How To Make A Travel Sewing Kit

For my tutorial, I am giving you alternate options for my really fun travel sewing kit tutorial.  Click on the link for the full tutorial.  I LOVE these kits!  They are perfect for hand sewers and those of us that like embroidery but they are also a great gift for quilters (all those hand sewn bindings) or even someone headed off to college (everyone needs a mending kit at some point).

 

By far, the most popular of all of the kits I have made has been the patchwork one!  If you want to make one with patchwork squares you will need to alter the measurements slightly.  You can, of course, use any type of patchwork that you want but the squares just don't work with my original measurements.  

So, here is what you will need to cut instead!:

    40  2"x2" squares
    for the interior panels: cut two (2) at 5 1/2" wide x 6 1/2" high and cut one (1) at 5 5/8"wide x 6 1/2" high
    for the pockets: cut one (1) at 5 1/2" wide and 4" high and one (1) at 3 1/2" wide x 6 1/2" high

All of the other measurements will be the same as in my original tutorial!

After you have your 40 squares all cut out, you need to arrange them in the order that you want them sewn.  The layout will be 4 rows of 10 squares each.  You will have something that looks like this:

We are going to sew the squares together with a 1/4" seam allowance.  If you have a 1/4" foot for your machine, this is the time to get it out!!  I always mark my rows with a small # in the top corner of the first square of each row so that I don't have to worry about mixing up the rows.  

Once they are all pinned, I lay them out and check the layout one more time to make sure I don't want to move any around.

Then sew your squares into the 4 rows of 10 and press all of your seams.  I press mine open but if you prefer to press them to the side go for it.  :)

Then pin your row one to row two, with right sides together, making sure to line up all of those seams as perfectly as possible.

Sew them together using a 1/4" seam.  Repeat this step until all 4 rows are sewn together.  Press all of your seams. 

Yea!!!  Patchwork complete!!  Now just continue on with the tutorial, just remember that you will need to use the adjusted measurements for the inside panels and pocket pieces that I listed above.  

I have one more variation for you!  :)  Instead of turning under the top edge of the scissor case and stitching it, you can bind the top like this:

After you print out the scissor case pattern, you will need to cut off 3/8" from the top of the pattern.   Use this adjusted pattern piece to cut out your scissor case.  Then bind the top using the same method that I use in the tutorial to bind the pocket pieces.  So simple but it gives it a different look.  You will then have a really fun sewing kit to give to a lucky friend!!!