General Directions   Cutting Layout   Outershell   Innershell  Assembly

 

Innershell Construction

Pocket features:

 

 

All the pockets (for 2 rulers (3"x 18", 6"x 24"), small mat (6"x1 8"), rotary cutter and scissors (one pocket stores both), calculator, thimble, and needle case) are constructed in the same manner and all the pockets, except for the thimble pocket and the needle case, have flap closures to prevent accidental loss of contents. The pockets and flaps are completely finished before being applied to the background.

 

                                                Pockets                                  Cutting Dimensions

* See individual pocket directions for specifics. All dimensions are in inches.

 

Pocket Construction

 

Cutting Pocket Fabrics

 

Using the table above, cut print fabrics and matching backing fabrics and batting to the measurements specified. To save time, stack the pieces that go together in one pile and label them according to the chart. Keep label attached until finished.

 

Quilting the Fabric for the Pockets

 

Place backing fabric wrong side up, cover with the batting, and top with the print fabric which is right side up. Secure layers with basting or pins. Hand or machine quilt (use an evenfeed foot if you have one). Use either matching thread, monofilament nylon thread (only in the needle, never in the bobbin), or white thread.

 

Cutting Pockets and Flaps

 

From this quilted fabric, cut out the pockets and their matching
flaps, refer to Table 1. All the pockets are rectangular. The flaps
may be rectangular or you may prefer to cut the corners off

 

Preparing the Binding for Pockets and Flaps

 

From #1 (navy) fabric, cut 10 strips 2"x42". Place one of these
strips aside, it will be used to make the flap the flap closure. Join
the strips to form 1 continuous binding strip.

 

Preparing Flap Closures (optional: velcro may be used instead)

 

Use the strip that was put aside, fold in half with right sides together,
stitch, turn and press. Measure the width of each pocket, add 1/4" for
ease (ie. allows enough space to insert the flap), and cut to this
measurement. Baste to the upper edge of the pocket; on the larger
pockets baste it about 2" down from the top, and on smaller pockets,
baste it about l" to 2" down from the top. The raw edges will be
caught by the binding.

 

Sewing the Binding

 

 

All pockets and flaps have binding all around their perimeter (except pocket C, it has binding on 3 sides only. With raw edges (of prepared binding and quilted fabric) even, stitch all around the pocket or flap using a 1/4" seam. Turn binding to the back. Pin the edge of the binding so that it just covers the stitching line on the back. The binding along the long sides and along the bottom of the pockets need only be basted because it will be caught in the seam when the pockets are sewn to the background fabric. However the top edge of the pockets will be open and needs to he finished, slipstitch it by hand, starting just below the corner, going across the top, and stitching just past the next corner (cleaner corners are produced in this way). The flaps are finished by hand.

 

Pocket "C"

 

 

The binding does not extend all the way around "pocket C" because the bottom end of the pocket will be caught in the tote binding during the last steps of tote construction. Apply the binding along the 2 long sides and 1 short side of the pocket, making sure that you have applied the flap closure to the end of the pocket that is finished with binding.

 

Pencil Case "D"

 

The pencil case has a decorative zipper closure. The zipper is inserted before the case is quilted.

 

·           From print #6 and backing fabric, cut: one 3"x 10" rectangle "A", and one 7"x 10" rectangle "B".

• To sew the zipper, place it face down on right side of "B" at the longer upper edge, line up raw edge of "B" with zipper tape (a). Roughly centre zipper on the fabric, excess will be
  cut away after quilting.

• Baste zipper to "B". Place backing "B" right side down on on the "print B/zipper" piece, so that
  the zipper is sandwiched between the two fabrics (b). Stitch close to zipper teeth using zipper foot. Fold both fabrics away from the zipper (c), press, being careful not to touch the zipper with the iron (d). Repeat with other side of zipper and the 2 "B" pieces.

• Quilting the fabric: slip a piece of batting between the layers of print "A" and backing "A", and between "B" and "B". Pin or baste. Machine quilt. Trim quilted case to approx. 6"x8".

• Bind all around with prepared binding

 

Needle Case "E"

It is not a pocket, but a flap. It is secured in the same way as the other flaps. One or 2 pinked "sheets" of fabric could be inserted under the "flap", they could even be labeled if you have a permanent ink fabric pencil (ie. sharps #7, quilting #8, etc.). Baste the "sheets" to the quilted fabric at one end, bind, catching the "sheets" in the seam at the one end only, like a book.

 

Thimble Pocket "F"

It is only a small narrow pocket, just big enough to slide your finger and thimble into. Thimble will not slip out, and more than one thimble can be stored. There is no flap (Fig. 15). Cut quilted fabric to size and bind.

 

Magazine Holder "I"

It is used to carry extra note and graph paper and a magazine or 2; it will also carry 1 light book. It is not quilted. There is an elastic at the upper edge to hold the magazines snug.

 

From #3 print Cut a 10"xlO" square. On all 4 sides, fold 1/4" seam allowance to the back and press. At the bottom edge create 2 small folds, 1/2" from the sides and 1/4" deep. Have pleat face out. Baste in place (a)

.Apply elastic to upper edge: cut an 8 1/2" length of 1/4" elastic. Place elastic right over the folded seam allowance on the wrong side of the fabric (b).

.

Stitch elastic, using a zigzag stitch, match centres. Don't stretch the elastic for the first and last 1/2". Fold the top edge right over the elastic so that it is completely covered and, using a straight stitch, stitch close to the lower edge using a straight stitch.

The pocket is topstitched to the background along the sides and bottom.

 

Thread Holder "J"

I

Using print #3, cut a 3"x7" rectangle. Fold it in half lengthwise with right sides together. Sew

along the raw edge, leaving at least 2" unstitched in the middle for turning (a). Press seam open.

Lay the "tube" Hat so that the seam is centered, stitch ends(b). Turn to right side.

Cut 4 lengths of 1/8" ribbon, (cut ends on the bias to prevent ravelling). Bar tack the centre of each of ribbons over the centre of the prepared print rectangle (the seam underneath provides additional strength and support (c).

.Topstitch the thread holder in position on the background fabric (panel "A").

 

Cutting Background Fabric

 

Measure the quilted outershell "sides A and B" - they should measure 26"x21", but use your own measurements for more accuracy and add a 2" allowance all around:

length ______ + 2"= _________,width ______ + 2"=_________

Use these measurements to cut the 2 innershell (background) pieces from #1 dark solid colour. (The extra 2" are added to allow for takeup. Once the pockets are sewn on, the background pieces are measured again and trimmed.)

 

POCKET PLACEMENT

 

Panel “B”

.Position "pocket C" first; it has to be placed sideways at the bottom of the tote (because of the weight of the ruler), about 2" above the lower edge. Also the lower end of "pocket C" has to be even with the raw edge of the background fabric because that end will be enclosed by the binding that will placed around the perimeter of the tote.

Centre the other pockets above "pocket C". For ease of access, have all flaps open in the same direction.

 

Panel "A"

.Before pockets are sewn to "panel A", the top edge is hemmed to create the opening for the pocket that is concealed between the inner and outer shells; this pocket stores the large 18"x24" cutting mat.

To hem top edge: fold 1" seam allowance to the wrong side, and fold again another inch to conceal raw edge. Machine stitch.

Notice that all the pockets on this side open toward the top of the tote, this is to prevent objects from inadvertently slipping out. Stitch all pockets in position (refer to "Sewing the Pockets"), leaving at least a 2" margin around the perimeter of the panel.

 

Sewing the Pockets

 

The pockets arid the pencil case are topstitched to the background. Using a matching thread and a straight stitch, sew "in the ditch" along the inside edge of the binding. Make sure that the binding (remember that it was basted to the back) is caught in the seam. A second line of topstitching can also be sewn along the outside edge of the binding but it is not necessary.

Don't forget to leave the one open edge on the pockets!

The flaps and needle case E are sewn at the top edge only, so that the other 3 sides are hanging free. The flaps are centred 3/4" above the adjacent pocket.