Create: Phoenix Pouch

On the list of school supplies this year was a three hole punch pencil pouch.  The type that you could put into a binder.  Last year, I made the kiddo a plain zippered pouch that was black on the outside and red on the inside.  I felt like I needed to step it up a bit this year, and so I got to work.

I found a really nifty phoenix outline online (and can't remember where) and printed it out.  The kiddo loves phoenixes, red, and black.  It used to be armadillos, then dragons, and I remember sighing when orange was the favorite color.  Now I want things that are yellow and orange, I guess it sunk it a little too far.

I'm not going to give directions for making the actual pencil pouch because I feel I goofed several times.  Like somehow the lining was an inch or two bigger than the outside... 

Once I cut out the fabric, I chalked the design into place and went over it with a silver sharpie.  It was what I had on hand.  After consulting a couple different embroidery books, I got to work with no plan but to make it look cool.

Of course, once I got most of the way finished, we went school supply shopping and the kiddo decided he would rather have an accordion file instead of a binder.  That's cool with me since I don't have to make the holes right now.  I can always do that later.

Now I just need to make something about accordion thieves...

Create: Pencil Pouch

One of the supplies on my sons school list was a zippered pencil pouch.  I glanced through the offerings at the stores, but always had in mind that I wanted to make one.  Zippers and I don't always agree.  But this one was pretty easy.  I'm proud of myself.

The pattern is pretty simple.  It's a rectangle measuring 10.5 inches on the long side, 6 inches on the short side.  I measured this based on the length of the pencils and the length of my zipper.  I had a vintage stash from a garage sale.  Unfortunately, when I was done my son didn't like the colors.

He thought he would be teased.  So this lovely, all stashed pouch is now mine.  I'm going to make it into a traveling sewing pouch so I don't have to worry about things being all over.  In an effort to keep my kiddo from being picked on, we went and got his colors and made him a new pouch.

To make the pouch:
1.  Cut two rectangles out of your outer fabric and lining fabric.
1.a.  Adjust the length of your zipper if need be.  Stitch over and over at the spot you want the zip to end, then cut the remaining material off.
2.  Sandwich your zipper between an outer and lining rectangle, wrong sides together.  Make sure the wrong side of your outer fabric is facing the top of your zipper.  Pin together and open the zipper half way.  This makes it easier to sew. 

3.  Sew your fabric and zipper in a straight line and open.
4.  Pin the other halves of the fabric to the other side of the zipper and sew.
5.  Open the zipper all the way.  Put the outer fabric rectangles together and the lining fabric together on the opposite side.  You should have a larger rectangle with one side being your lining, the other your outer fabric.  Pin together and leave an opening to turn the fabric at the bottom of your lining.
6.  Sew around your rectangle, leaving the opening to turn.  Leave an opening.  (I tend to forget.)
7.  Cut your corners and trim excess.
8.  Turn material right side out and tuck the lining into the pouch to make sure the pouch looks like it should.
9.  Finish the seam with needle and thread.
10.  Tadaa!  You have a pouch!