Cute Keeper

Inspired by: Jot It Down from designer Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

Project tester: Jan Ragaller

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 9 × 21" piece (fat eighth) lime green floral (exterior)
• 1⁄2 yard muslin (interfacing)
• 1⁄2 yard blue linen (exterior, interior lining)
• 18 × 21" piece (fat quarter) light pink floral (large pocket)
• 18 × 21" piece (fat quarter) aqua print (small pocket)
• 9 × 21" piece (fat eighth) dark pink floral (pocket flaps)
• 9 × 21" piece (fat eighth) light green floral (pocket flaps)
• 1⁄4 yard white floral (binding)
• 11×13-1⁄2" batting
• Basting spray
• 2"-long piece 7⁄8"-wide yellow polka dot ribbon (optional)
• 3 ­- 3⁄4"-diameter buttons: aqua
• Clover Hera marking tool (optional)
• 2 elastic hair bands
• 2--5-1⁄2×9" rectangles extra-firm sew-in interfacing

Finished size: 9-1⁄2×12" (open), 6×9-1⁄2" (closed)

Cut pieces in the following order.

From lime green floral, cut:

• 1--5-1⁄2 ×9-1⁄2" rectangle

From muslin, cut:

• 1--9-1⁄2 ×12" rectangle
• 1-- 6 ×12" rectangle
• 2--4-1⁄2 ×6" rectangles
• 1--4×12" rectangle

From blue linen, cut:

• 1--9-1⁄2 ×12" rectangle
• 1--7 × 9-1⁄2" rectangle

From light pink floral, cut:

• 1--12 × 12-1⁄2" rectangle

From aqua print, cut:

• 1--8-1⁄2 ×12" rectangle

From dark pink floral, cut:

• 2--5× 6-1⁄2" rectangles

From light green floral, cut:

• 2--5× 6-1⁄2" rectangles

From white floral, cut:

• 2--2×42" binding strips

1)    Referring to Diagram 1, use basting spray to adhere wrong side of lime green floral 5-1⁄2 ×9-1⁄2" rectangle to right-hand half of batting 11×13-1⁄2" rectangle 1⁄2" from top and right-hand edges.

2)    Turn Step 1 unit over. Referring to Diagram 2, use basting spray to adhere muslin 9-1⁄2 ×12" rectangle to batting rectangle 1⁄2" from top and left-hand edges. Turn unit so lime green floral rectangle is up.

3)    Quilt lime green floral rectangle as desired. Project tester Jan Ragaller machine-quilted horizontal straight lines 1-1⁄2" apart (see photo).

4)    If desired, fold yellow polka dot 7⁄8 × 2" ribbon in half crosswise with wrong side inside. Stitch 1⁄8" from raw edges. Align ribbon raw edges with left-hand edge of lime green floral rectangle 3⁄4" from bottom; baste.

5)    Referring to Diagram 3, place blue linen 7 × 9-1⁄2" rectangle right side down on quilted lime green floral rectangle; align left-hand edges. Sew 1⁄4" from left-hand edges. Fold blue linen rectangle open; press. Use basting spray to adhere blue linen rectangle to batting.

6)    Quilt blue linen rectangle as desired. Jan machine-quilted vertical straight lines spaced 1-1⁄2" apart. Trim unit to 9-1⁄2  ×12" to make exterior (Diagram 4).

Click on "Download this Project" above for Interior Flap Pattern.

1)    With wrong side inside, fold light pink floral 12 ×12-1⁄2" rectangle in half widthwise to make a 6-1⁄4 ×12" large pocket (Diagram 5); unfold. Repeat with aqua print 8-1⁄2 ×12" rectangle to make a 4-1⁄4 ×12" small pocket.

2)    Use basting spray to adhere muslin 6 ×12" rectangle to wrong side of half the large pocket; refold. Topstitch 1⁄8" from folded edge (Diagram 5). Repeat using muslin 4 ×12" rectangle and small pocket.

3)    On folded small pocket, make a mark 3-1⁄4" from left-hand edge and 1-3⁄4" from top edge (Diagram 6). Make a second mark 3-1⁄4" from right-hand edge and 1-3⁄4" from top edge. Sew an aqua button on each mark.

4)    Referring to Diagram 7, layer large and small pockets on blue linen 9-1⁄2  ×12" rectangle; align bottom edges. Baste 1⁄8" from side and bottom edges (do not baste top edge) to make pocket unit. Use a Hera marking tool to mark a vertical line down center of pocket unit. Topstitch crease.

\

5)    Use basting spray to adhere a muslin 4-1⁄2 × 6" rectangle to center of wrong side of a dark pink floral 5× 6-1⁄2" rectangle to make a flap unit. Repeat to make a second flap unit.

6)    Cut an elastic hair band into two equal pieces. Align cut ends of one half to form a loop (Diagram 8). Center cut ends on bottom edge of a flap unit with loop pointing toward top of flap. Baste 1⁄8" from edge. Repeat with second elastic hair band half and remaining flap unit.

7)    Place a light green floral 5× 6-1⁄2" rectangle on a flap unit with right sides together. Use interior flap template to trace rounded bottom corners; cut on traced line (Diagram 9). Pin or clip pieces together. Stitch together side and bottom edges; leave top edges open. Clip into curved seam allowances.

8)    Turn flap unit right side out, carefully pushing out rounded corners; press. Topstitch 1⁄8" from previously sewn edges to make a pocket flap.

9)    Repeat steps 7 and 8 to make a second pocket flap.

10)    Align top of pocket flaps with upper edge of Step 4 pocket unit so each flap is 1⁄2" from stitched centerline (Diagram 10). Adjust as needed so elastic hair band loops line up with buttons. Baste flaps in place 1⁄8" from top edges to make interior.

1)    Layer exterior and interior with wrong sides together. Zigzag-stitch around side and top edges, leaving bottom edge open (Diagram 11). Topstitch centerline.

2)    Insert interfacing 5-1⁄2 × 9" rectangles into Step 1 unit through bottom openings (Diagram 12). Zigzag-stitch along bottom edges.

3)    Cut remaining elastic hair band once; align cut ends to form a large loop. With exterior right side up, center cut ends of loop on left-hand edge of organizer; baste 1⁄8" from edge (Diagram 13).

4)    Bind with white floral binding strips.

5)    Sew remaining aqua button to center of right-hand edge of exterior, being careful not to stitch interior large pocket closed. Be sure button is just to left of binding and lines up with elastic closure. Fold on centerline. Slip loop over button to complete organizer.