The Most Unique Sewing Kit With Needle and Pin Sharpener

A friend here on instructables inspired me to make a sewing kit because she lost her one and only needle. I could relate to the lost needle Frantic Attack because I loose them all the time and have stepped on one of those lost needles and it does hurt! I decided it was time to make that customized sewing kit created for those who can't see those tiny sharp needles. This kit was designed for embroidery notations but it can be customized to suit any sewing craft. In the days when sewing was a necessity women used steel wool to sharpen their needles.

Step 1: Suggestions for Sewing Kit Contents

This kit can be customized to your needs by sewing the pocket lines according to the size of objects placed into the pockets, making the booklet larger and figuring out the measurements for the folds. The folds need to be uniform.

Needles
Embroidery hoop
Embroidery thread
Magnet
Sewing pins
Seam ripper
Pencil
Iron on pencil
Scissors
Ruler
Tape measure
Emory board
Thimble
Paper
Pins
Pen
Buttons
Aunt Martha's patterns

Step 2: Fabric, Thread, Buttons, Etc. Needed

For the body of the sewing kit:

3 Coordinating fabrics each cut 14 1/2" wide X 35" long
2 interfacing 14 1/2 " X 35" long
Matching thread

For the tabs:

Cut 1 contrasting fabric (4 " long X 2 1/4" wide) cut interfacing the same.
Cut 1 same fabric (4" long X 3 "wide) cut interfacing the same.
2 Buttons for the tabs front and back.
2 Sets Small sticky back Velcro dots or make a button hole.

For the needle packet:

Cut 2 of each coordinating fabrics using scissors or with pinking sheers optional ( 4 " square).
Cut one 4" square cardboard
Glue

For the needle sharpener:

Cut 2 of chosen fabric 3 1/2 " square with pinking sheers optional
1 0000 steel wool or fine

For The thimble:

1 Clothes pin

For the magnet: This is used to find a lost needle:

Either make your own magnet from a strip or use a bought magnet.
Glue a button to the magnet or glue the magnet to a Popsicle stick.

Step 3: Tools

You will need:

Scissors
Pinking shears optional
Marker or writing pen
Sewing pins
Straight edge or ruler
Iron and board
Sewing machine or hand sew
1 Sewing needle, sewing pins, and thread
Seam ripper

Step 4: Cutting the Pieces

Cut all the pieces:

For the body of the sewing kit:

3 Coordinating fabrics each cut 14 1/2" wide X 35" long
2 interfacing 14 1/2"wide X 35" long

For the tabs:

Cut 1 contrasting fabric (4 " long X 2 1/4" wide) cut ( 1 ) interfacing the same.
Cut 1 same fabric (4" long X 3 "wide) cut ( 1 ) interfacing the same.

For the needle packet:

Cut ( 2 ) of each coordinating fabrics with pinking sheers or scissors ( 4 " square).

For the needle sharpener:

Cut ( 2 ) of chosen fabric 3 1/2 " square with pinking sheers or scissors.
Cut ( 1 ) 4" square cardboard

Step 5: Interfacing

Iron the interfacing to the main body of the front and back of the kit.
Iron the interfacing to both tabs.
Tabs: Turn under 1/4" on both sides and one end of both pieces.
Fold both tabs pieces over length wise and hand sew or machine stitch.

Step 6: Assembly and Sewing of the Needle Sharpener

Place the (2) square fabric cloths measuring 3 1/2" with wrong sides together.
Pull apart a small golf ball size of the steel wool and insert it between the two layers of the square.
Sew all around the edges.
That is it.

Step 7: Needle Packet

The picture shows 6 squares with pinked edges trimmed to fit in a layered pattern and the top is turned down 1/4" hem and sewn for a finished look. I added a tab in the back and it was sewn at the same time the hem was sewn. It does not really need one though. The small piece of 4" cardboard is glued to the back as a stabilizer.

Step 8: Pinning Front and Back Pieces

Each of my pages are 5 1/2" so I marked the center of the back page for the top tab.
Pin the right sides of the kit or booklet together along the long edge.
Then placed a mark on the end of the side page for the side tab and pin the tab so it extended towards the center of the booklet between the lining and main fabric.

Step 9: Placing the Tabs

This step is a correction from my finished sewing kit. I placed the top tab on the wrong end. So here is a picture of the way it should be done.

Place the top tab in the center of the back page of the right side of the kit with the finished edge dropping down towards the center of the page. I can't show a picture because it is already made. When you sew the sides and turn the fabric right side out the tabs should look like this and be on the right side of the book. It is easier to pin both tabs to make sure they are placed correctly.

Step 10: Sewing Layers

Sew along the two long edges using 1/4" seam allowance.
Trim loose threads.
Turn right side out.

Step 11: Pinning and Sewing the Ends

Looking at the lining side of the booklet turn under both ends 1/4" to form a side hem for the book ends.
Turn up the bottom edge 4" to form the pocket.
Got to next step.

Step 12: Forming and Sewing the Pockets

Here you will determine the size you want your pages.
Mine are 5 1/2"
Lay out the items you will place in the pocket in the order that you want them.
Fan fold the pages to determine the page size.
Adjust as necessary.
Crease it with an iron.
Then mark or pin the pocket seams.
Machine stitch or hand sew all the pocket seams which will include the side seams you pinned together in the previous step.

Step 13: Magnet

Either make your own magnet from a strip or use a bought magnet.
Glue a button to the magnet or glue the magnet to a Popsicle stick.
The magnet sticks to the needle sharpener as you can see from the pictures.

Step 14: Thimble

The thimble is clipped to the clothes pin and then inserted into the pocket with the thimble down.
The clothes pin keeps the thimble securely in the pocket!

Step 15: Sunshiine's Final Thoughts

The sewing kit is handy and functional. I am pleased with the results. A person might make an outside pocket on the front page to give it a little more pzazz.. Of course I should mention that my mother was a crafter and I learned a lot from her.

In closing I would like to thank our instructables company, sponsors, authors, readers, and members; for making this community a great success! Many hours and hard work has been put into making this place the best DIY on the Internet. Have a splendorous day! Sunshiine