How to Make a Pencil Pouch

You might think of a pencil pouch as something children use to take their school tools off with them each morning. But, pencil pouches can be used for all kinds of collections and tools. It can hold makeup, art pencils, craft tools, travel toiletries and so much more. A simple pencil pouch can even be used as a hand bag, especially to match summer outfits. If you have basic sewing skills, you should have no problems making these pouches.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton fabric Thread Scissors Card stock (or poster board) Pencil Sraight pins Velcro

Instructions

1. Create a rectangular template pattern out of card stock or poster board, 7½-by-10½ inches. This will result in a 6-by-10 inch pencil pouch.

2. Fold your fabric doubled, right-sides in. Mark around your rectangular template with a pencil, onto the fabric. Cut through the double fabric, around the pencil lines, to make two pieces.

3. Pin and sew around two short sides and one long side of the fabric, with right sides together. Remove pins.

4. Turn down ¼-inch and press with the iron. Turn down an additional 1 inch, press and pin. Sew all the way around the folded inside edge. Remove pins and turn the pencil pouch right-side out.

5. Cut a length of ¾-inch Velcro, slightly under 6 inches, to fit at the top inside of your pencil pouch. Pull the two pieces of Velcro apart.

6. Pin one side of the Velcro to one inside, top of the pencil pouch. Pin the other side in the same manner.

7. Sew all the way around the inside, top of the pencil pouch, catching in the top of both strips of Velcro.

8. Sew around the top of the pencil pouch, again, but this time catch the bottom of the Velcro strips. Remove any pins and close your pencil pouch by sticking the Velcro pieces together.

Tips & Warnings

• Bright cotton print fabric works best for these pencil pouches. Velcro can be purchased at any fabric store.