Book Pocket / Organizer Tutorial

This project just kind of occurred to me to solve a specific problem i had, but I ended up creating something super versatile for a problem that a lot of moms have: where am I going to put all this stuff?

Bibs, diapers, wipes, lotions, burp cloths, socks, headbands, pacifiers. This easy hanging organizer can be customized to hold pretty much any assortment of baby supplies you need to stash.

My particular storage issue was board books, Squiggs loves to 'read' her books at bedtime and they usually end up under her crib somehow.
I needed a place to stash them so their easy to grab for a bedtime story and put up out of the way when not in use, and just as importantly it needed to be cute and match her crib set.

Oh look, i found a book under the bed.

For this project you will need:

- At least one fat quarter each of two coordinating fabrics OR one half yard of a single fabric.

(I bought a half yard of each fabric and had enough to make two organizers)

- Your preferred closure for the hanging straps: KAM Snaps, sew-on snaps, velcro, buttons, etc 

-Basic sewing materials: matching thread, safety and straight pins, measuring tape, ruler, iron.

 Since this project is so versatile it has no pattern but is easy to customize to your particular application using a couple of measurements: First i measured for my width and strap placement, measure for your desired width and add 1" for seam allowance (1/2" on either side).

I decided on 18" wide with straps at either end and one in the middle

 Then measure for strap length and again add 1" for seams

7" + 1" = 8" Straps

Now the tricky part. 

The size is entirely based on where you're hanging the organizer and what you want it to hold so feel free to customize this part based on your needs, just remember to add your seam allowances. 

I decided on a 6" pocket and a 10" finished length, so my dimensions were: 19" long X 17" high.

Draw out your square or rectangle or whatever, and cut one of each fabric.

 

Then draw and cut your straps: Pick your finished width, double it and add seam allowance. 

I wanted 1" wide straps so i should have cut 3 strips that were 8" long and 2.5" wide, but i didn't, i forgot my 1/4" seam allowance *face palm*

This should have been 2.5" x 8"

All pieces cut and soon to be ironed

 Next fold your straps over lengthwise with right sides together and sew your straps closed. 

I didn't want to recut my straps so i sewed them up with a napkin edge serge to close them without losing too much width, but if you remember your seam allowance a regular seam is fine.

Then use a safety pin to turn them right side out.

Press the straps flat with the seam on the under side

Then tuck in about 1/2" on one end of each strap and top stitch them closed.

 Now that the straps are made we're really moving along. 

Lay out your 'inside' fabric and pin your straps in place along the top, seam side down. 

Come in about 1/4" inch more than your seam allowance to prevent the straps from getting caught in the side seams.

Tack your straps on at the top and move your pin to the bottom of the straps to keep them in place while you sew up the rest of the seams.

Another tricky part:

If you are using a single directional print for your outer fabric like i am you will want to place it on top on your inner fabric upside down. When you fold up your pocket at the end the pattern will be right side up!

See?

 Place your two fabrics right sides together with the straps sandwiched in between and sew all around edge leaving a 5"(ish) opening at the bottom. 

Make sure your top edge seam is wider than
the stitching where you tacked down your straps.

 Clip your corners like so for a nice crisp square corner when you turn right side out.

Reach through the opening you left and turn the whole thing right  side out, being careful of the pins left in the straps that can now come out.

Push your corners out nice and square and press the whole thing flat.

Pull the bottom edge nice and straight paying special attention to that opening, fold the raw edges in to make an even edge and top stitch along the entire edge.

Now with your outer fabric side down, fold from the bottom up to create the pocket.

Pin the sides together with edges even and top stitch. Don't be stingy with the backstitch at the top and bottom of the pocket to make a very strong seam.

To create multiple pockets mark where you want the dividers and topstitch them down.

I wanted two 9" pockets so i just sewed a seam right down the middle.

 Lastly fold your straps over and attach your closures. I used KAM snaps (the plastic snaps on cloth diapers), but you can use sew-in snaps, buttons + button holes, magnets, velcro, the list goes on.

Finally hang, fill and enjoy one less thing to worry about finding a home for!