DIY Bunny Pencil Pouch - inspired by West Elm

I knew as soon as I saw these sweet little bunnies on West Elm, that I had to make one for Charlotte.

We are always toting around markers, pencils, crayons, etc - this makes a perfect gift.  Any little girl or boy would love to find one of these in their Easter Basket.  

You could fill it with stickers, crayons, notepad, markers, pencils, whatever!  It's pretty simple to make and should take you about an hour.

Here's what you will need:

2 buttons

embroidery floss

an old sweater (I used one that had been shrunk in the wash)

some lining fabric

printed fabric for the inside of the ears

small piece of velcro (one rough, one soft)

a pom pom for the tail

sewing machine/thread

scissors

yard stick

needle/thread

Step 1:  Cutting the pieces.  

Out of the sweater - cut one rectangle 6" long x 5 1/5" wide for the front
- one rectangle 8" long x 6 1/2" wide for the back
Out of the lining fabric cut one rectangle 14" long x 6 1/2' wide and
-one square 5" x 5" for the face
-cut four ears: two out of sweater material, and two out of a print
about 6" long x 1 3/4" wide at the base.  Taper them to look like ears.

Step 2:  Sew the ears right sides together.  Clip the top point flat and turn right sides out.

Now is the time to make the bunny face.  Sew two buttons on for eyes, and sew a little triangle for the nose.  I just drew a triangle with a water soluble pen and filled it in with stitches going back and forth.

Step 3:  Now it is time to assemble the face, ears, and back.  Lay the ears on the right side of the back, with the print facing up. 

Lay the face right side down on top of the ears.  Make sure all the edges are aligned, and then pin.  Sew along the edge you pinned - using about a 3/8" seam.

hello bunny :)

Step 4:  Lay the bunny wrong side down on top of the lining rectangle.
Trim the lining to match the shape of your bunny.

Now put them right sides together and pin around the edges.  Be sure to tuck the ears in so they won't get caught in the seam. 

Sew around the edge, leaving an opening in the bottom.  Press well and he should look like this:

Don't worry about closing that little opening - it will get caught in the next seam.

Step 5:  Sew the front pouch, right sides together, to the back.  Sew along the sides and bottom only.

Clip the corners, and flip him.  Press well.

Step 6:  Hand whip the velcro on - one piece on the pouch and one piece on the mouth.  

Hand whip the pom pom on the back.

There he is!  

What a cute little bunny.  Hoppy Monday!

xoxo,

jessica

Sweet Heart Pouch

Here's a little heart pouch you can whip up in about 30 minutes. 

It would be great for giving a gift, or for holding sewing notions, hair pins, chocolate, or love notes.

You will need:

small scraps of fabric

3/4" bias tape (buy it or make your own)

small ponytail holder

button

Step 1:  Cut out 4 hearts (two for the outside, two for the lining)

- a little longer rather than wider

Stack them two by two wrong sides together.

Then lay them together - with right sides of the lining facing each other.

Step 2:  Starting on the right side, after the big curve on the top, 

sew around the edge of the heart using a basting stitch.

Gently pull the threads to gather it - go slowly because it is thick with 4 layers

and you don't want your thread to break.

See how it made a little pouch?

Cute.

Step 3:  Measure the top part of the heart that is not gathered.  Cut one piece of bias tape to fit just the top (mine was 8").  Cut one piece of bias tape to go all the way around the heart (mine was 16").

Pin the short piece around the top of the heart - right sides together, raw edges aligned.

Stitch it on.

Fold it over the top and press well.  Then stitch around the top again.

Step 4:  Repeat this process with the other piece - except go all the way around the heart.

Fold it over the edge and press.  Catch the raw edges of the first piece as you fold it over.

Stitch all the way around.

Step 5:  Add the ponytail holder - on the inside of the heart that you sewed the long piece of bias tape to, place the ponytail holder.  Set the zig zag stitch to .5 so that it will just sew back and forth in place.  Stitch the ponytail holder in place.

On the other heart, hand sew a button on.

Now fill with goodies for your sweet friend or child and delight them with a surprise!

have a great day!

jessica

I come by it honestly...

really everyone in my family is crafty or artistic in some way.  My dad paints and can build just about anything, my mom sews and has a great eye for decoration, my sister sews and graduated with a studio art degree, I sew and dabble in just about anything that suits my mood.  We also all play some sort of instrument.  (does it sound like I'm bragging?  maybe I am...) So art was a natural part of my life. 
Here is a perfect example: check out this gorgeous advent calendar my sister made us:

 

When we open each day, we turn over the little numbered pouches. On the other side they are decorated like ornaments - so at the end the tree will be all decorated!

Isn't that adorable?  Thanks Aunt Jo - we are really having fun with it!
In other news, we have had a TON of snow - about 5-6" and for a reason yet to be determined we have no water - they think perhaps a pipe broke under the house - yuck.  So hopefully today they can get that figured out.
ALSO I have another coupon code for you on my Etsy shop - I'm getting ready to go to Florida Thursday evening and I will have to put my shop on vacation so I am giving you a code for 40% off everything in my shop!!!!  Now through Wednesday night at midnight!  The code is SHG40. 
Well, I'm off to work on my Christmas gifts and do a little Flylady cleaning.  Hope you have a great day!
jessica