Uniquely Yours
By Beth Bradley
Sewing is all about personal expression. The projects featured in this column are
a springboard for your creative ideas. We encourage you to put your own personal
spin on them. Don’t just follow the directions; take them a step further to really
make the project capture your personality.
If you're planning to get organized this year, start
by straightening up your workspace with a fun fabric
desk set. Making your own organizers is more budgetfriendly
than buying the pre-fab versions, plus you can
customize the set to fit your tastes and needs.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 yard of print fabric
1/2 yard of stiff double-sided fusible interfacing (such as Fast2Fuse)
Matching all-purpose thread
Hand sewing needle (optional)
Mail Sorter
Using the patterns on page 47, cut one interfacing and two fabric backs. Cut
two interfacing sides and two pairs of fabric sides. For the base, cut one
interfacing and two fabric 5" x 11" rectangles. For the first divider and
front, cut two interfacing and four fabric 3 1/2" x 11" rectangles. For the second
divider, cut one interfacing and two fabric 4"x 11" rectangles.
Position one fabric back right side up over the interfacing back, aligning the
outer edges. Fuse the fabric to the interfacing following the manufacturer's
instructions. Repeat to fuse the remaining fabric back to the interfacing
back opposite side.Then fuse the corresponding fabric to the interfacing
sides, base, front and dividers.
Position the base on a flat work surface. Position the front, back and side
pieces against the base, abutting the edges according to the diagram (1).
Set the sewing machine for a wide satin stitch (about 0.3 mm long and 6
mm wide). Satin stitch along each abutted edge, making sure to catch both
pieces in the stitching. Satin stitch the upper edge of each piece.
Fold the back and one side upward so that their matching edges are abutted
to form a corner. Fold the base diagonally so that these side and back
pieces lay flat and their edges are aligned. Satin stitch the aligned edges,
beginning at the upper edge and backstitching at both seam ends (2).
 Repeat to satin stitch the remaining three corners.
Steam the sorter to shape it and remove any wrinkles.
Satin stitch one long edge of each divider. Position the dividers as desired in
the sorter. Tack the unfinished lower edges in place to the sorter sides with
a few hand stitches for security.
Pencil Holder
Using the pencil holder patterns
on page 47, cut one interfacing
and two fabric bases. Cut six
interfacing and twelve fabric
sides.
Fuse one fabric base wrong side
to the interfacing base, and then
fuse the remaining fabric base
wrong side to the opposite interfacing
base side. Repeat to fuse
two fabric side pieces to each
interfacing side piece.
Position the base on a flat work
surface. Abut each side piece
lower edge to the base
outer edges.
Satin stitch each side to the base,
making sure to catch both edges in the stitching. Satin stitch each
upper edge.
Fold the base in half, aligning the adjacent edges. Stitch the
outside edges (3). Continue folding the pencil holder so the adjacent
edges meet; stitch each outside edge.
Steam the pencil holder to shape it and remove any wrinkles.
Paper Clip Box
From the interfacing, cut one 3" x 4 1/2" rectangle, two 1 1/2" x 4" rectangles
and three 1 1/2" x 3" rectangles. From the fabric, cut two 3" x 4 1/2" rectangles,
four 1 1/2" x 4" rectangles and six 1 1/2" x 3" rectangles.
Fuse one 3" x4 1/2" fabric rectangle to each 3" x 4 1/2" interfacing rectangle
side. Repeat to fuse the remaining fabric rectangles to each side of the
corresponding interfacing rectangles. Set aside one 1 1/2" x 3" rectangle.
Position the 3" x 4 1/2" rectangle on a flat work surface. Abut the 1 1/2" x 4"
and 1 1/2" x 3" side piece rectangles against the 3" x 4 1/2" rectangle edges
according to the diagram (4).
Satin stitch the side edges to the 3 1/2" x 4" rectangle edges, making sure to
catch both pieces in the stitching. Satin stitch each side piece upper edge.
Fold the 3 1/2" x 4" rectangle diagonally so that two adjacent side edges are
aligned to form a corner. Satin stitch the edge. Repeat to stitch the other
three corners.
Steam the box to shape it and remove any wrinkles.
To make the divider, satin stitch one long edge of the remaining 1 1/2" x 3"
rectangle. Position the divider in the box as desired. Hand stitch the side
edges in place.
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