Sunday, August 2, 2015

Pencil Pouch!

     Hello, it is I, a simple girl who is going to have to go back to school soon. :( With the school year starting there is a need for pencil storage! So, I decided to crochet a....

                        Pencil Pouch!!

     Here are some pictures:








Here's how:

MATERIELS:
  Any yarn (I used Red Heart, don't remember the color, sorry about that)
  Hook of corresponding size (I used U.S. size I or 5.50 mm)
  Zipper
  Blunt/tapestry needle (For attaching zipper and weaving in ends)

This pattern may or may not be 100% accurate, I made the pouch, and now I'm trying to 
remember what I did to share the cuteness of this pouch, so bear with me!


LONG SIDES  (make 2)

Chain 30ish (just make sure it's an even number)
Chain 1, turn
Sc all the way across starting chain, *ch 3 (counts as double crochet) 
(bobble stitch, sc) all the way across to the end, ch 1 turn, sc all the way across*


If you don't know how to do a bobble stitch, try this tutorial: 

Repeat from * to * three times
Ch 3, (counts as dc), dc all the way across
Tie off and weave in ends


SHORT SIDE A (make 2)

Ch 11, Hdc in  second ch from hook
Hdc 8, *ch 2, turn, 9 hdc*
Repeat from * to * 3 times
Ch 1, turn, sc 9
Tie off and weave in ends


SHORT SIDE B (make 2)

Ch 12, dc in third ch from hook
Dc 8, *ch 3, turn, 9 dc*
Repeat from * to * 2 times
Tie off and weave in ends


BOTTOM PIECE A

Ch the same number you chained for the long side pieces +2
hdc in second ch from hook, continue to hdc all the way across, completing the row
*ch 2, turn, hdc all the way across*
Repeat from * to * 6 times
Tie off and weave in ends


BOTTOM PIECE B

Ch the same number you chained for the long sides +3
Dc in third ch from hook, continue dc all the way across, completing the row
*ch 3, turn, dc all the way across*
Repeat from * to * 3 times
Ch 1, turn, sc across
Tie off and weave in ends


ASSEMBLY 

Take one of each of your short sides (one A and one B), and match their wrong sides together so that the right sides are facing out; and slip stitch them together along the edges. Repeat with the other two short side pieces.

Take both bottom pieces and do the same thing; wrong sides facing in, slip stitching them together along the edges. 

Now you have some double-reinforced pieces to reduce pencil pokage :) If you want to, you can add a second layer to the bobble/long side pieces, but I didn't because I thought it was thick enough already.

Okay, now it's time to put the sides and bottom together.

Take your double bottom piece, and one of your long bobble side pieces. We're going to use a blunt/tapestry needle to sew them to each other with a blanket stitch. When you sew them together, make sure that the puffy side of the bobble stitch is facing out, the row of double crochets on the long bobble piece is on the top, and that the double crochet side of the bottom piece is facing in/up (this helps with the whole poking issue, in my opinion)

Repeat with the other long bobble side piece.

Blanket stitch the short sides on in the same manner as before, with the double crochet facing the inside of the pouch. 

If you don't know how to do a blanket stitch, try this tutorial:

I know the tutorial is for sewing edges, but it's very clear and you can easily apply it to this project. 


ZIPPER

Attaching the zipper wasn't really that difficult, it was just hard to poke that little plastic needle through the zipper fabric.

Here's how: 
Unzip the zipper
Turn the pouch inside out
Blanket stitch one side of the zipper to the double crochets on one of the long bobble pieces
Repeat on the other long bobble piece 
Turn pouch inside out
Sew together any leftover double crochet space that doesn't have any zipper (you may not have any)

At least that's how I did it. Lots of other people use a sharp crochet hook to sc through the zipper, then attach, or they even start from the zipper and work from there.

However you do it, just enjoy your cute little bobble pouch!