Watermelon Pencil Case - a tutorial

Today I want to show you how to make this very cute watermelon pencil case. My girls love pencil cases and it seems you can never have too many!

So here goes.  You'll need scraps of red, white and green fabric, a zip, some black buttons and some paper and pencil.

To make your pattern - simply draw a slice of watermelon. Don't worry about getting it perfect - fruits are not all exactly the same size and shape! Here's mine on an A4 sheet of paper:

You cut out this whole slice you have drawn and use it as the pattern to cut your inside fabric - two pieces.  Remember for each piece you cut - cut a little wider than your pattern to allow for the seams:

Next, to cut the pieces for the outside of the pencil case, cut along the lines of your pattern for the red, white and green parts to be separate. Then use these 3 pattern pieces to cut your coloured pieces of fabric for the outside of your pencil case - again remembering to cut wider than your pattern piece to allow for seams. Cut two of each colour.

Now you need to pin then sew each coloured piece together in turn. Remember to pin right sides of the fabric together - and use plenty pins to keep the curves in line!

To add the seeds to your watermelon slice - simply stitch on some black buttons in random spaces. Remember to do this for both sides of the pencil case!

The Zip

My zip was about 24cm (9") long. you can use a longer or shorter one, and use scrap fabric to cover both ends to make it the same width as your watermelon slice. Here's how.

Take rectangular scraps of whichever fabric you like - I chose my inner red fabric.  Place 2 pieces right sides together on either side of the zip, pinning where you want the zip to end. Stitch these pieces in place, and trim the very end of the zip off.

Repeat this with the other end of the zip - then trim the edges of the fabric in line with the zip:

Putting it all together

Lay one side of your watermelon slice face up. Place your zip face down on top, then one of your inner fabric pieces right sides down on top of that. Pin then using your zipper foot stitch close to the zip teeth.

To prevent the fabric catching in the zip, open out the fabrics and pull back from the zip. Top-stitch along the edge of the zip.

Now the other half of the watermelon slice. Place your other inner fabric piece face up. Then the part with the attached zip face up on top. Finally your other watermelon slice face down on the very top - face down. Pin and stitch with your zipper foot, and once again pull the fabric back from the zip and top-stitch the other side.

Now open out your pencil case with the zip in the middle. Make sure the zip is open. Then flip over fabrics so you have both inner fabrics on one side and both outer fabrics on the other side. Pin these pieces together around the curved edges. Leave a gap of a few inches on the inner fabric side. You'll need this to turn the pencil case out.

 Stitch all the way around the edges - just leaving the gap for turning out.  Turn the pencil case right sides out - and pin then stitch the opening closed:

Done! Congratulations, you've made a cute watermelon pencil case!

For the free downloadable PDF version of this tutorial click here.

I hope you liked this tutorial.

There are many more on 

My Free Sewing Tutorials Page

So do take a look!

Christmas yoyo wreath tutorial

I have a simple tutorial for you for a Christmas decoration made using just fabric scraps:

All you need is some fabric scraps in some festive colours.  I used some green from an old t-shirt and red scraps left over from a dress I made.

First you need to cut some circles.  One thing I love about making yo-yos is that your circles don't have to be perfect - and your fabric doesn't even have to be ironed!!  My circles were around 10cm (4") in diameter.

Then take a needle and thread, and stitch a long running stitch around the edge of the circle folding the outside edge of the fabric in a little as you stitch.

Once you've stitched all the way around, pull the thread and your circle will draw up into a small pouch.

Cut up the leftover scraps of fabric after cutting your circle and stuff them into the pouch before drawing it completely closed with the thread and stitching it closed.

Repeat this until you have 10 puffy yo-yos. 

Once you have 10 puffy yo-yos, take a larger needle and thick thread or wool.  Thread all the yo-yos onto the thread or wool in the order you want them, then loop the thread back on itself and secure to form your circular wreath.

Tie a loop of ribbon or coloured cord around the wreath to hang it with.

And add any embellishments you want. I stitched on a ribbon bow I had in my stash!

Then find the best place to hang your finished wreath!

For the downloadable PDF version of this tutorial, click here.

For lots more ideas of things to make for Christmas that are eco and budget friendly, check out my pageL

Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth.

Simple summery flower wallet tutorial

First cut your materials:

You will need

1 piece outer fabric:  21cm x 18cm (8.5" x 7")

1 piece inner fabric:  21cm x 15cm (8.5" x 6")

1 piece inner fabric:  21cm x 10cm (8.5" x 4")

1 piece outer fabric (for flap): 15cm x 6cm (6" x 2.5")

1 piece interfacing:   21cm x 9cm (8.5" x 3.5")

1 piece sew in velcro 4cm (1.5")

scrap fabric squares for flower - approx 8cm square (3.5")

1 large button

Take your 2 inner rectangles and the outer fabric for the flap and fold in half lengthways.

The inner fabric right sides out - the flap piece right sides together.

Press.

Top stitch along the pressed fold of the inner fabric pieces.

Stitch along the length and one end of the flap piece.

Then using a chopstick or pencil, turn the flap inside out.

Press flat, then add one piece of the velcro at the closed end of the flap, and top stitch all the way around  both the velcro and the flap.

Next you need to make the flower embellishment.

Take one of the square scraps of fabric fold it in half diagonally - right sides out:

Then take a needle and thread, knot the end of the thread, and run a running stitch along both open ends of the triangle you now have, and pull the thread to create a 'petal'.

Now repeat this with a different coloured scrap square - and stich using the same thread.

Keep going with alternate scrap squares until you have the size flower you want.

Add your button to the centre of the flower to hide the raw edges.

And stitch the whole flower to the back of the flap where the velcro is.

Now you need to put all your pieces together.

Lay the pieces flat on top of each other like this - with the interfacing on the bottom.

Pin the velcro and the strap centrally to the top part and trim the end of the strap in line with the edge of the main part of the wallet.

Stitch all pieces in place around the edges.  Then run a line of stitching down the centre of the inner pockets where the wallet will fold.

Now fold the top part of the wallet down and pin around the edges.

Then stitch, leaving a gap to turn out through.

Carefully turn the whole wallet -right sides out, and press flat.

Then top stitch around the whole wallet:

And you're done! Ready to put in your store cards!

For the downloadable PDF version of this tutorial, click here.

If you enjoyed this tutorial, I have over 100 free sewing tutorials for all levels of sewing ability. To browse through them, go to 
My Free Tutorials Page.