Projects,  Tutorials

Alphabitty Organizer Tutorial

LAlphabitties Holder
  • You will need:
  • 7 – 2″ x 10.5″ rectangles fabric
  • 6 – 1″ x 11″ rectangles vinyl
  • 1 – 11″ x 11″ square backing
  • 1 – 11″ x 11″ square batting
  • 1 – 2″ x WOF binding
  • 1″ painters tape

Take two strips fabric and one strip vinyl and align the edges and clip edges to keep them together.

Press open using a wooden iron

Add to the bottom strip another piece of vinyl and another strip of fabric, clipping to keep together.

Continue to add strips until you have used all 6 strips of vinyl.

Sandwich the top, batting, and backing.

Clip one edge to ensure the sandwich does not move. Place a strip of painter’s tape along the opposite edge. This will be your first sew line. I placed an arrow in marker showing that is the side of the tape to stitch on.

Measure 1 1/4″ away from the edge and place another piece of painter’s tape. The arrow shows which side the stitch line will be.

Measure 1/4″ away and place another strip of tape. Continue until there is no more room on the top to do so. You should be able to have six “pockets” per row. They should measure 1 1/4″ wide.

Start stitching along the side of the first edge of the tape.

Repeat along each stitch line. The tape serves two purposes. One to mark your stitch line and two to make it easier to stitch over the vinyl.

Once all stitch lines have been sewn, carefully pull off the tape. Trim the edges, 1/2″ on the sides away from the stitch lines and 3/4″ away from the vinyl on the top and bottom.

At this point you can bind as you choose.

Here is my favorite tool to make perfect mitered bindings: a post it note folded in half diagonally. This will work for any size binding.

I stitch as usual towards the corner starting in the middle of a side. I place the post it in the corner as below, I stop my stitch line when I reach the post it note.

When I reach the post it note, I then angle the seam to the corner and stitch to the corner.

I cut the thread and then rotate the post it note.

I fold the binding using the post it note as a guide.

I then rotate the post it note again

And I fold the binding back again. This can be a little tricky until you get the hang of it. You can use a binding clip to help if needed.

Slip out the postit note and clip if necessary.

There is a folded wedge of fabric. The key to a nice miter is the folding of the corner. You will start the next side at the outer edge and stitch again until you reach the next corner.

When you fold your binding on the other side, you have a nice miter.

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