The sew tidy books are easy to make. You can use them for keeping sewing items such as thread, a thimble, measuring tape, note cards, small pattern pieces and little samples of fabrics.
They feel like softies and you can add extra pockets inside to hold all the little sewing items you treasure.
I’ve shown three different sew tidy books based on the main design. They’re great for using up spare pieces of fabric and look pretty when they’re finished.
Afternoon Tea Cottage
This has lots of little pockets sewn into the book. It’s just like adding extra pages made of fabric. Simply sew a piece of fabric with a pocket already sewn on and stitch the page into the fabric book. I added a pocket with a blue teapot.
At the back of the book I’ve sewn larger pockets to hold my tea dress and bunting pattern pieces.
I also use pieces of card and wrap different types of thread around them. These tuck nicely into the book.
This was metallic chocolate brown thread and vanilla yellow that I was using for an ice–cream theme embroidery. These are handy for reminding me of colours and items that I want to add to my projects when sewing several things.
The card shown here has an ice cream cone on it. The card shape is a basic rectangle but often I use pretty shapes of card — a flower, butterfly or tea dress to wrap samples of thread around or to use as note cards.
Some of my appliqué pieces such as a miniature teapot or cake are tiny, as are the dress and bunting templates, and are so easy to lose. But they all tuck away handily into the sew tidy.
I keep recipes for vintage cakes and ice cream recipes in it too.
This book has lots of pockets and pages so I added a blue satin ribbon as a book mark.
Sewing Machine
I made this book from fabric samples and used a floral fabric for the inside and the edge of the book.
In a pocket at the back of the book I keep my tea quilt pattern ideas on note cards and attach fabric samples that I’ll use for the tea quilts.
I also keep note cards with pattern measurements, small pattern pieces, colour charts and fabric samples. I’d been using the sewing pattern weights when cutting out a pattern (see the butterfly, daisy flower and teacup) and had tucked these into the sew tidy book.
Bees & Beehive
I keep a couple of sewing pattern weights in this in a pocket at the back of the book.
I have note cards printed with bees and on the back on them are pattern measurements, recipes for cakes and bread, and tea dress designs.
How to make a Sew Tidy Book
You will need:
2 pieces of fabric for the front and back cover – each 7 inches (18cm) x 7 inches (18cm)
1 piece of fabric for the edge of the book – 2 inches (5cm) x 7 inches (18cm)
1 piece of fabric for the inside of the book – 7 inches (18cm) x 15 inches (38cm)
1 piece of wadding/batting – 7 inches (18cm) x 15 inches (38cm)
Method:
Sew the front and back cover pieces together with the edge piece to make the outside of the book.
Layer the fabric pieces and wadding in the following order (as shown):
Wadding/batting.
Front cover section right side up.
Inside piece of fabric right side down.
Sew the pieces together leaving a quarter inch (0.5cm) seam allowance. Leave a 3 inch (8cm) gap for turning the book right sides out (as shown).
Clip excess fabric from the corners.
Turn the book right sides out through the gap.
Sew the gap shut using a slip stitch or ladder stitch.
Press the finished book to iron out any creases and give a smooth finish to the book.
This is what it looks like when it’s all sewn together.
Fold in two.
The book is now ready to have fabric pages sewn in. Sew these down the centre of the book using a running stitch. Add more pages, some with pockets, to create a sew tidy to suit your needs.
You could also attach a loop and button to hold the book shut if you want.
