Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects (32 page)

FIGURE 2D

DOCUMENT DUVET

FINISHED SIZE: 9
¹
/
₂
″ WIDE × 12
¹
/
₂
″ LONG

Why settle for boring old manila envelopes and file folders? Dress up your documents! This Document Duvet holds 8
¹
/
₂
″ × 11″ papers and large photos and is fastened at the top, making it handy to bring along to presentations, meetings, and working lunches. The
PHOTO FILE
(
page 128
) holds 3″ × 5″ or 4″ × 6″ photos, so it’s perfect for toting your favorite pictures of your little ones, friends, or pets. Tuck it in your purse or briefcase and sneak a glance at those friendly faces whenever you need a little cheer.

FABRICS

•
¹
/
₂
yard (54″-wide) home-decor-weight cotton fabric for the back panel, flap, and inside pocket

•
¹
/
₂
yard (54″-wide) coordinating home-decor-weight cotton for the front panel

•
¹
/
₄
yard heavyweight fusible interfacing (such as Pellon’s Craft Fuse)

•
⁵
/
₈
yard (
¹
/
₂
″-wide) satin ribbon

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Coordinating thread

• 3 (
¹
/
₂
″) grommets

• 9″ × 11
³
/
₄
″ piece heavy cardboard or chipboard

• Scissors

• Straight pins

• Masking tape

• Ruler or tape measure

• Chalk pencil or fabric marker

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

NOTES

• All seams are
¹
/
₂
″ unless otherwise stated. (The
¹
/
₂
″ seam allowance is included in all of the pattern pieces.)

• Preshrink your fabric by washing, drying, and pressing it before starting your project.

Step 1. Cut out all pieces from the fabric.

a.
First, cut out the Document Duvet pattern pieces provided in the pocket at the front of this book.

• Large main panel

• Flap

b.
Pin the pattern pieces to the fabric according to the instructions below. Then, using your scissors, cut the fabric according to the outlines on the pattern pieces, in the quantities given below.

FROM THE FABRIC FOR THE BACK PANEL, FLAP, AND INSIDE POCKET

• Cut 1 back panel on the fold
*
: Use large main panel pattern piece.

• Cut 1 inside pocket on the fold: Use large main panel pattern piece.

• Cut 2 flaps on the fold: Use flap pattern piece.

FROM THE COORDINATING FABRIC FOR THE FRONT PANEL

• Cut 1 front panel on the fold: Use large main panel pattern piece.

FROM THE HEAVYWEIGHT FUSIBLE INTERFACING

• Cut 1 flap on the fold: Use flap pattern piece.

*
To cut your pattern piece on the fold of your fabric, first fold the fabric with
Wrong
sides together and the selvage edges aligned. Then lay your pattern piece so that the edge to be cut on the fold is even with the folded edge of your fabric. Once the piece is cut out, open it up to make one full panel.

c.
In order to keep your pieces organized, mark each piece by writing the name on a piece of masking tape and attaching to the
Wrong
side of each panel as it is cut.

Step 2. Finish the top raw edge on the front panel.

With the
Wrong
side of the front panel facing up, fold one of the short side raw edges (to be used as the top raw edge)
¹
/
₄
″ in toward the
Wrong
side of the panel and press. Fold the edge
¹
/
₄
″ in again and press. Topstitch
*
along the inner folded edge.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of topstitching.

Step 3. Add the grommets to the front panel.

a.
First, fold the front panel in half lengthwise and gently press a center crease.

b.
Using a ruler and a chalk pencil, starting at the top finished edge on the center crease, measure down and mark the following increments: 1
³
/
₄
″ and 3″.

c.
Center 2 of the grommets over the center crease and the marks you made in step 3b. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to attach the grommets to the
Right
side of the front panel. Place the finished side of the grommets onto the
Right
side of the panel.
(
FIGURE 3C
)

Set the front panel aside.

Step 4. Attach the first flap to the back panel.

a.
Place the fusible side of the interfacing onto the
Wrong
side of the first flap. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the interfacing to the flap.

b.
With
Right
sides together, match up the long, top raw edge of the first flap to one of the short raw edges of the back panel (which will become the top raw edge) and pin them in place. Stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam across the top raw edges, backstitching at each end. Press the seam allowances toward the back panel.
(
FIGURE 4B
)

Set the back panel with the first flap attached aside.

Step 5. Attach the other flap to the inside pocket.

With
Right
sides together, match up the long, top raw edge of the other flap to one of the short raw edges of the inside pocket (which will become the top raw edge) and pin them in place. Starting on the left side of the inside pocket, stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam, extending
¹
/
₂
″ in from each of the side raw edges, backstitching at each end. (This will leave an opening to insert the cardboard inside the pocket.) Open up the flap and press the seam allowances toward the inside pocket.
(
FIGURE 5
)

Step 6. Attach the front panel to the inside pocket with the flap attached.

Place the
Wrong
side of the front panel onto the
Right
side of the inside pocket. Machine baste
*
with a
¹
/
₄
″ seam down both sides and across the bottom raw edges.
(
FIGURE 6
)

*
See page 171
for an explanation of machine basting.

Step 7. Attach the inside pocket and flap with the front panel attached to the back panel and flap.

a.
Place the front panel (attached to the inside pocket and flap) and the back panel and flap with
Right
sides together, matching up the raw edges of the panels and flaps, and pin them in place. Stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam completely around the outside raw edges of the panels and flaps, backstitching at each end.

NOTE:
The matched raw edges between the inside pocket and flap will be left unstitched in order to allow you to insert the cardboard in step 8. You will close the opening in step 9.

b.
Using your scissors, trim the corners
*
in the seam allowance, making sure not to clip your stitching.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of trimming corners in the seam allowance.

c.
Pull the panels through the opening you left at the top of the inside pocket in step 5, use a turning tool
*
to push out the corners and press the Document Duvet flat.

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

d.
Fold the flap in half lengthwise and gently press a center crease. (You will use this center crease in step 9b to mark the placement for the grommets.)

Step 8. Insert the cardboard.

Insert the cardboard into the opening you left at the top of the inside pocket. Push the cardboard completely inside, folding the seam allowances down on top of the cardboard, and pin the opening closed.

FIGURE 3C

FIGURE 4B

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 6