Large Stationery Storage Holder by Melissa Goodsell

 

We have lots of stationery at our house and storage is always problem, so I created this stationery holder to keep writing sets, envelopes, postcards and stamps a little more organized.  Although this project lends itself to stationery, you could use the pockets to store many other items.  It’s quite large in size, measuring approximately 47cm X 24.5cm when open.

Materials:

Stationery cover/inside:

Two 26cm X 50cm rectangles of  Robert Kaufman, 8964 43 Leaf, Mingle fabric          

One 26cm X 50cm rectangle of white felt or wadding.

Large pockets on front & inside right:

Two  20cm X 50cm rectangles of Robert Kaufman, About Town, 1954 193 Summer fabric

One 20cm X 50cm rectangles of Robert Kaufman,  About Town, 8958 193 Summer fabric

One 20cm X 50cm rectangles of Anna Maria Horner, Good Folks, AH21, Cathedral Dusk fabric

Tiered inside pockets:

One 23cm X 20cm rectangle of Anna Maria Horner, Good Folks, AH21, Cathedral Dusk fabric

One 19cm X 20cm rectangle of Robert Kaufman, Mingle, 8693 192 Spring fabric

One 15cm X 20cm rectangle of About Town, 8958 193 Summer fabric

One 10.5cm X 15.5cm rectangle of  Anna Maria Horner, Good Folks, AH21, Cathedral Dusk fabric              (stamp storage pocket)

Other materials required:

Elastic: three 6cm pieces

Buttons: four, large

Sewing machine, scissors, needle and cotton.

Instructions:

Cut each pattern piece to size as directed in the materials list.

Let’s begin by creating the two pockets for the stationery holder.  Select one piece of Robert Kaufman, About Town, 1954 193 Summer fabric and one piece of Robert Kaufman,  About Town, 8958 193 Summer fabric.  Place the two rectangles together (right sides facing) and machine stitch around the entire outside edge, leaving a small gap for turning.  Snip corners, turn, press and then hand stitch the turning hole closed.  Repeat this step for the remaining two fabric rectangles.

Select and iron the two rectangles of fabric (for the stationery cover/inside) in half to find the centre line and sit them both on your work area, right side up.  Use the step photographs above, as a guide to create your pockets and position as shown on the right hand side of each large fabric rectangle.  Also use the ironed centre line as a guide for positioning – imagine where each pocket will sit when the holder is sewn up and folded in half.

Pin each pocket into position and open the top flap.  Machine stitch to secure each pocket into place -  this includes machine stitching down each side of the pocket, along the bottom edge and also just above the pocket flap as shown in the step photograph above.  I used a contrasting cotton for the stitching, but you may prefer one that blends with your fabric.

Find the centre of each pocket flap and machine stitch on a 6cm length of elastic as shown in the step photograph.  If you are using a small button, the length of elastic may need to be trimmed down slightly to fit the button.  Hand stitch on a button to close each pocket.

Select the tiered pocket pieces and position roughly as shown in the above step photograph.  At the top of each tier piece, fold over a 1cm hem and iron into position.  Fold over again (1cm) and also iron into place.  Repeat this for the stamp storage pocket but also fold over and iron a 1cm hem at the bottom and two sides.  Machine stitch each top hem into place on all three tiers and also the stamp storage pocket.  Position and pin the stamp storage pocket on the bottom tier (centered nicely) and machine stitch the sides and bottom edge onto the tier.

Please excuse my slightly crooked pocket in the photo!  Position each tier back into position and fold over the side seams and bottom seam of the tiers about 1cm. Iron into place.

Pin into position, imagining where the tiers will sit when the holder is sewn up and folded in half. Use the step photograph above as a guide.  Machine stitch the tiers into place, sewing the bottom edge and sides – do not sew the top edge as this will be used as an extra pocket for storage!

Hand stitch a large button onto the top left hand corner of the stamp storage pocket.

Sandwich all three layers (front/inside covers and felt/wadding) ready for stitching.  To do this, place them on your work area as follows:

1. Felt/webbing on the bottom
2. Inside cover (pocket + pocket tiers) next– right side facing up.
3. Front cover  next–right side facing down.

Machine stitch around the outside edge of the layers, leaving a small opening for turning.  Snip corners, turn right side out, press and then hand stitch the turning hole closed.  Top stitch around the outside edge of the stationery holder.

Open the stationery holder and sit down on your work surface.  On the left hand side (tier side) find the centre and hand stitch the final piece of elastic into place to create a closure for the stationery holder.  Hand stitch a large button over the top of the elastic, to hide your stitching lines.  Finally, hand stitch a button onto the back of the stationery holder, to complete closure.

Fill your stationery holder with lots of yummy goodies and enjoy J



Comments

[Bloomia]

simple and lovely ... THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH !

I'll going to start sewing and show you what I make ... maybe in my blog .

I LOVE your blog and your creations :)

PS : " Excuse me " please . Unfortunately I'm not good at English ... but trying ... just to show you how much I appreciate ! :)

[elsa]

this is great! would be nice for a sewing book too! thanks for the tutorial ... very generous of you to share it!

[bunny Henningsen]

I love this. What a great gift it would make. Send it along with a child leaving for college with an address book, cards and a list of birthdays to remember.

[skinnyhound]

you have such a great blog. and this is such a wonderful project!!!! I love it :) i may have to make one for myself!

feel free to stop by my blog - it is new so not as amazing as yours, lol :-p

[A.J. Dub]

So cute and useful too!