Travel Sewing Case Tutorial

FREE DIY Travel Sewing Case / Cosmetics Case / Case for glasses - Tutorial.  It's a compact little case for holding the basics when you're on the road: a spool of thread, thimble, mini tape measure, folding scissors, needles and pins etc.

Materials:

1 plastic canvas sheet 3” x 7”
2 plastic canvas circles
1 small elastic hairband/loop of elastic
1 button
Felt:
- rectangle 2¾” x 4¾”
- 2 circles 1” in diameter

Exterior fabric:
- rectangle 4” x 7”
- 2 rectangles 2½” x 2½”

Interior fabric:
- rectangle 4” x 7”
- 4 rectangles 2½” x 2”

Matching thread
Scissors
(Note: I used the same fabric for the interior and exterior.)

How to:

1. Cut the plastic canvas circles to measure 1½” in diameter. 

2. For each of the four 2 1/2″ x 2 interior fabric rectangles fold back one of the 2 1/2″ edges about and press.

3. Sew a circle 1 5/8 in diameter so that the creases on the interior fabric pieces fall at the half way point of the circle, as shown in the picture:

(Note: I cut the small plastic spikes off the excess plastic circle and drew the circle using that as my template.) You should have an opening like this:

4. Trim off the excess fabric and cut notches towards the stitching.

Turn the circle right sides out through the opening.

Insert the plastic canvas circle through the opening and hand stitch the opening closed.

5. Hand stitch one of the felt circles on, covering the opening. This will be an end of the sewing case.

6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 to make the other end.

7. Pin the 4” x 7” rectangles of interior and exterior fabrics right sides facing. Sew two lines up the long edges 3 1/16” apart.

8. Place the elastic loop between the two fabrics and pin in place halfway along the top edge, so that the edge of the elastic loop will be caught in the stitching when the top edge is sewn.

Sew along the top edge, trim the corners then turn right sides out through the open end.

9. Slide the 3” x 7” plastic canvas sheet in through the open end and hand stitch the opening closed.

Hand stitch the felt rectangle onto the interior fabric side.

10. Hand stitch one of the ends to the long edge of the rectangle. Stop stitching when there is 2¼” left along the rectangle edge.

11. Repeat step 10 for the other end.

12. Sew the button onto the outside, so that the case can be fastened using the elastic loop.

You’re done. Now all you have to do is put in your sewing needles, pins, thread etc.