Kid’s Crayon & Coloring Book Carrier

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Guess what? The holidays are coming! Are you going to make any handmade gifts? If so, I am going to be offering ideas in the weeks to come.

Today I bring you a perfect holiday gift idea. It’s pretty easy, inexpensive and fun for kids of all ages. It’s a coloring book and crayon holder. A kid’s very own portfolio if you will:

It holds crayons or markers or colored pencils on one side:

And coloring books or stickers or paper on the other:

And folds up nice and has handles so little ones can carry it wherever they are going. Great for church, airplane or car trips or anywhere out and about.

OK, so let’s make it.

What You Need:

1/2 yard of main fabric

1/2 yard of coordinating fabric

1/2 yard of felt (any color)

Small piece of Velcro

 

Kid’s Coloring Book and Crayon Carrier Tutorial:

Let’s start out with the straps. You need to cut 2 pieces from your main fabric and 2 pieces from your coordinating, each about 12 inches by 2 1/4 inches. Also cut two of the same size from your felt.

Put right sides of your two fabrics together and the piece of felt outside them. Stitch down each side of the strap, leaving both ends open:

Turn them right side out, press them flat and top stitch along each side:

That’s it! Your straps are done. Set them aside for later.

Now, cut a large piece from each of your fabrics-14 1/2″ by 22 1/2.” Also cut one of these pieces out of your felt. These will be your main body of the carrier.

Now you need to make the pockets or compartments for the carrier. First you need to decide: is this going to hold crayons, markers or colored pencils, because your dimensions will be slightly different depending on what you choose.

For markers or colored pencils cut a piece of your main fabric that is 14 1/2″ by 11.”

For crayons cut a piece of your main fabric that is 14 1/2″ by 8.” (Because crayons are shorter and we don’t want them to get lost down in the pocket.)

Take this piece of fabric you just sewed and fold it in half with right sides together and sew just across the long side. Turn it right side out so it should look like this: (press it nice and flat with your iron)

Fold your large piece of coordinating fabric in half to find the center. Mark that with a pin or something so you know where it is.  Now, place this piece that you just created above so that is lines up almost exactly with the center. Give it maybe about 1 centimeter of breathing room. Sew along the top and bottom edge (the raw edges) to hold in place. Now, sew straight lines down the pocket about 1 inch apart to form the spots for the crayons or markers:

Now we need to make the pockets for the other side. I made 2 pockets for mine. The first pcoket you will make out of the main fabric. Cut a piece that is about 14 1/2″ by 10 1/2.” Fold under and press both of the long sides of this piece. On the left side of the fabric (when looking at the fabric head on), fold it under not once, but twice. Sew a straight stitch down both of those sides:

Now do the same thing with a piece of the coordinating fabric, but use these dimensions instead: 14 1/2″ by 8 1/2.”

With both of those pieces of fabric hemmed on each of the two long sides, place them where you want them on your carrier. Put the main fabric one on the bottom with the right edge right about at the center of your carrier. Layer the coordinating one on top of that so that the right edges line up perfectly and there is about 2 inches of space between the left edges.

Stitch those in place along the top and the bottom-just to hold them for now.

Now, your inside piece is ready, so let’s attach it to the outside. Place your inside piece with it’s right side touching the right side of your large main fabric piece. Put the large piece of felt on the outside. Grab your straps and put them in place on the two outside edges of the carrier with the facing inwards. As in, you can’t see them, just the ends of them right now. See their stubby little ends in this picture:

 

Here’s what it looks like on the other side where your felt is. In my case I had to piece 2 pieces of felt together because I didn’t have a piece big enough. Yours will just be one big piece.

Starting at the bottom somewhere, sew all the way around, leaving about a 4-5 inch opening to turn it right side out. Then turn it right side out. It will come out sort of rumply, so iron it nice and flat and smooth. Then top stitch all the way around the bag. This will close your opening and help the whole bag to lay smooth.

I like to have my corners be a little bit rounded:

This is what it should look like when laid out flat:

Now, sew a straight line right down the center of the carrier, again, just to help keep everything in place and also to help it fold in the center.

Last step-sew a piece of Velcro on each side right below the handles:

You’re done! It will make a great gift for someone! Want other handmade gift ideas for the holidays? I will be featuring quite a few, so be sure to visit me! Crazy Little Projects