four 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" strips each of two fabrics (red & white). For the back panel, cut one 9 1/2" x 5" piece. And cut two 9 1/2" x 5" pieces for the lining. You will also need one zipper. I HIGHLY recommend Atkinson zippers! You can easily trim them to the size you need and they come in an awesome rainbow of colors. Once I started using them, I've never bought anything else! If you are buying another brand, you'll need a 9" zipper.
2. Marking the 45° Angle: Place one piece of flannel 1" from the 45° mark on your cutting board.
Place your ruler on the 45° line.
Using a Frixion pen (or temporary marking pen of your choice), draw a line on the 45° angle.
3. Sewing the Strips: Place a white strip to the right of the marked line.
Place a red strip on the white strip. Put the red strip 1/2" from the bottom of the white strip.
Sew a 1/4" seam down the left side. (I turned the whole thing around so I still sewed on the right.)
Marry your seams.
Finger press while the fabric is still warm.
Press.
Place another red strip on the white strip 1/2" from the top. Sew on the right side.
Continue piecing in the same manner. You will need to cut the last piece of white in half.
You will cut the excess off the last piece of red.
Then cut the red piece in half for the two corners.
You will end up with this.
Run a few stitches across the corner to tack down the corner. This is easier if you sew with the flannel side up.
Trim using the flannel as a guide.
4. Sewing the Back Panel: Place your back panel fabric on the flannel.
Mark a 45° angle using a Frixion pen. Place your front panel below your back panel. Align your ruler on a strip to mark the angle.
Mark lines 1" wide across the whole panel.
Stitch along these lines. I used a longer stitch length.
5. Putting in the Zipper: On the front panel, pin the zipper, right sides together. If you're using an Atkinson zipper, you can leave excess on both ends. If you are using a 9" zipper, you'll align each end.
Sew using your zipper foot. Remember to move your needle all the way to the left.
Attach the zipper right sides together to the back panel.
Both panels should be right sides together and the zipper will be attached right sides together to each panel.
Press. This is what you should end up with.
Open the zipper.
6. Putting in the Lining: Pin the first piece of lining right side to zipper wrong side. Stitch. Repeat for the other side.
This is what you should have.
Press both sides.
Top stitch along each side of the zipper. I used a longer stitch length.
7. Sewing up the Pouch: UNZIP THE ZIPPER HALFWAY. Very important! Fold up the two outer panels.
Pin all sides except the bottom of the lining.
The zipper should not lean to either side.
Sew across the bottom of the pouch first. Then sew each side starting with the outer panels and sewing towards the lining. Use 3/8" seam allowances.
Sew VERY slowly over the zipper. VERY SLOWLY.
This is what you should have.
Trim the corners of the outer panels.
Trim off the excess zipper. I use old scissors.
8. Finishing: Unzip the zipper as far as you can.
Turn the pouch right side out.
This is what you should have.
Fold in about 1/2" on both sides of the lining. Pin.
Top stitch 1/8" seam across the bottom.
This is what it will look like.
You're done! Fill your pouch with all your favorite things!!
