Oh the blog post titles are getting even more mundane.  This one is about a – you guessed it – pencil case.

Just before school started and we were sorting through Clare’s things, making sure that we had everything she needed for high school, she realised that she needed/wanted a new pencil case. One large enough to fit her ruler and assorted other bits and pieces. So it was off to the stash we went, where we chose some fabrics and even managed to find a coordinating chunky zipper. The outer fabric is a home decorating weight designed by Denyse Schmidt, and the lining is a quilting cotton. Both very pretty colours. Because the outer was a heavier weight I didn’t even interface it.

There are a plethora of instructions on the internet that can help you to make a simple lined zippered pencil case, but I used a combination of the instructions for the zippered pouches in You Sew, Girl! by Nicole Mallalieu and those in her make-up purse pattern. I strongly recommend Nicole’s book(s) for anyone wanting to know how to make bags/purses and similar items well – they are packed full of simple tips and tricks that really improve the finish. I based the pencil case size on an existing pencil case and then tweaked it to Clare’s specifications.

I can hardly believe that I managed a whole blog post on this! It was very quick to make and highly satisfying, fits all Clare’s stationery requirements (including her calculator) and apparently the other girls in her class have admired it quite a bit. It’s a winner!