[Tamara]

I’m in the process of making a pencil case for N for school to meet the 330mm x 140mm guidelines specified by the school as to the size but to also add more room so that he can differentiate between what is needed and what isn’t, whilst at the same time accommodating for a 300mm ruler.

I had complaints from the teacher last year about him not starting at a prescribed time and noticed a huge muddle with his things being everywhere. This is just an attempt to help him keep his pencils and writing things together instead of wasting time trying to find what he needs.

The plan I have is to make the pencil case so that it opens out as if its a book and have two pockets either side and a smaller pocket to put the ruler. I have a PVC shower curtain for the pockets to be see through so that he can easily see what he needs and get it out. I’m thinking about either Velcro or poppers for the pockets – or else we’d have pencils cascading out of the pockets with an absent minded tip! I want to close the whole thing with a zipper.

So I’m just wanting to know if anyone has attempted sewing a zipper around corners? Should I trim both the fabric and zipper at the rounded corners or just the fabric?

I do plan to baste before sewing and mark the other side of the zipper as per instructions from the Fairy tale dress pattern.

Any suggestions as to how to put the zipper in?

Tamara

[Sarvi]

I know squat about zippers but now have Creedence Clearwater Revival banging away in my head, thanks for the enjoyable earworm!

[Lightning McStitch]

I imagine it would be easiest if you had a zipper that could be opened at both ends. that way you could pull it apart completely and sew each side separately. A bit like applying piping?…

Don’t know how it would work but I remember having a dissection kit that was almost exactly what you’re describing. It must be doable.

[with love Heidi]

I think the “sewing for boys” book had a description for their brick bag carry all.

Could you add a small gusset and insert the zip into that and then sew the gusset into the pencil case?

[Tamara]

Well I should be very honest. N wants me to appliqué some cars onto the fronts first like I did with his library bag last year. That was the whole shebang with quilting and all. What I would .ike to do this time around is just appliqué it to save time and have a floppier piece to work with. Should I quilt it again, I would do a sort of binding at the zipper edge before applying the zipper so that it has something finished against it and I couldn’t imagine how else I would do this. I would them do a separate binding at the bottom so that it would look like the “spine” almost.adding some sort of padding quilted or not would give it a bit of body and make it less of a bag. So with two separate pieces I’d have the inner pockets applied and ready before the zipper goes in.

I wasn’t planning a gusset but it is an idea should the original intention go belly up.

[Tamara]

Actually you know a gusset like the carry all wouldn’t be so bad…. I found a picture of it so now I know what you mean. I’d put the ruler pocket on this. I might have a play around with how it will go.

[Nicole]

Honestly,if you google it,there are a plethora of generous bloggers that put out free patterns for bags and cases of all sorts of types.

I am sure you would find something and possible exactly what you are after.

[with love Heidi]

this tute has an inserted zipper that goes around 3 sides of a case, you would probaly need to change the dimensions but it give some instructions, this is what I ment by a gusset.

http://www.craftpassion.com/2012/08/zipper-pencil-case.html/2

[Tamara]

For some stance reason I had imagined trying to sew the zipper to the padded outer as is yet within my visions it included a lip. Well if you translate my addled (from the heat) brainwaves, you would probably get what was suggested in the first place. I have a good idea as to how to do this now and it won’t be including trying to fasten the zipper around any corner. Rather, fitting the strip of fabric to which the zipper is attached around the corner instead. This way I can still bind as intended and have the pockets and things enclosed and ready to go.

Thanks ladies for rewriting my brain into working order!

Tamara

[with love Heidi]

Good luck Tamara, i hope you get a break from the heat soon!