Not Crochet--SEWN chapstick holder

So, we all know that I'm not much for sewing. Or, if we don't all know that, we certainly should know that.

However, thanks to my mother, my daughter has caught the sewing bug. Truth be told, it's kind of cool.

And, long story short, we recently acquired a "loaner" of a sewing machine from my mother. It just happens to be the machine that I used to learn to sew all those marvelous years ago. Kind of fun, no?

And, my mom was in town a few days ago, and we took the opportunity to all get a little sewing lesson from the master.



What did we make, you ask?


CHAPSTICK HOLDERS!! Hooray!

And, so that I can remember how to do it, and don't have to keep track of this scrap of paper forever:


I'm writing the instructions here.

Cut two 4 1/2" by 4 1/2" squares of fabric

EITHER: put two squares together with right sides out and zigzag around the edges (to prevent fraying)


OR put two squares together with wrong sides out, stitch down two opposite sides with 1/4" (or less) seam. Turn inside out and finger press seams.




Fold in half with the fabric that you want on the outside of your holder on the outside of your fold.


Place a pin 1 1/2" from the top,


and stitch a 1/2" seam, backstitching at the start and at the end. (the directions on the paper above say to use a 5/8" seam, but I like 1/2" better.)


Turn inside out, making sure seam allowance is open, flat, and in the middle. Then stitch 1/4" across bottom, backstitching at beginning and end.




MAKE STRAP:
Take a scrap of coordinating fabric and EITHER

Fold one side in 1/4" and stitch


Fold other side in 1/4" and stitch


Fold both ends in and stitch


OR

Fold both ends in 1/4", pin, and stitch




Fold strap over, decide how long you want it to be, and give yourself another 1/2" or so, and then snip it.


Pin strap on inside of top of holder, with the loop facing down.


Stitch 1/4" across top, making sure edges of seam allowance touch. Backstitch across entire top.


Snip the top of the strap off, making the strap flush with the edge that you just stitched.


Turn, pushing out corners (we like to use the top of a click pen, with the pen part not being "clicked" out.

Trim up loose threads, put a key ring through the strap, and you're all done!