trinket keepers tutorial

If your boys have as many collections as mine do, then you will want to mak at least a dozen of these. I find their little trinkets in the washer, dryer, their pockets, and all over the house. When they were really young they loved to carry their Thomas trains around with them everywhere we went. Then they moved on to dinosaurs, Hot Wheels, Pokemon cards, Bakugan, and Tech Decks. And, now my oldest son needs something to carry his iPod and DSi in. These are SUPER simple. The hardest part which is also the most fun is deciding what cool image, stencil, or applique you want to put on the front of each one. Here is the tutorial for the trinket keepers-

Here's what you need:(2)Outside fabric pieces (see below for the size you will need)

(2)Lining fabric pieces the same size as the outside fabric
3/8" Grommet kit - 2 grommet sets per pouch
carabeener - the spring loaded clip used to attach to belt loop or backpack

Sizes: For each of the little trinkets in our house, I have figured up the sizes of fabric that work best to hold them. You can always adjust according to what trinkets you have!
- 4"wide X 6"high = iPod, Pokemon cards, baseball cards, Hot Wheels, and Tech Decks
- 4"wide X 5"high = Bakugan, marbles, plastic bugs, plastic dinosaurs
- 5"wide X 6"high = Thomas the Tank Engine trains
- 6"wide X 8"high = Show and Tell and DSi

1. First, the fun part...Let's make the label on the front of the pouch. There are so many ways to do this. What I chose to do is print directly on the fabric, freezer paper stencil and applique. If you are printing directly on the fabric, you can buy fabric sheets designed for your printer or just back a piece of 8 1/2" 11" piece of muslin fabric with a piece of freezer paper the same size to give it the stability it needs to run through the printer. I got this idea from a friend and it works great. I am not sure if it is color safe, but we have no plans to wash these. You can go here for a tutorial on freezer paper stencils and applique is easy too. So, add your label and/or image in the center of the front piece of outside fabric. *Update - I have recieved a few ideas and suggestions that will help with making your printed images (from the ink jet printer) color safe and water resistant. Check here for directions and thanks for the help.

2. Now cut out your 4 pieces of fabric - (2) for the outside and (2) for the lining. I am using 4"X5" pieces in this tutorial which is perfect for the boys' little marbles and Bakugan toys.

3. Put your two pieces of outside fabric right sides together and sew around the three sides leaving the opening at the top using a 3/8"seam. Cut the corner edges off at and angle and turn right side in.

4. Take your two pieces of lining fabric and put them together with right sides facing each other. Sew all around the three sides leaving the top open and a small 2" opening at the bottom. Clip the corner edges and leave inside out.

5. Take your outside fabric and place it inside the lining. Right sides should be facing each other.

6. Sew all the way around the top with a 3/8"seam.

7. Pull the outside fabric through the hole of the lining. It will look like this photo.

8. Now tuck the 2"hole of the lining in and sew to close.

9. Stuff the lining back in to the outside fabric and top stitch with a 1/4" seam all the way around.
10. Mark the center from the side edges 1/2" down. This is where the grommet will go. Do that on both sides of the outside fabric since you will need a grommet set per side. Set grommets according to directions on package. Mine are General brand that I bought at Home Depot because I wanted ones that were big enough to hold the carabeener hook. The carabeeners are available at Home Depot, Lowes, Wal Mart and almost anywhere and come in so many fun colors.

11. Fill it up with trinkets and hook the carabeener hook through the grommets. It's ready to clip on to anything!