Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects (31 page)

FIGURE 4D

FIGURE 8

Step 9. Make the lining for the CD Holder.

Follow the instructions in steps 2 through 5 to make the lining for the CD Holder.

Step 10. Attach the lining to the exterior CD Holder with the Timtex attached.

With the
Right
side of the exterior facing out and the
Wrong
side of the lining facing out, slip the lining over the exterior, matching up the side seams and pinning in place along the top raw edge. Attach the lining to the exterior by stitching a
¹
/
₂
″ seam around the top raw edges on 3 sides of the CD Holder, backstitching at each end. (The last side is left unstitched to allow you to turn your CD Holder
Right
side out.)

Step 11. Finish the CD Holder.

a.
First, turn the CD Holder
Right
side out by pulling it through the unstitched side at the top edge. Push the lining down inside the holder and press. Fold under the top raw edges of the opening and pin the opening closed.

b.
Then, topstitch completely around the top finished edges of the CD Holder to close the opening. “Stitch in the ditch”
*
by hand at each bottom corner to hold the lining in place. Press the CD Holder to crease the Timtex at each of the edges of the CD Holder.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of “stitching in the ditch.”

Step 12. Make the first handle.

a.
First, with
Right
sides together, fold the handle in half, matching up the long side raw edges, and pin them in place. Stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam down both short side raw edges, backstitching at each end.

b.
Then, trim the 2 corners of the handle in the seam allowance, making sure not to clip the stitching.

c.
Turn the handle
Right
side out, using a turning tool
*
to push out the corners of the handle. Then, insert the Timtex into the opened edge of the handle, placing the Timtex on top of the seam allowances. Fold the raw edges of the opening in toward the inside of the handle and pin it closed.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of a turning tool.

d.
Next, topstitch
*
completely around the handle to close the opening and secure the Timtex in place.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of topstitching.

Step 13. Attach the handle to the side panel of the CD Holder.

Measure 1
¹
/
₂
″ down from the top finished edge on one side of the CD Holder and make a mark. Then, measure
⁵
/
₈
″ in from each side crease and mark. Place the handle onto the side of the CD Holder below the 1
¹
/
₂
″ mark and in between the
⁵
/
₈
″ marks on each side. Pin the short sides of the handle in place. (The handle will have a little gap between it and the side of the CD Holder, to make it easier to grasp.) Attach by stitching a
¹
/
₈
″ seam down both of the short ends of the handle, backstitching at each end of your stitching. (The holder will be stiff when you are attaching the handles to the sides. Be persistent!)
(
FIGURE 13
)

Step 14. Follow the instructions in steps 12 and 13 to make and attach the other handle on the opposite side of the CD Holder.

FIGURE 13

DESKTOP ORGANIZER

FINISHED SIZE: 14″ WIDE × 5″ LONG × 5″ DEEP

FABRICS

•
³
/
₈
yard (54″-wide) heavyweight cotton print for the exterior

•
³
/
₈
yard (54″-wide) coordinating heavyweight cotton for the lining

• 1
¹
/
₈
yards (13″-wide) Timtex
*
or other extra-heavy interfacing

*
See page 172
for an explanation of Timtex.

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Coordinating thread

• Yardstick

• Chalk pencil or fabric marker

• Scissors

• Straight pins

• Turning tool (such as a closed pair of scissors)

• Hand sewing needle

NOTES

• Preshrink your fabric by washing, drying, and pressing it before starting your project. To wash Timtex after completing your project, machine wash warm, then reshape your project and air dry. Your project will press back into shape with a steam iron. Once you steam the project, support it with wadded-up tissue paper or a folded towel while air drying in order to keep the shape that you want.

Step 1. Cut out all pieces from the fabric.

Simply measure and mark the dimensions below directly onto the
Wrong
side of the fabric, using a yardstick and a chalk pencil. Then, using your scissors, cut out each panel following the marked lines.

FROM THE FABRIC FOR THE EXTERIOR

• Cut 1 side panel: 39″ wide × 6″ long

• Cut 1 bottom panel: 15″ wide × 6″ long

• Cut 2 handles: 5″ wide × 4″ long

FROM THE FABRIC FOR THE LINING

• Cut 1 side panel: 39″ wide × 6″ long

• Cut 1 bottom panel: 15″ wide × 6″ long

FROM THE TIMTEX

• Cut 1 side panel: 38
¹
/
₄
″ wide × 5
¹
/
₄
″ long

• Cut 1 bottom panel: 14
¹
/
₄
″ wide × 5
¹
/
₄
″ long

• Cut 2 handles: 4″ wide × 1″ long

Step 2. Measure and mark for the clips for 3 of the corners on the exterior side panel.

a.
First, stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam across one of the long raw edges (which will then be the bottom of the side panel) for reinforcement.

b.
Then, on the
Wrong
side of the side panel, starting at the short right side raw edge, measure and mark the following increments across both the top and bottom raw edges: 5
¹
/
₂
″, 19
¹
/
₂
″, and 24
¹
/
₂
″.

c.
Next, at the marks you made across the bottom raw edge only, clip into the seam allowance, making sure not to cut your reinforcement stitching. (These clips will allow you to turn the panel at each bottom corner when attaching the bottom panel.)
(
FIGURE 2C
)

d.
To create the 4 different sides of the Desktop Organizer, fold the side panel
Wrong
sides together and press a crease at each of the coordinating marks starting with the first (5
¹
/
₂
″) mark. (These creases create 3 of the corners for the Desktop Organizer. The fourth corner will be the seam attaching the side panel together.)
(
FIGURE 2D
)

Step 3. Make the exterior of the Desktop Organizer.

Follow the instructions in steps 3 through 5 for the CD Holder to attach the side panels and bottom panels together to make the exterior of the Desktop Organizer, using the increments marked for the Desktop Organizer in step 2b.

Step 4. Measure and mark for the clips for the corners on the Timtex side panel.

a.
First, stitch a
¹
/
₈
″ seam across the bottom edge of the Timtex side panel for reinforcement. Then, starting on the right side edge, measure and mark the following increments along the bottom raw edge: 5
¹
/
₈
″, 19
¹
/
₈
″, and 24
¹
/
₈
″.

b.
Next, clip into the seam allowance at each mark, making sure not to clip the stitching. These clips will allow you to turn the panel at each corner when attaching the Timtex bottom panel to the side panel. (You may find it awkward to clip into such a small seam allowance. Just clip through the cut edge; this will allow the Timtex to stretch apart for the corners.)

Step 5. Make the Timtex panel.

Follow the instructions in steps 3 and 4 for the CD Holder to make the Timtex panel, using a
¹
/
₈
″ seam, stopping
¹
/
₈
″ from the bottom edge on the Timtex, and using the increments marked for the Desktop Organizer in step 2b. Then, follow the instructions in step 5 for the CD Holder to trim the corners of the Timtex panel and turn the Timtex panel Right side out.

Step 6. Attach the Timtex panel to the Wrong side of the exterior Desktop Organizer.

Follow the instructions in step 8 for the CD Holder to attach the Timtex panel and exterior Desktop Organizer together.

Step 7. Make the lining for the Desktop Organizer.

Follow the instructions in step 2 for the Desktop Organizer to mark for the side panels and clips. Then, follow the instructions in steps 3 through 5 for the CD Holder to make the lining for the Desktop Organizer, using the increments marked for the Desktop Organizer in step 2b.

Step 8. Attach the lining to the exterior Desktop Organizer with the Timtex attached.

Follow the instructions in steps 10 and 11 for the CD Holder to attach the lining and finish the Desktop Organizer.

Step 9. Make the handles.

Follow the instructions in step 12 for the CD Holder to make the handles for the Desktop Organizer.

Step 10. Attach the handles to the short sides of the Desktop Organizer.

Follow the instructions in step 13 for the CD Holder to attach both of the handles to the short sides of the Desktop Organizer.

FIGURE 2C