Cut Out + Keep

Diy Denim Pencil Case

Recycle an old pair of jeans while you're at it!

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/diy-denim-pencil-case • Posted by Conn

I had lost my pencil pouch so I decided to make a new one. I don't have much fabric so I came up with the idea of using denim from a old pair of jeans. If there's anything that's unclear for you (Hopefully there aren't many complicated explanations, but this is my first how-to!), feel free to comment. ;)

You will need

Project Budget
Almost Nothing

Time

1 h 00

Difficulty

Nice & Simple
Medium complete Medium complete  2 Medium complete  3

Description

I had lost my pencil pouch so I decided to make a new one. I don't have much fabric so I came up with the idea of using denim from a old pair of jeans. If there's anything that's unclear for you (Hopefully there aren't many complicated explanations, but this is my first how-to!), feel free to comment. ;)

Instructions

  1. Small materials

    Gather your materials. (By the way, you can use a sewing machine if you have one, but I don't so it's not listed in the materials section.)

  2. Small cut

    Cut out two rectangles from your jeans (I used the legs part) and two from the fabric you want for the lining. I wanted my pencil pouch to be 9" x 5" so I cut the rectangles around 9.5" x 5.5". Later, I decided that I wanted a bottom with rounded corners so I cut corners a bit (see step 6).

  3. Small sandwich

    Take one denim rectangle and one rectangle of your lining fabric. First, put the denim on your work area so that the outside part (the darker side) faces up. Then grab your zipper and place it on top of the denim so that the two top edges match up. The flat bottom of the zipper head faces up. Next, take your lining rectangle and place it on top of your denim and zipper so that the non-patterned side faces up. You should end up with a sandwich with your zipper in the middle and the two patterned sides of the fabric faces each other. When you open your "sandwich", it should look like the picture.

  4. Now sew all the layers together. Make sure that you're sewing as close to the zipper as you want (you don't have to sew just on the edge of the sandwich).

  5. Small sandwich  2

    Repeat step 3 and 4, sewing the last two rectangles onto the other side of the zipper. Sandwich: Denim - face up Zipper - lined up to top edge of denim, flat bottom of the zipper head faces up Lining fabric - design faces down Make sure the end result looks like the picture (the lining fabric is under the denim).

  6. Small sewing

    Unzip your zipper. Then line up the fabric rectangles like in the picture (the denim rectangles face each other; ditto for the lining fabric). Sew on the black and white lines in the picture. Make sure that you leave a hole for the lining fabric (indicated by the red circle). You need the hole for turning whole thing inside out.

  7. Small flip

    Now, from the hole you left in step 6, turn the soon-to-be pouch inside out. Slowly pull the denim part through the hole...

  8. Small flip  2

    Keep pulling...

  9. Small flip  3

    Done flipping! (circled part: hole from which you pulled)

  10. Small sew last part

    Close the hole however you want. I just pinched the two sides together, making sure the raw edges were folded inward, and pushed the needle through the layers along the hole.

  11. Small complete  3

    Push the lining fabric into the denim part, and YOU'RE DONE! Time to show off your new pencil case to hordes of jealous admirers...

  12. Small btw

    Optional: You can choose to sew around the zipper (white line in picture) so that the two parts (lining and the denim outside) don't come apart or get stuck to the zipper. I did this step because the lining fabric was a bit close to the zipper and kept getting caught.