YOU CAN USE UP SMALL SCRAPS FROM YOUR STASH FOR THESE TWO SCRAPPY PROJECTS!

YOU WILL NEED Pencil case

■ Background fabric: one (1) fat eighth

■ Yellow fabric: 3in x 7in

■ Brown fabric: 3in square

■ Grey fabric: 3in square

■ Lining fabric: one (1) fat eighth

■ One (1) 12in zipper

■ Fusible batting: 10in square

■ Ribbon (optional): 2in length

■ Charms for the zip (optional)

■ One (1) copy of the Pencil FPP Template

FINISHED SIZE

■ 3in x 8½in x 1in

NOTES

■ Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted.

■ RST= right sides together.

■ FPP= Foundation Paper Piecing.

■ For FPP, set your stitch length to 1.5.

■ Press fabrics well before cutting.

■ FPP templates include seam allowance around the outer edge only.

FABRIC USED

All the fabrics from this pair were sourced from Felie’s stash, as follows:

■ Neon Pink from the Speckled collection by Rashida Coleman-Hale for Ruby Star Society.

■ Honey Cross Weave in Goldenrod from the Warp & Weft collection by Alexia Marcelle Abegg for Ruby Star Society.

■ Taupe and Charcoal from the Essex Linen Yarn Dyed collection by Robert Kaufman.

■ The lining fabric is Pink from the Kinder Apples collection by Heather Ross for Windham Fabrics. CUTTING

OUT

1 From the lining fabric cut:

■ Two (2) 4in x 9½in.

2 From the background fabric cut:

■ One (1) 4in x 9½in.

■ Two (2) 1½in x 2½in (Sections 3 & 4).

■ One (1) 2in x 3in (Section 5).

■ Two (2) 2¼in x 9½in (Sections 7 & 8).

From the fusible batting cut: 3

■ Two (2) 4in x 9½in.

4 If desired, trim the pieces for the FPP template, making sure they will cover the entire section, plus at least ¼in all the way around. You can also leave the rectangles as they are, and trim as you piece the template. You will use the grey fabric for Section 1, brown for Section 2 and yellow for Section 6.

PIECING THE FRONT PANEL

5 Place the fabric for Section 1 on the unprinted side of the template, with the wrong side against the paper.

Ensure that it covers the entire section, plus at least ¼in all the way around.

6 Place the piece of fabric for Section 2 right side down so that the two fabrics are RST. The edge of the fabric for Section 2 should be overlapping the line between Section 1 and 2 by approx ¼in (Fig A). Carefully pin in place from the printed side of the template (Fig B).

7 Sew along the marked line between Section 1 and 2 (Fig C). Fold the paper template back along the line you just sewed. Trim the excess fabric ¼in away from the fold (Fig D). This will reduce bulk in the finished block and make the remaining template much easier to piece.

8 Unfold the template, and press the two pieces open so that both fabrics are right side up. Ensure that the fabrics fully cover their respective areas on the template, plus at least ¼in seam allowance around the outer edges (Fig E).

9 Repeat the process in steps 5– 8 to piece the rest of the template, working in numerical order. Press well. Trim around the outer dashed line of the template (Fig F). Remove the paper, tearing along the seam lines.

PREPARING THE EXTERIOR PANELS

10 Apply fusible batting to the wrong side of the pieced front panel and the remaining 4in x 9½in background piece, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Quilt as desired. Felie chose to quilt a simple diagonal cross-hatch with lines spaced about 1¼in apart (Fig G).

11 Take the front exterior panel, place it right side up, then take the ribbon and fold it in half. On the left side of the panel, measure ½in down from the top, then match the raw edges and pin the ribbon in place. Stitch in place with a 1/8in seam allowance (Fig H).

FINISHING THE PENCIL CASE

12 Place the front exterior panel right side up and place the zip on top, aligning the edges with the zip teeth facing down. Place a lining fabric piece on top, right side down. Pin or clip in place (Fig I).

13 Using your zipper foot, carefully stitch the layers in place. Press the layers away from the zip with the wrong sides together. Repeat this process to add the back panel and then the remaining lining piece to the other side of the zip, as shown in Figs J–K.

14 Fold one lining piece out of the way, and topstitch along the exterior panel, close to the zip. Repeat this process to topstitch the other exterior panel.

15 Open the zip halfway. Match the two exterior panels RST, and the two lining pieces RST. Pin or clip around the outer edge, making sure the zip seams are pushed towards the lining (Fig L).

16 Stitch around the outer edge, leaving an approx 3in gap in the bottom of the lining. Backstitch at the beginning and the end of the seam. Trim away any excess zip tape from the sides.

BOXING THE CORNERS

17 At each of the four corners, mark a ½in square and cut (Fig M). Working one corner at a time, bring the side and bottom edge together, nesting the seams, and pin. Sew across the corner (Fig N). Repeat for each of the four corners.

18 Turn your pencil case right side out through the gap in the lining, finger pressing the corners. Stitch the gap in the lining by hand or machine. Push the lining into the case. Give the entire case a good press. Add any charms to the zip pull, as preferred, to finish your case.