Free DIY Pencil Case Pattern | Make a Quilted Pencil Case!

Use our free DIY pencil case pattern and make an easy quilted pencil case. Perfect for back to school or as a handmade gift!

If you’re looking for a quick quilting project to make in a day, you have come to the right place.

In this quilted pencil case tutorial, we will show you how to make a quick and easy DIY pencil case with a free pencil case pattern.

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Table of Contents

1. Quilted DIY Pencil Case Tools and Materials
2. DIY Pencil Case Pattern
3. How to Make a DIY Pencil Case
   • Step 1: Make a quilt sandwich and quilt the pencil case
   • Step 2: Finish the edges
   • Step 3: Attach the zipper
   • Step 4: Sew the zipper
   • Step 5: Iron
   • Step 6: Topstitch
   • Step 7: Attach the zipper to the opposite edge
   • Step 8: Iron and topstitch
   • Step 9: Attach the tab
   • Step 10: Clip the sides 
   • Step 11: Sew the pencil case together
4. How to make the tab for the quilted pencil case

Quilted DIY Pencil Case Tools and Materials

For our quilted pencil case, we used two solid colors – pink for the outside and yellow for the inside. We used a purple zipper for added visual interest:

For our DIY pencil case pattern, you will need the following materials:

• Quilting cotton for the outside and inside layer (see the pencil case pattern below)
• Low loft (thin) batting
• Zipper (at least 11 inches long)
• Thread

You’ll also need your basic quilting supplies (or sewing supplies):

• Sewing machine
• A walking foot is useful, but this can also be done with a regular sewing machine foot
• Thread
• Cutting mat and rotary cutter (sewing scissors will also do)
• Basting pins
• Pins
• Serger (optional)

DIY Pencil Case Pattern

This pencil case tutorial uses a very simple pencil case pattern. Basically, you just need to cut three different fabric rectangles and a piece of batting.

Cut:

• 10 x 10’’ square in color A (outside fabric – pink)
• 10 x 10’’ square in color B (Inside fabric – yellow)
• 4 x 2’’ rectangle in color A for the tab
• 10 x 10’’ piece of thin (low loft) batting

How to Make a DIY Pencil Case

Here is how to make a DIY pencil case with our pencil case pattern.

Step 1: Make a quilt sandwich and quilt the pencil case

Lay down the color B square (right side down), then the batting, and finally the color A square (right side up). Pin together using basting pins. You basically want to make a quilt sandwich, like you would when basting a quilt (but on a much smaller scale).

Using your sewing machine, quilt the three layers together. We have a few straight-line quilting designs you can use. Or you can come up with a design on your own.

Step 2: Finish the edges

Finish the edges of the quilted rectangle. We used our serger for this. However, you can use your regular sewing machine and just sew a zig-zag seam all the way around.

Step 3: Attach the zipper

Pin the zipper to one side of the quilted square (right side of the zipper to the outer side of the square). Align the edge of the zipper with the edge of the square and pin in place.

Step 4: Sew the zipper

Sew along the edge. Make sure you don’t sew over the actual zipper opening.

Step 5: Iron

Iron the quilted square back away from the zipper.

Step 6: Topstitch

Topstitch along the edge of the quilted case. (I don’t have a picture of the actual sewing here. But you can see how I topstitched on the other side in step 8.)

Step 7: Attach the zipper to the opposite edge

Fold the quilted square in half and pin the zipper along the opposite edge of the square.

Sew along the edge (like you did on the first side in step 4). Make sure you don’t sew over the actual zipper opening.

Step 8: Iron and topstitch

Just like you did on the first side, iron the seam back, and topstitch.

You should get a tube with the zipper attached:

Step 9: Attach the tab

See instructions on how to make the tab below this pencil case tutorial.

Turn the pencil case wrong side out. Attach the tab right in the center of the edge (see picture). Make sure you attach it on the opposite side of the zipper pull (with the zipper closed). Pin the tab in place.

Step 10: Clip the sides 

Clip the sides of the pencil case together, making sure the zipper is right in the center of the case. Open the zipper halfway.

Step 11: Sew the pencil case together

Sew along both edges (along the dashed lines in the picture). Again, make sure the zipper is halfway open as you sew.

Cut away the tails off the zipper and turn the pencil case out through the zipper opening.

Voila, you’ve made a quilted pencil case!

How to make the tab for the quilted pencil case

This DIY pencil case pattern includes a small tab that you add to the edge of the pencil case. The tab is optional, but I think it adds a professional touch to the finished pencil case.

make the tab follow these steps:

1. Start with a 4 x 2’’ fabric square.
2. Fold in half along the long edge and sew.
3. Open and press the seam.
4. Using a safety pin, turn this ‘tube’ right side out.
5. Iron flat and topstitch along both edges.

That’s it. I hope you love your new quilted pencil case! It was actually my 7-year-old daughter who came up with this project. In fact, she even sewed some of the easier parts.

She uses it for school ever since. I hope you’ll take this DIY pencil case pattern and make one for yourself (or your kids), too!

If you’re looking for other easy projects, try our quilted table runner, a quilted wall hanging, or any of the other ideas we share in 60+ Small Quilting Projects!

Happy sewing!