Monday, July 10, 2017

TUTORIAL - sweet and useful sewing caddy...



Remember this blog post about how I had a goal to make useful projects from my many, many (many!) stitchery design sample blocks?

Well I'm holding fast to that resolve and finding a great deal of joy and satisfaction in the process.

My intention is also to keep things simple because simple projects are the ones we tend to finish, unlike larger projects which have a tendency to take up residence on UFO Avenue for a season or two.

NOTE: The stitchery I've used in this sewing caddy project is available HERE in my Etsy Shop.





Firstly, let me show you inside the caddy because that makes it easier to see where you're going as we work through the tutorial...









When not in use the three sections fold over each other, but when you open it out the pincushion centre sits on the arm of your couch or sewing chair, whilst the pockets on either side of the pincushion hang over the arm. 









I always choose my fabric before deciding on thread colours and these lovely Tilda fabrics from the Bumblebee range earlier this year were my inspiration for the stitchery I've used. I only had 'pieces' of the fabrics leftover from other projects so they were perfect for this caddy as it uses a number of different prints in relatively small sections.




Shall we begin?

You will need -

One stitchery block (or fussy cut feature fabric) trimmed to 8" wide x 6 3/4" high
One, 8" x 13" piece of floral fabric for the outside of the sewing caddy
One, 8" x 19 1/4" piece of blue tonal fabric for the inside lining of the sewing caddy
One, 8" square of floral fabric for one pocket
One, 10" x 8" piece of floral fabric for the other pocket
One, 8" square of pink floral fabric for the pincushion
Lengths of 2 1/2" wide pink floral fabric for the binding
One 9" x 20" piece of fusible Pellon
a few 9" long pieces of ribbon, about 3/4" wide
One small blue button
Filling for your pincushion (I use ground walnut shells)









Sew the 8" x 13" piece of floral fabric to the top of the stitchery block, pressing the seam away from the stitchery. 





Fold the two pieces of floral pocket fabric in half so that they are still 8" wide but now half the length, and press the fold.
One pocket will now be 4" x 8" and the other is 5" x 8".





Sew a length of ribbon or lace just under the fold of each pocket.





Fold the 8" square of pink floral fabric in half, right sides together. Sew along the raw edges with a 1/4" seam, leaving an opening of 3" in the middle. Press the seam open.





With the opening facing up and in the centre of the pincushion, sew along both ends with a 1/4" seam.




Turn the pincushion right side out and press.





Sew a length of ribbon or lace around each end of the pincushion.







Fill your pincushion and slip stitch the opening closed.
I've used ground walnut shells (available from pet stores) but you can use whatever you like.







Fuse the blue tonal fabric to the Pellon to make your inside lining. There will be a little extra Pellon all around.
You can quilt the lining if you like. I've simply sewn three lines down the length of the lining, 2" apart.





Pin your pockets to each end of the lining and then sew around the outer edges with a scant 1/8" seam.







Create more pockets if you like. 
I chose to divide each end pocket into two sections with a straight line down the centre of the pocket so my caddy now has four pockets.





Place the front of your sewing caddy behind the caddy lining and pin the two sections together. Trim away the excess Pellon.







Make a length of binding, long enough to go around the edges of the caddy.
I used four smaller lengths of the pink floral fabric joined together. 





With the outside of the caddy and the lining still pinned together, attach your binding around the outside edge just as you would a quilt.
Press the binding away from the outside of your caddy.





Find the centre of your sewing caddy lining and use that to position your pincushion so that it sits in the middle. Pin in place.





Hand sew the pincushion to the side of the caddy lining, using the machined line from your binding as a guide. By sewing into the binding seam you secure the pincushion just that bit firmer.
(when we turn the binding over it will cover your stitches so slip stitch about an 1/8" into the pincushion)







Fold the binding over to the inside of your caddy and hand sew in place.





Just above the middle of one pocket (if you've divided the larger pocket into two) sew a length of ribbon, securing it with a small button.





Pop your embroidery scissors in the pocket and tie the ribbon in a bow through the handles. This prevents your scissors from slipping out when you're not using the caddy.




And there you have it.

Hope you make one and show me! If you're on Instagram tag me @homelifewithjennifer

Have a blessed and peaceful week,

hugs





22 comments:

Leeanne said...

very pretty and a very clear tutorial.

Flordeminuto said...

Precioso costurero de viaje y estupendo tutorial . Gracias !!

Baa. xxx said...

This is going to be fun to make! Thanks Jenny1

Sandy said...

Great tutorial...have to now find my Tilda fabric in my stash...so pretty. Love the ribbon to hold the scissors!

Allie-oops Designs said...

That is just gorgeous, what a clever design!

Jacqueline said...

You are sew sweet and generous. Thank you

May said...

I've just joined Jenny will I be in time for the July goodies...Such beautiful things to make I have never embroidered before but you-tube is helping me a lot... Your designs are so gorgeous... cant wait... May

Debby said...

This is so sweet Jenny!

Michelle said...

This is so pretty, Jenny! I think I might make one for me and one for my swap partner! Thanks for the tutorial :-)

Anonymous said...

Yay, now I know what a sewing companion is! When it isn't a person. =) As always, your tutorials are SO easy to follow. Thank you for showing something so pretty, and relatively easy.

Helen L said...

I love this little sewing caddy!! And the stitching too!!! I've been looking all around for a good little stitching caddy, and I can see that I'll have to make time to make this one! And I'm going to need that little stitched tree too: it can represent my hubby and I and our two girls!! Such a good fit! Hugs, H

shirley flavell said...

Jenny you are so generous with your free tutorials and designs. Thank you. I have always loved your stitcheries and projects and have made quite a lot of them for myself and for gifts.This sewing necessaire is beautiful and of course will need to make one.

Ondrea said...

You have such a flair for fabrics and colours. Your combination of thread colours and fabrics is always so beautiful. Thankyou for your lovely tutorial which is very easy to follow. Hope all is well at your end. Angel hugs.

Julie said...

Beautiful & gorgeous dear Jenny !!! I am in love with your fabric choices also & think I just might have some of that Tilda pink floral tucked away in my stash !! Thank you for all your wonderful tutorials that you so generously share with us. I would quite like to make one of everything :-) Xxx

Lin said...

Lovely Jenny. xx

Mochagrams said...

I am so excited about your commitment to making useful items. I too have made the same commitment, and love your ideas. Thank you💖

Createology said...

Jenny you are amazing month after month and I am so grateful for belonging to your Magical Monthly Stitchery Club. This tutorial is wonderful and leaves no excuses for creating gifts during the year. Thank You Sweet Jenny...<3

Ruthie Peterburg said...

Hi Jenny,
Thank you so much for the tutorial it is so sweet.
Warm hugs,
Ruthie

Deborah said...

This would be great for an embroidery project, too. I can see a lot of uses for this. The tree on the front, could also be a family tree with more branches. You are so smart. I love it!

Winifred said...

Thanks for this. My granddaughter will be spending a week with me on her school holidays so this is one project I think she'll enjoy. Thanks for this.

Molly Mandeville Fryer said...

Love this! Thank you!

Smith Karen said...

Looking forward to making this lovely this lovely caddy. Thank you for taking the time and ‘joyfully’ making one for us to make ourselves. Praying you continue in a life of peace and joy.