BLOG 137

 

PROJECT: NEEDLE CASE

By way of a change, I have decided to include a project once in a while in my Blog. Here is a quick and simple one to start, suitable for a raffle prize, as a small gift or for your own use. It is not my original idea; I was given one many years ago and have used it ever since.

 

                                               Needle case

 REQUIREMENTS

6” x 9” top fabric

6” x 9” lining fabric
6” X 9” medium-weight interfacing
5 ½” x 8 ½” fusible
8” x 7” of felt to coordinate with fabrics

Sewing machine and thread for a straight stitch and a satin stitch.

 

 

                                                        Fabric

 METHOD

Iron the fusible onto the WS of the main fabric. Cut out 24 squares at 1 ¼” to make 2 cases.

 

                                                  Squares

Iron each square onto the interfacing, making sure that the raw edges are touching

 

 

                                          Stick the squares

On your sewing machine, sew a satin stitch over the raw edges, vertical lines first and then along the top and bottom horizontal lines. I used a variegated thread and set my machine at .5 for length and 3.5 for width.

 

                                  Satin stitch the seams

Trim away the excess interfacing and cut along the central horizontal line to divide the squares into two sections.

 

                                       Trim and divide

Place the sections RS together onto the lining fabric. Sew around the edge, 1/8” in, leaving a 3” gap to turn through. Make sure you secure the stitches (reverse stitches) at the start and finish so that they won’t become unstable when you turn through. Do a couple of diagonal stitches at each corner to round them off.
 

 

                                           Sew the edges

Trim away the excess lining fabric, cutting almost to the stitches on the corners. Turn through the gap so that the fabrics are RS out. Use a blunt instrument to ease out the corners and use an iron sharpen the edges.

 

 

                               Trim and turn through

Sew a line of stitches all around the edge, 1/8” in, to settle the edges and seal the gap.
Prepare some felt inserts 2” x 7” (2 per case) to fit into your needle case.
 

 

                                 Prepare felt inserts

From the outer side, sew a straight stitch along the side of the central line of satin stitches to hold the felt inserts in place. 
 

 

                                        Finished Cases