Cases
first pencil case
Material
- outside marine vinyl upholstery
- inside clear vinyl coated cotton
- white upholstery nylon thread
- one zipper to suit material size, and coloured to suit.
Construction
- cut two outers and two linings of the same size and long enough for the chosen zipper run,
- sew the zipper to the outside material face up, liner face down, zipper pull facing down.
- the material is joined to the top-facing flange so it can be folded back down and hide the edge
- (post construction note: the zipper should be sandwhiched inside the outer and lining material)
- do the same for the other flange so material can be folded and hide the seam, with both top and bottom peices of material having the good side out for the outer and lining material
- next fold the material so the zipper is the right-way up and the top-side of the material is up and do the top-stitch on both flanges to keep the material folded in place making a nice visible row of top-side stitching. Don't forget to reverse the stitches near the edge on each side.
- open the zipper
- turn and fold the material so the top-sides are facing each other and hidden from view and so the linings are on the out-side.
- cut small corners off the side of the material opposite the zipper
- sew the pieces together around the outside edge taking care to align the zipper flange and reversing your stitching at the beginning and the end. Bury the needle to turn the work around the cut-out corners (alternatively you can make the corners circular instead of triangular and guide the stitches around the corners).
- turn the work inside out through the zipper so the material is righ-side out.
- cut a thin strip of leather/vinyl and thread through the hole of the zipper pull and tie a knot and cut off the excess, (It will help thread if you taper cut the leather and thread it through the zipper pull hole on the diagonal.
- twist the leather so the right-side is out and tie a knot near the pull to keep it in place
- trim excess leather from the pull
The photos show what happens if you do not sandwich the zipper between the lining and the outside material - which would have resulted in all hidden seams. In the case of the photos that little mistake shows all the materials at the seam on the zipper flange - which is only a cosmetic problem when you look inside the case.
McKenzie's first pencil case
It was Mckenzie's turn to learn how to sew after grumps worked out the above pencil case that he uses for a tool-case, rnabling grumps to provide some guidance to McKenzie.
McKenzie did the leather stitching herself with my Sailrite industrial sewing machine!
Material
- outside is a grey leatherette polyurethane coated stretch material that feels and looks like leather.
- inside my standard clear vinyl coated cotton weave lining (because I bought 7 meters of this stuff and we need to use it).
- white nylon upholstery thread
- pink dress zipper
- pink ribbon
Construction
- cut two outers and two linings of the same size and long enough for the chosen zipper run,
- baste the back of the zipper flange underneath and with the outside material face up, zipper pull facing down.
- baste the linning on the same zipper flange with the zipper flange sandwiched between the outer and inner material and the inner material facing out so both the outer and inner material are aligned together
- sew the hidden stick 1/8 from the outside edge of the zipper flange
- now bend the outside material back so the zipper is right-side up and the outside material is righ-side up
- bend the inside material back so the zipper is righ-side down and the inside material is right-side up.
- make sure the outer and inner seam fold are away from the zipper movement so material cannot be caught in the zipper, and press or crease in place
- use a cording or zipper foot and do a top-side stitch 1/8 inch from the zipper teeth all the way along the material - don't forget to reverse the stitches on each end.
- do the same with the other peices of material to sandwich the zipper.
- you may optionally include a zipper stop on the end of the zipper
- fold some material of sufficient length (which may help with opening the zipper) across the zipper teeth.
- sew that material together on the open end.
- mount the loop towards the zipper pull
- sew the zipper stop across both rows of zipper teeth (it is a good idea to use a nylon zipper which will not damage you sewing machine needle).
- open the zipper
- turn the work inside-out and join the edges
- cut corners on the edges to a nice shape (either circular or triangular)
- stitch around the edges and do not forget to reverse the stritches at the start and finish.
- ensure you sew across the flange if you have not fitted a zipper stop.
- the material is joined so it can be folded down and hide the edge, so the outer must fold one way and the inner the otherway - with the zipper in the middle.
- (post construction note: the zipper should be sandwhiched inside the outer and lining material)
- do the same for the other flange so material can be folded and hide the seam, with both top and bottom peices of material having the good side out for the outer and lining material
- next fold the material so the zipper is the right-way up and the top-side of the material is up and do the top-stitch on both flanges to keep the material folded in place making a nice visible row of top-side stitching. Don't forget to reverse the stitches near the edge on each side.
- open the zipper
- turn and fold the material so the top-sides are facing each other and hidden from view and so the linings are on the out-side.
- cut small corners off the side of the material opposite the zipper (or make the corners circular if you wish)
- sew the pieces together around the outside edge taking care to align the zipper flange and reversing your stitching at the beginning and the end.
- Bury the needle to turn the work around the cut-out corners (alternatively you can make the corners circular instead of triangular and guide the stitches around the corners).
- turn the work inside out through the zipper so the material is right-side out.
- cut a thin strip of leather/vinyl and thread through the hole of the zipper pull and tie a knot and cut off the excess, (It will help thread if you taper cut the leather and thread it through the zipper pull hole on the diagonal.
- twist the leather so the right-side is out and tie a knot near the pull to keep it in place
- trim excess leather from the pull
Post edit note
SInce McKenzie liked sewing so much, mum bought McKenzie a sewing machine last Christmas, and this is where grandma takes over, because grumps hasn't ever made a dress (yet).
