Felt Pencil Case Activity
Between borrowed pencils, broken erasers and a backpack crammed with books, it's not surprising that sometimes your child has trouble finding his writing utensils. Fix that in a jiffy with this easy sewing project! Using only straight-line sewing, your fourth grader can create a nifty felt pencil case perfect for his busy life.
What You Need:
- Sewing pins
- Sewing machine
- Sewing chalk
What You Do:
- Help your child measure the dimensions for two felt rectangles -- 9 x 12 inches and 6 x 12 inches.
- Mark the dimensions with sewing chalk.
- Have him use scissors to cut out the rectangles.
- Help him pin the smaller rectangle on top of the larger one. Make sure the bottom and side edges line up.
- Have your child cut two long, narrow strips of felt. He can determine the exact length. These strips will serve as the ties for the pencil case. The longer the strips, the longer the ties.
- Pin one end of each strip about halfway up the left side of the felt rectangles.
- Help him sew the side and bottom seams of the pencil roll -- only the top edges should be left untouched.
- Have him use scissors to trim any excess thread.
- The pencil case now resembles a large envelope. Using sewing chalk, have your child make vertical lines -- approximately one inch apart -- along the front of the felt. He can use a ruler to ensure his lines are straight.
- Help him sew along these chalked lines.
- Let him insert his pencils into each of these little pockets.
- Starting on the right side, have your child roll the felt case towards the left.
- When it's all rolled up, show him how to use the ties to secure the case. No more lost pencils for him!