A4 Art folder By Tracy of www.thimbelinas.blogspot.com

Before you begin:

All measurements are given in inches

¼ inch seam allowance has been used throughout unless stated otherwise

I’ve written this with sewer’s in mind so I haven’t given detailed instructions for binding or inserting the zip - if you’re unsure how to do this there are some great tutorials around that will instruct you much better than I can.

Materials Main fabric (I had a Yard which I had plenty left over from) Contrast fabric (½ Yard is plenty) Medium weight iron on Interfacing Light weight iron on Pellon Clear plastic 10” Zipper Coloured hair elastic Large button General sewing/cutting supplies A4 Visual Art diary Erasable fabric marker

Cutting Main Fabric (Green Lady-bug) 1 – 13 x 16 ½ - Outside cover 1 – 13 x 2 ½ - Outside Cover 1 – 13 x 20 ½ - Inside Lining 2 – 9 ¼ x 13 – Notepad pocket Contrast Fabric (Red polka dot) 3 – 2 ½ strips x width of fabric

2 of these strips are for binding – Join on the bias

Cross cut the remaining strip so you have 1 - 2 ½ x 13 – for outside cover

Trim the remainder of the strip to 2”

Cross cut, 2 - 8 ½” pieces - Top & bottom of plastic pocket window & 2 – 6” pieces - Sides of plastic pocket window

1 – 4” strip x width of fabric (cross cut 2- 4 x 15) – Handles 1 – 9 x 10 ½ - Pencil pocket 2 – 1 ½ x 8 ½ - Above zip Interfacing 1 – 13 x 20 ½ - Iron to Inside lining piece 1 – 13 x 9 ¼ - Iron to one of the Notepad pocket pieces

Pellon 1 – 13 x 20 ½ - Outside cover Plastic 1 – 13 x 20 ½ - Outside cover (optional) 1 – 8 ½ x 3 ½ - Zip pocket window

Instructions

Take your three Outside Cover pieces and join them together down the 13” side with the Contrast strip in the middle (this piece should them measure 13 x 20 ½)

Iron your Pellon piece to the wrong side Pencil pockets

Take your pencil pocket piece and fold in half with right sides together by bringing the two 10 ½ inch sides together

Sew down both short sides, clip corners and turn right side out, press.

It should now measure 10 x 4 ½

Leaving 1/8” at both ends, mark every ¾” top and bottom then rule lines joining your top and bottom marks with an erasable pen (these will be your stitching lines for your pencil pockets).

Take your Inside Lining piece (with the interfacing attached) and place it right side up.

Mark the centre point on the top and bottom

Then draw lines ½” either side of the centre marks from top to bottom (these will later be your quilting lines.

On the left side measure up 4 ½” from the bottom edge and draw a line across from the left quilting line (this will be where the top of your pencil pocket will sit).

Measure in ½ “ from the left quilting line and mark along the line you just drew and again on the bottom edge.

Work your way across to the left, marking every 5/8 “ top and bottom until you have 14 stitching lines marked.

Sew diagram below

Place your pencil pocket piece on top of the lining piece, line up the first set of top and bottom marks on the right hand side and pin in place

Stitch along the first sewing line you marked on the pocket piece making sure you reverse to secure the top edge

Line up the next set of markings, pin and stitch again. Continue along until you have all fourteen rows stitched (giving you 13 pockets – enough for a set of coloured pencils and one lead)

Mark line 4 ½“ from bottom edge

Zipper pocket – align with top

edge and centre over pencil

pocket below

20 ½ “

13”

9 ¼ Notebook pocket – align

with right edge of lining

Centre Line

Quilting lines – Marked 1/2” either side

of the Centre line.

Make your first pencil pocket marking

here – ½ “ from your quilting line

then every 5/8”

Secure the bottom edge of the pencil pockets with a 1/8” seam, push the bulk of the pocket toward your machine then place a pin in the centre of each pocket – the excess fabric will get pushed back toward you as you sew making a tidy pleat in the centre.

Window Zipper pocket

With each of the two 2x 8 ½” pieces and the two 2x 6” pieces - fold each piece in half wrong sides together along the length and iron. Open out and then fold the outside edges in to meet the centre line you just made and iron again. Fold in half again along the original fold line and press well.

Take your small piece of clear plastic and slip one 8 ½“ edge inside one of the 8 ½“ binding pieces you just made. Stitch close to the edge. Repeat along the other 8 ½“ plastic edge.

Using your zipper foot, stitch one of the bound edges to your zipper as shown in the next photograph.

Take your two 1 ½“ x 8 ½“ pieces (for above zip). Place the first one right side up and position the plastic with the zipper end so that it is aligned with the top edge of the first fabric piece. Place the second fabric piece on top (right side down) so that it sandwiches the zipper in between the two pieces.

Stitch then turn right side out and press fabric carefully so you don’t melt the plastic.

Topstitch along the edge close to zipper & trim zipper back

It should then look something like this (Upside down)

Take your two 6“ binding pieces and turn one end of each right sides together while you stitch the end closed. Clip the seam/corner and turn right side out again. Press.

These pieces can then be fitted over the short ends of the clear zipper pocket with the finished edge facing down and the raw edge at the top which will need to be trimmed to size once attached.

Pinned bind ready for stitching.

You can now position the pocket in place on the lining – with the top edges even and centred above your pencil pocket.

Pin carefully so that you don’t puncture the plastic window and edge stitch in place.

Notepad pocket

Take your two Notepad pocket pieces, right sides together (one of which should have interfacing attached), and stitch together down the 13” side.

Turn right side out and press.

Top stitch ¼“ from seam.

Position pocket piece on top of Lining piece on the right hand side with raw edges aligned.

Along the finished edge, stitch down ½“ from the top and ½“ up from the bottom to secure in place

I stitched down close to the edge then across and back up along my top stitching line

Handles

Fold each piece in half wrong sides together along the length and iron. Open out and then fold the outside edges in to meet the centre line you just made and iron again. Fold in half again along the original fold line and press well.

Top stitch close to both long edges of each handle Assembly

With the Outside cover right side down and the contrasting stripe to your left

Place the lining piece (with the attached pockets) right side up on top of the Outsider cover and pin in place.

Sew through all layers down your two quilting lines you marked earlier using a walking foot if you have one.

Baste around the outside edges if you wish (I was lazy and didn’t bother)

Now place it lining side down and position the plastic on top of the outside cover (if using)

Place the handles at each end, 3” in from the top and bottom edges and baste in place – make sure they’re nice and firm as it’s quite weighty when full.

Pinch the Hair elastic in at one end and stitch by hand – wrapping the thread around to keep it together. Position it in the centre of the side without the stripe (Unlike what I did first time around). Baste in place.

Position your binding on top and stitch in place by machine, then slip-stitch by hand on the inside.

Add a cute button (I covered my own), and you’re done.

Enjoy!