Monday, August 16, 2010

Cutie Crayon Pouch -- Recycled!

Here's a quick, fun recycle project, just in time for Back to School. I love how you can see the crayons in their little pockets!


It opens flat to allow for little artists to access their crayons easily.


What you need:
~ vinyl (mine is the packaging for a comforter)
~ 22" zipper (mine was 1 1/4" wide -- you may need to adjust some measurements if yours is different)
~ about 1/2 yard of matching ribbon (mine was 5/8" wide)
~ crayons
~ notebook (optional)


STEP ONE: Cut your vinyl pieces. I used my rotary cutter, ruler, and mat. You will need:
one 7"x 10 3/4" rectangle
two 3 1/2" x 7" rectangles


STEP TWO: Fold your ribbon in half lengthwise, pressing as you go. Cut in half. Use to bind one long edge of each of your 3 1/2" x 7" rectangles.


STEP THREE: Layer your two smaller rectangles on top of your larger rectangle, with the bound edges toward the middle. You won't need to pin -- the vinyl should stick to itself nicely.


STEP FOUR: Sew your crayon pockets! Starting 1/2" from the right side, sew a line. You can then use your sewing machine seam allowance guide to sew each subsequent line 1" from the first. You will end up with six 1" pockets. Repeat for the other side.


STEP FIVE: Sew two lines to create a 3/4" section down the center. (This measurement is the width of the zipper minus the 1/4" seam allowances we will be using on each side. Adjust for your zipper if necessary.)


STEP SIX: Layer your vinyl, pocket side UP, with your OPEN zipper, also right side up, on top. Sew, using a 1/4" seam allowance. You are starting from the lower center line. When you are close to the corner, carefully curve your zipper around the corner. Continue around, stopping on the opposite side at the same line you started on.


STEP SEVEN: Zip your zipper closed and mark the line across both sides of the zipper. I used chalk, but you could also use a pin.


STEP EIGHT: Line up your chalk line with your second center line on the opposite side of the pouch. Sew the same way as you did in Step Six.

I don't have a photo of this, but you will need to clip the seam allowance of your vinyl right next to your two center lines on each side, 1/4" in. (Four clips -- two on each side.) This will help your pouch corners lay flat.


STEP NINE: Round the vinyl corners to match the curve of your zipper.


STEP TEN: Curve your zipper around to create a loop. Tack in place right on the edge of either side of the zipper teeth, but do not cross the teeth. This will allow you to still be able to open your pouch completely flat.


DONE!
Add some crayons, and maybe a little notebook, and your little one is ready to go! You can use a carabiner to clip it to a backpack!

34 comments:

Tanya said...

Super cute! And I love that you were able to re-use the vinyl. I always keep those covers, but am never quite sure what to do with them.

Michelle @ Delicate Construction said...

That is pretty darn fantastic! What a great idea to use the comforter packaging!

Billy said...

Holy cow! This is awesome. I even have an extra comforter package in the laundry room.

AmandaRose said...

super super super cute my daughter is always losing her crayons this would be perfect

Amanda
http://patriciaraedesigns.blogspot.com/

Ms Muffin said...

This looks so cute!!!

What I Did Today said...

My 20 month old would LOVE this! Just so she could take the crayons out and put them back in the slots. Over and over again. Thank you for the tutorial!

VickiT said...

Super cute idea. Great job. Thank you.

Nilgün Komar said...

superr

KJ@letsgoflyakite said...

This is a fantastic and resourceful idea. I maintain a vinyl stash "just in case". Thanks for sharing it, the finished project is beautifully stitched.

Melanie said...

Too cute!

Unknown said...

What a great project. I've got a whole stash of vinyl onsie and sheet bags that I've been waiting to use. Thanks for the wonderful tute.

kim said...

What a really lovely idea......just wondering, did you have to use a special sewing machine needle to make this.

Tammy said...

Wow, that's awesome!

Leslie said...

what a great idea...thanks for the tute

michelleml said...

love it great idea thanks for sharing can't wait to get home off vacation to make one
Thanks again

Care said...

Florrie,

I just used my regular foot! There were one or two spots that my foot stuck to the vinyl and I had to give it a little tug, but overall it went very smoothly!

Good luck!
Care.

SewAmy said...

very cute.

Sheila said...

What a cute idea! I was also wondering about whether or not you needed a teflon foot. I saw another tutorial that I had wanted to do with vinyl, but they said you needed a teflon foot, and I just couldn't justify spending the money on it.

Unknown said...

I love this!!!

Heather said...

So clever! This would be great for a long ride in the car or on a plane. I will definitely make one the next time I've got one of those bags around!

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

Aww! That is so cute! I love the little pockets. Thanks so much, I'll be linking.

Anonymous said...

What a great way to reuse something and make it into a few somethings;0)

Alisha said...

I'm making this this weekend! I love it.

Anne said...

You kill me! That's SO awesome!!

I linked to your tutorial over on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-zippered-crayon-pouch-from-recycled-clear-vinyl/2010/08/17/

--Anne

Katie Lewis said...

Super cute and functional. Thanks!

saffiertje said...

Great job!!!! I love this! It's also cool to use colored oilcloth for this in combination with the transparant vinyl!!!! Lot's of infpiration!!!!
Thanx for sharing

love Miranda

Susan J Barker said...

how great is that?! I just came home the other day with two of those vinyl bags and they are at the bottom of the closet - I have been using them when I give a quilt as a gift, but now, you have given me another way to use that vinyl -- oh and one of your other comments suggests oilcloth, just as great of an idea, I am thinking of trying both out. by the way, I discovered you via Tea Rose Home's Linky list. So thanks for adding your name to that list!

Heidi L Barber said...

The amount of awesome ideas you have and the nifty stuff you come up with all the time makes my head spin. You rock!

Sachiko said...

How creative! You did such a wonderful job!

ellen said...

Yikes - I am amazed at how you come up with all these ideas!! So cute. Another project in the works.

Pink Zipper said...

Great tutorial. so cute. This is very similar style to the type of toiletries bag i wanted to make, but i wanted to put depth in each side and have it open flat like yours does. Can't seem to get my head around it though. Any thoughts?

Irina said...

what a brilliant way to recycle vinyl. I kept a few bags knowing that I could use it for something and there you go now, found the perfect way!
thanks!

elliesue said...

I don't know where you get your ideas from, you seem to have a never ending supply, and thank God that you do, because people like me who brain doesn't work like that have a chance to make the things you dream up.
Thank you, thank you.

Boxo Packaging said...

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