I am a stationery addict. I love pens and markers and cute erasers, rulers, notepads….you name it, it is on my favourites list. All of the things. Right at the top. I have even started MAKING sketchbooks for my art now! I know right! It is just too perfect. Let me know if you would like a blog post about that by the way….

But to get back to sewing, one of the things that I love about stationery is actually using it. I use my ‘good’ pens and pencils every day and it gives me (unreasonably) great pleasure just to look at them. Now we are not quite up to the bit where we make pens and rulers but, as sewists, we are more than equal to the task of making a pencil case.

I have been seeing pencil cases which are designed to attach themselves to the front of notebooks a lot lately (either a frequency illusion (most likely) or a sign from above) and I decided that my Super Easy Pencil Case which has been very popular, would be so simple to adapt to this use.

I scaled it down so that it fits either an A5 or an A4 notebook depending on which style you choose and added a front slip pocket and then a little sleeve for elastic on the back. But before we get into that, what do we need for this make…

• 2 Fat Quarters of fabric, one for the exterior (canvas, denim or similar weight) and one for the lining (pure cotton). You can make both from this quantity of fabric and simply swap the outer and lining for a different look.
• 1 Fat Quarter interfacing. I am using Style-vil sew-in foam interfacing by Vlieseline. You will need slightly more than one FQ to make both.
• 8 1/4″ (11 1/2″) zipper. I like a slightly chunkier zipper so I have gone for #5 for the A4 case and a #3 for the A5. These are really strange zip measurements too and you will find a continuous zipper much easier to work with
• 18″ (24″) elastic 3/4″ wide
• 20″ (25″) bias binding. You can make your own or use store bought. To make your own, click the link above and you can see how as part of the original pencil case tute. To keep the patterns simple, I have used my canvas outer fabric to make mine to match.
• something to decorate the zipper pull. I am using a little strip of leather but you could also use vegan leather, ribbon or a nice piece of cord.
• Your usual sewing needs

I wasn’t sure whether to make an A4 or A5 sized pencil case for this post and then I thought, you know what, I think that you are worth both! So the making procedure is the same for both and the cutting instructions and other details are A5 and (A4 in brackets behind). Okay, let’s cut out!

Cutting

TIP: I have said wide and tall rather than long and the measurements are supposed to be read with the case in front of you and the zipper away from you.

From the outer fabric:

• 2 pieces 8 1/4″ wide x 3″ tall (11 1/2″ wide x 4″ tall) for the front and back outer panels
• 1 piece 6″ wide x 3″ tall (7 1/2″ wide x 4″ tall) for the front slip pocket outer
• 1 piece 2″ wide x 7″ long (2″ wide x 10″ long) for the rear casing

From the lining fabric:

• 2 pieces 8 1/4″ wide x 3″ tall (11 1/2″ wide x 4″ tall) for the front and back lining panels
• 1 piece 6″ wide x 3″ tall (7 1/2″ wide x 4″ tall) for the front slip pocket lining

You need 4″ (5″) bias binding for the front slip pocket, 15″ (20″) bias binding for the main edge binding and a piece of elastic 18″ (24″)long

TIP: only the front and back outer panels need to be interfaced, so you need two pieces cut slightly larger all around ( about 3/4″ should do it) than the panel itself. Press the panel and lay it onto the foam interfacing. Then attach with a narrow basting stitch keeping a gentle taut tension on the panel without twisting or pulling it and trim the foam back to the seam allowance. I show you the process in the first two photos.

The first step is to interface the two outer panels with your foam interfacing. By the way, I am making both of these pencil cases at the same time so I will be showing both at different times depending on which colour photographed best so you get the best of both worlds. Anyway, on with the show….interface both

And then trim that interfacing back to the seam allowance

Put the prepared outer panels aside for the time being and take the pocket outer and lining and with the wrong sides together, baste all around the edge

We need to make this a bit more interesting so measure down 1″ on the right hand side and make a mark. On the top edge, rule a line from the top left corner to the 1″ mark

Now cut along that line

Bind the top edge of the pocket. I prefer to do this by machine on the first side and then finish off by hand on the back.

I also tucked a little piece of folded ribbon under the binding as an accent. this is purely optional of course and you could also use a label here or leave it plain

Lay the pocket onto the interfaced front panel and baste the sides. On the larger A4 model, this pocket can sag a little and this is not great for the security of its contents so I like to divide it up the centre with a vertical seam. You don’t have to do that on the smaller case and be aware that the topstitching under the zip and binding on the bottom will nip a little bit off the pocket size too

Take the interfaced front with the pocket on and the zipper and lay the zipper right sides together onto the front outer panel. Pin or clip and baste the zipper in

Now bring in a piece of lining and lay it right sides together onto the zip. Sew right along, flip the layers the right way out and then topstitch twice along under the zipper. The first row of topstitching is 1/8″ and the second, 1/8″ – 1/4″ under that. If you are a bit of a beginner, the easiest case to make first would be the larger one, especially with a thicker fabric like canvas. The smaller one has some fiddly moments and the topstitching is one of them

On the back, we need to attach the casing. To begin with, fold the edge under to the wrong side by 1/4″ all around and press. Make sure that the casing is wide enough that you have enough space to fit 3/4″ wide elastic

Now centre the casing on the back panel and pin it well. Sew the two long sides only. The elastic will be fed through this and then the ends will be finished by hand at the end. But we are a few steps away from that.

Attach the back panel and lining as you did for the first and now you should have something like this

Round the four corners. I just drew around a tea cup but if you have a special ruler, by all means, use that.

Now bring the sides together so that lining is facing lining and the outer, front and back are out (there is no ‘birthing’ with this case so it is impossible to pinch the zipper. You are welcome!). Pin or clip the sides so that all layers are together and baste the edge all around

Trim the edge if needed and then bind with your bias binding

Finally, lets add that elastic in. Thread the elastic through the casing on the back and, making sure that it is not twisted, overlap it by 3/4″. Pin and sew very securely. It doesn’t have to be very neat because that bit will be hidden in the next step

Move the elastic around until the sewn bit is inside the casing Then with a small hand stitch, sew the ends of the casing, taking full advantage of the thickness of the foam interfacing to bury the stitches deep

Decorate the zipper pull and your case is ready to use!

I have used a little waste strip of leather and some really nice black and white baker’s twine to decorate the zipper pulls but honestly, anything goes.

These Cases are a super way to use up the offcuts of interfacing (we don’t have only fabric offcuts to deal with!). For some reason, when we say scraps, we seem to think mainly about the fabrics in our stash. Well the interfacing scraps deserve their moment and this may well be it! Waste, not, want not our grandparents might have said. I hate throwing the pieces away which could be used for something.

They make great gifts and, as usual, you have my permission to make in handmade quantities and sell on craft markets and Etsy, that sort of thing. All that I ask in return is that you credit me as the designer. On Instagram, that will be @craftyvamp.

So ’till next time

hugs

Debbie xx

Oh and by the way, before I go I HAVE to tell you about some exciting news! My new book is ready to go! You can find it at Search Press in the UK, America and Australia and on Amazon everywhere. It is a must for all bag makers and uses, yes you read that absolutely right, two fat quarters for each one!