The tutorial I promised on Dad's Christmas present is finally here. Blogger hasn't let me load pictures for a while so I am just getting around to it but hopefully it will be fun and helpful!
This would be a great gift for just about anyone and - seriously! - isn't that hard to make!
So, the original idea came from this bandaid kit that I carry in my first aid stuff (to camp, hiking, etc.) It is a Nexcare Brand thing and is super handy because it holds lots of sizes of bandages along with a larger pocket (seen bottom left) that can hold guaze as well.
For the measurements, you can make it as large or as small as you like, depending on your needs. My dad needs lots of bandaids so I decided to mimic the sample pretty closely (and because I have trouble thinking outside the box sometimes to create something different the first time!). The sample is 8 inches tall by 9 inches wide so that is what I aimed for.
Here is everything you will need:
- fabric for the outside, inside, and pocket
( I chose a simple blue cotton for outside and pockets and a dots fabric for inside.)
- one piece of interfacing (we will discuss this later)
- a small hair elastic (the easiest elastic you can use!)
- a button (shape, color and size is your call!)
- thread (color your call. I used an all purpose blue.)
Here are all the pieces cut out:
- dot inside (approximately 8.5 inches by 9.5 inches - to give myself some leeway on seams)
- blue outside (8.5 inches by 9.5 inches - same measurements)
- two inside pockets (these are 9.5 inches by approx. 4 inches)
- interfacing (also cut at about 8.5 inches by 9.5 inches - you will trim some of this off later)
To make the inside pockets:
Fold one long side down about a quarter of an inch, twice (so you have a pretty top to the pocket later). Sew straight down the folded edge to keep the two folds laying flat and looking nice, as seen in the photo above. Set these aside.
Interfacing:
I tend to purchase the heat bond style - meaning it has one rough side that adhears to other fabrics when heated with an iron. If you don't purchase that kind, I suggest using a spray set adhesive as seen above. Either way, lay your interfacing on your outside fabric (wrong sides together if you chose a fabric that has a wrong side/right side). Mine is just a solid cotton so it didn't matter. Iron on (this means, the interfacing is now attached to the back of the outer piece of fabric). Set aside.
Full honesty here: I messed up on one piece of fabric so I cut another dots piece and adhered my interfacing to that one instead. See pictures below...
In this picture, the interfacing is ironed to the back side (wrong side) of the dots cotton and is touching the table. Now you are going to stack all of your pieces so you can iron them together.
Here is how the sandwich goes:
- Interfacing on table with dots ironed on top facing up
- lay your pockets (with sewn edges, remember those?) on top of the dots with the "bad side"/the side you turned under to make the seam at the top, facing down towards the dots. These should be lined up with the outsides edges of the dots fabric with a space in the middle, see photo above and below.
- lay your top layer (my blue layer that is the final outside) on top of all of that
Another photos of layers laying together.
If you want to pin the layers together, you can (and should if you are worried about them slipping).
I didn't. :)
Start on either side of the "package" of layers and start sewing all the layers together. I allowed about a quarter of an inch seam allowance, or the width of the foot on my sewing machine.
Stop sewing when you get to one side/end (where the pocket is - see photo above).
Grab your hair elastic and lay it between the layers with just a bit sticking out (between the pocket and the outer layer so when you turn everything you have the majority to use on the outside. Everything you see here will eventually be the inside of the bandaid holder.
(If you got the elastics that have a metal bar in the middle, make sure to have that be the bit on the inside when you are finished. Meaning, make sure that is the little bit sticking out on the right in the picture above. Mine do have a glued seam so I have that sticking out to the right too.)
Close the layers back up (over the elastic) and sew across that area. Be careful that your machine doesn't get stuck on the elastic - you might have to "help it" across. I usually go back over this area twice (back up across once and then just go forward again).
Once you have sewn your elastic down, finish sewing the rest of the way around the edge of the layers but MAKE SURE you leave a gap (See photo above). I leaft about a 2 or 3 inch gap and back stiched both ends of my sewing. This is how you will turn everything right-sides out.
Trim any edges cleanly, close to the stiching (but not so close you cut stiching).
About an 8th of an inch is good.
I can't sew straight sometimes so I had a edge to trim on one side more than the other!
Trim your corners off, being careful - again - not to cut into stiching.
This will help your corner lay pretty once you turn it rightside out.
Now you get to actually turn it right sides out! Stuff stuff, tug tug - till everything is laying how it should be. I usually use a pen or pencil to push up into the corners to get everything stuffed out the way it should be.
Corners poked out nicely with something semi sharp. I think there is actually a tool for this but I don't own it - a pen or pencil works just fine - sometimes I even use a chopstick. :)
I usually like to give it a good iron at this to get my seams laying flat.
You now have an open slot in one edge. Tuck those layers in so the hole is closed up and iron again.
The next step is top stitching so that hole will get closed then...
Once you have ironed your hole closed, go around and top stich the edge of the entire project. This means you stich fairly close to the edge all the way around. Not only does it make it look professional and finished but it makes it lay flatter and closes up that hole you used to turn everything out. See the top of the picture above to see how close to the edge I stiched.
I also stiched straight down the center of the project (seen in photo above too). This helps it fold in half a bit better and is just another thoughtful touch.
Once you have top stiched, your pony tail elastic should be hanging out one side. Fold it over and mark where you would like your button to fall - keep it tight but not so tight that once you sew your button on that it cinches it down.
Sew your button on with a needle and thread. Make sure you aren't sewing your pocket down at the same time. You need to pull your pocket back to sew it on. 
Open your holder back up and sew down both sides of the button. Now you are working on making the dividers for the bandaids. I do this step first because you want to make sure your button is centered (this sewing it on first) but also that it won't be in the way when you are sewing more dividers next.
I chose my divider size by literally laying out bandaids and guaze and just sewing up from there. I sewed from the bottom edge of the holder to the top of the pocket. See photo above and below.
More dividers. Use bandaids for widths.
And you're done!
Ta da!
You now have a nice banaid holder for a gift or for your car, diaper bag, or purse!
Ask questions in the comments if something didn't make sense!
Enjoy!
