Pencil Roll
Project Creator: Corrie Sebire
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: INTERMEDIATE
These make the best birthday presents or for a craft stall. Stock up on packs of pencils when you see them on sale.
You can make them for a larger pack of pencils just by adding an inch per extra pencil. My older girls love to give these with glitter pens inside and this is the most popular request for little girls when its birthday time.
If you’re a crafter then you might like to make it for your knitting needles or crochet hooks. I know that you will enjoy making one or two.
Tools
> Washable ink pen
> Sewing machine
> Pins, thread, scissors (or rotary cutter and mat), ruler, needle for hand stitching
Materials Required
> Fat quarter of cotton/linen for exterior (I like to use a medium weight fabric for durability)
> 2 Fat quarters of cotton fabric for interior (something fun or simple but that ties in nicely with the exterior fabric. You can even use the same fabric as the exterior it’s up to you)
> Fat quarter of pale coloured flannelette fabric/quilt batting
> 50-60cms of ribbon/fabric tape for ties
> 12 pack of pencils (roll up crayons/textas/glitter pens)
Step 1:
Prepare fabrics by cutting out the following:
1 piece exterior fabric, 1 piece interior fabric from the flannelette/quilt batting, 1 piece cotton for interior and 1 piece for pencil holder. All pieces measure 13 inches (33cm) across by 10 inches (25 cm) high. If you are using smaller pencils then adjust the height of your fabric pieces and make sure fabric is about 2- 3 inches taller than pencil height.
Step 2:
Now take one piece of fabric for the pencil holder part and fold over lengthways, press and then sew a line as close to the folded over edge as you can.
Step 3:
Place on top of the interior fabric piece rectangle so that the bottom edge of the pencil holder part matches the bottom edge of the interior piece. Pin across.
Step 4:
Now with a ruler and with a washable ink pen used for fabric markings you are going to mark in 1 inch increments going across the fabric but starting at least ½ inch from the side and you will finish with 1 ½ inches to the right of your last line.
Step 5:
Now pin the flannelette piece underneath the fabric you have just prepared and pin all the way around the edges. Make sure edges match. Sew each of the ruled lines that you have marked.
Step 6:
Now take the ties (cut to about 20cms each) and pin together to the right side on one side of the exterior piece of fabric.
Step 7:
We will now sandwich all the layers together. Place the exterior layer facing up with the ties laying across the fabric. Place the prepared pencil holder layer right side down. Match up all edges and pin around all sides.
Step 8:
Take to your machine and sew all sides leaving about a 2 inch gap that we are going to use to turn out pencil roll the right way around. Be sure not to sew through the ties. I like to have the ends nestled inside the pencil roll and away from edges. Cut all 4 corners taking care not to cut into the corner point of the sewing.
Step 9:
Now pull out the pencil roll through the gap that you left while stitching. Using a damp cloth or wet wipe to wipe away the ink lines.
I like to close the opening by hand stitching as it gives you a neater hidden finish. You could top stitch all around all sides and sewing the opening closed if you prefer.
Step 10:
Place your pencils in and you are done. You might like to trim the edges of your ribbon/fabric tape or cut them/treat the ends to prevent fraying. For thin ribbons or bias binding I like to tie a knot in the end and then trim off the ends.
