Personalised pencil cases

A creative person can't have enough pencil cases.

That is my opinion, at least. I own quite a few, all of them sewn by myself. I use them to store pens, scissors, sewing utensils, rolls of washi tape and other small items.  

They are also very useful when I travel. I use them to keep my hand luggage organised: small cosmetic products, plasters or medication, a spare pair of glasses, snacks and so on - all the small things that you don't want flying around in your bag. 

In this article I'll show you how to sew a pencil case, personalise it and even print the fabric yourself! I laminated the inside of the pencil case, which is particularly practical if you store things in it that might leak. 

I supply the measurements for three sizes, so you can keep everything organised perfectly. 

Materials needed

• PrintModa Studio Fabric roll
• PrintModa Studio Laminate Sheet
• Fusible interfacing – medium weight
• Zipper – see notes section for length needed for the different sizes
• A sheet of paper to make the template. For the large and medium sizes, you will need an A3 size sheet (or two A4 sheets stuck together).
• Vegan leather/leather paper (optional) 

Equipment needed 

• Brother PrintModa Studio fabric printer
• Artspira app on your phone/tablet*
• Sewing machine
• Zipper foot
• Non-stick foot
• Rulers: short and long
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Fabric clips 
• Pins
• Iron and ironing surface
• Hand sewing needle
• ScanNCut (optional) 

Notes  

• Washing: if you want to wash the pencil case, follow the instructions that come with the printer for washing printed fabrics. Note that washing or ironing onto laminates is not recommended.
  
  

Sizes 

Large 

• Finished size: 6.5 x 6.5 x 20cm, so regular pencils fit easily inside
• Use a 45cm zipper
• Total fabric print size (for inner and outer fabric each): 29.7 x 48cm

NB: the measurements shown in the video are for this size.

Medium 

• Finished size: 5 x 5 x 14cm
• Use a 35cm zipper
• Total fabric print size (for inner and outer fabric each): 29.7 x 31cm. 
  
  

Small 

• 4 x 4 x 12cm
• Use a 30cm zipper
• Total fabric print size (for inner and outer fabric each): 29.7 x 24cm.
  
  

How to

Step 1

Step 2 

Cutting layout for medium pencil case 

Step 3

Step 4 

Step 5

Place the template on the interfacing and trace around it. Cut the interfacing out along the lines.  

Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the outer fabric, piece A.  

Mark and draw a 1cm seam allowance around the fusible interfacing. Cut the fabric on these lines.  

Step 6

Round the corners along the long edges and mark the centre of the long edges.  

Step 7

If you want to laminate, cut a piece of laminating film and transfer the template lines to it. Cut the laminating film along the template outlines.

Carefully iron the laminating film onto the right side of your printed lining fabric according to the instructions on the packaging. Make sure your iron isn't too hot. Let it cool down and then peel off the protective foil from the laminating film.  

Mark a 1cm seam allowance around the laminated area, just like you did with the outer fabric and interfacing. Cut the fabric along these lines.  

Step 8

Cut two pieces of interfacing, each measuring 1cm smaller all around than rectangle B.  

Centre and fuse these to the wrong side of both B rectangles cut from the lining fabric.  

Step 9

Fold the two rectangle C pieces cut from the lining fabric lengthways in half and press.  

Fold the long raw edges inward to align with the pressed line in the centre but laying just shy of the line. Press again. 

The two long raw edges will lie next to each other with the pressed line in-between. Fold the two long folds to align, enclosing the raw edges.  

Step 10

Mark the centres of the long edges of the lining fabric piece and round the corners.  

Step 11

Carefully clip the edges of the zipper tape with scissors, taking care not to cut too close to the zipper teeth.  

Step 12

With right sides facing, place the centre of one side of the zipper tape on the centre mark on one long edge of the outer fabric. Secure with a clip. Match and clip the zipper tape along the rest of the long edge on both sides of the clip, shaping the zipper tape as you go.  

Place the lining piece over the clipped together zipper and outer fabric, edges and right sides matching and secure the two layers of fabric with the zipper tape in-between with clips.  

Mark a sewing line directly above the zipper teeth with a pen.  

Step 13
Carefully sew along this line, using the zipper foot on your sewing machine.

Snip the rounded corners of the fabric pieces.

Turn the fabric with right sides showing and zipper teeth visible. Finger press and then top stitch through both layers of fabric and zipper tape, close to the zipper teeth. 

Step 14 

Repeat Step 13 on the opposite, unsewn sides of the outer fabric, lining and zipper.  

Open the zipper a little (it's a bit tricky with all the layers of fabric) and turn right sides out. Top stitch.  

Step 15

Sew along all three edges of the cut out rectangles, basting the two layers of fabric together.  

Mark the centres of the long sides of the cut-out rectangles. 

Turn the bag inside out. Close the zipper halfway and place the two edges on each other with the zipper matching the centre mark. Secure the layers with clips or pins and repeat on the other side, but instead of closing the zipper, let the zipper edges cross on the centre mark.  

Step 16

Sew through all layers of fabric, paying particular attention when passing over the zipper. I don't use the sewing machine's foot pedal at all for this part – I turn the flywheel by hand. It allows me to control the speed and to ‘feel’ my way forward.  

Trim off the excess fabric and the zipper ends. Repeat on the opposite side. 

Tip: use a non-stick foot for your sewing machine, as a regular foot will stick to the laminated fabric.  

Step 17

Place prepared lining ‘rectangle B’ (cut from the lining, with interfacing fused to it) on an outer fabric ‘rectangle B’, right sides facing and edges aligned. Pin and then sew along two short edges and one long edge.  

Trim the edges and snip the corners. Turn right sides out, poke the corners with a point turner and top stitch the three sewn edges.  

Repeat with the remaining two lining and outer fabric rectangle pieces. 

Step 18

Pin the ‘flaps’ you just made to the seam you sewed across the zipper. Align the raw edges and match the centre of the flap to the zipper. 

Attach the J foot to the sewing machine. Sew slowly and carefully through all layers, especially when sewing across the zipper.  

Trim any excess fabric. 

Step 19

Bind the seam with the ironed, narrow fabric strips made from ‘rectangle C’. Fold the ends inward and then enclose the seam. Carefully, and even more slowly than before, sew through all the layers  

Step 20

Secure the exposed short edges of the flaps with pins and hand-sew them to the lining fabric.  

Step 21

Turn the pencil case with right side out, close the zipper, and you're done! 

Personalise it! 

To personalise the pencil cases, you can cut letters from vegan leather/leather paper using your Brother ScanNCut.  

To do this, select a wider font in CanvasWorkspace (I chose ‘FO-W007: Florida Bold’) and write the required initials in this font. My letters are about 2.5 cm high and wide. Transfer the file to your ScanNCut and, after cutting, weed the letters with the hook tool. Punch small holes in the top of the letters with a hole punch and finish them off with small, matching eyelets.  

Attach the letters each to a keyring, and the keyring to the zipper pull.  

You could also hand cut with scissors

Enjoy printing and creating! 

 I can’t wait to see what you make! Remember to tag in Brother on Instagram and Facebook, and myself too!