Brushes Need A Lovely Holder Too

Finished brush holder, flap up

Sewing Tip: A make-up brush set it the BEST lint cleaners for your sewing machine and overlock machine. The little brushes get into the tiniest of spots. Thanks to theDealyo for the heads up on a inexpensive, free shipping site for the brushes. I bought two sets, one for Curls and one for me. Using the cheesy brush holder, which the bushes came in, as a template I designed a holder out of fabric from my stash.

Materials:

Three fabrics
Pellon iron-on interfacting
Ribbon for ties
Normal sewing supplies; machine, rulers, etc

Cut:

Main fabric:

2 – 10″ x 7 1/2″ – For back and inside
1 – 7″ x 6 1/2″ – Flap, Fold lengthwise
1 – 7 1/2 ” x 9 1/2 – Pocket – Fold lengthwise

Iron-on Interfacing:

1 – 10″ x 7 1/2 ” – Line main fabric
1 – 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ – line 1/2 of flap
1 – 3 ” x 9 1/2″ – line 1/2 of pocket

Seam allowance: Use 1/4″ seam allowance.

Placement and Measurements:

Placements and measurements

Steps:

1. Iron the interfacings to the one piece of the main fabric; the top-half flap fabric; and the top-half pocket fabric. (Sorry I did not photograph this step)

2. Sew the side seams of both the flap piece and the pocket piece together right-sides-facing. Trim the corners and turn right sides out. Press. Top stitch both the flap and the pocket pieces.

Sew the flap and pocket pieces

3. Using the following measurements, place the flap onto the interfaced main fabric. Use a stay-stitch to hold the flap in place.

Flap placement

4. Use a running stitch on the left side of the pocket to hold it in place.

Running Stitch to hold pieces down

5. Line up the right side of the pocket so it is inline with the right side of the flap. Sew the right side of the pocket down. There will be a gap of fabric which you will be pleating.

Sew down right side of pocket

6. Using about an 1/8″ pleat make 7 pockets. I pinned the edge to itself until they all fit. I sewed one pocket at a time, starting at the far left pocket.

Flap and pocket placement

7. After cutting the ribbon, I cut one end of each ribbon at a 45 degree angle and used Fray Check on them so they would not fray. After the ribbon ends dried, I lined the uncut ends up with the right edge of the main fabric at the 1/2 way mark and sewed down.

Ribbon attachment

8. Put the outside fabric on top, right sides together. Making a brush holder “sandwich”. Making sure the “hanging” ribbons are not going to be caught in the seam. Sew sandwich together using a 1/4″ seam, and leaving a least a 2″ opening to put the fabric right side out. Double stitch on either side of the opening. Trim the corners, pull the fabric right side out and PRESS!