Lets Sew Part 10 - Sewing Room Project - Tool Holder

Good Morning!! Today we are going to make our next Sewing Room Project - a Tool Holder - using the skills of : straight sewing and sewing curves

You will need: Pieces of your co-ordinating fabrics Plain to use as lining - homespun or calico A container Lets get started! You will need to work out some measurements based on the size of the container you use.  I used a Maccona Coffee jar. Trace around the base of your container and add 1/4" all around - this is your pattern for the bottom of the cover. You will need to cut 2 of these - I used my lining fabric for both. Measure around your container and also the height of the container and add 1/2" for the turnings Cut a rectangle this size from your lining fabric.  You are going to make a rectangle for the outer by joining strips of your co-ordinated fabrics.  They don't have to be the same size - be creative! Take the strips and arrange in an order that is pleasing to your eye.  Join the strips remembering to start and finish with a couple of reverse stitches BUT I want you to finish 1/4" before the end.  Press the seams  open.  Set your stitch length to 4 and sew a row of stitching 1/4" from the edge - this is just a guide for you and can be removed easily later.

Press that edge folding to the inside. Trim to the measurement around your container plus 1/2" (it doesn't need to be tight tight).   Join the remaining sides to form a cylinder.  Press Cut a rectangle the same size from your lining fabric. Form a cylinder from the lining rectangle, leaving a 2" opening in the middle of the seam.  Press

We are now going to join the cylinder to the circle.  Take a circle and fold in half - pinch the ends to crease - then by putting these creases on top of each other fold in half the other way and pinch the edges again.  You have divided the circle edge in 4.

Place the circle on your table and stand the cylinder on it (wrong side out) with the edge we left 1/4" unsewn  sitting on the circle.  You will see how the cylinder has to sit and the 1/4" not sewn allows it to spread but it is not enough so snip  in between each of the seams as well. You have your stitching there as a guide - don't snip past the stitching.

Divide the cylinder into 4 like we did for the circle but use a pin to mark each of the 4 points.

Now with those right sides together we are going to pin by joining our pins in the cylinder to each of the marks we finger pressed on the circle ie 4 of them. In between each of the 4, spread the snipped areas till they fit the circle edge and pin there also.   

(Can you see how this transfers to the making of hats??) Now with the circle down on the machine, sew around the circle following your guide stitching, taking care to go slowly and make any adjustments as required to avoid puckering. Repeat the process for the lining.

Take the lining and turn it inside out. Take the outer cylinder and turn it right side out. Sit the outer into the lining and divide into 4 like we did with the circle and pin around the edges. Stitch.

Notice how I have the fabric on my machine - you sew inside the cylinder!

Turn through the opening we left in the lining.

Roll the seam open between your thumbs and fingers and then top-stitch - I chose to do mine about 1/4" from the edge but you can make it whatever distance you like.

Any of the large guide stitching that shows, can now easily be removed!

Well done!!  Slip your container into the cover.  You can see in the photo below that I then took a hair elastic and placed it around the top of the jar (I cheated and you can too!!)  Spread the gathers till even and then trim with a ribbon or embellish till your hearts content!

That looks much nicer sitting on my sewing desk - what do you think? I hope you enjoy making one for your room and remember Nanny would love to see some photos please.... Until next time Nanny xx