BACK TO SCHOOL - Make a Unicorn pencil case

Published: Wednesday, 30 August 2017

The first day of school is just around the corner and we're getting excited around here!!!! New friends, new teachers, new adventures. Grade 1 is a big deal, people!

But if I gotta be honest with you, I kind of feel like we aren't truly ready for it. Yes, I have shopped for a few new items, like shoes, and have been working on a few back-to-school projects like a couple of new dresses and sweaters, snack bags for her lunches, etc... but wherever I go I see stores packed to the brim with school supplies, and parents telling me stories about all the things their kids need. And you know what I've bought? NOTHING! I'm a total newbie in the grade school department, and I AM CLUELESS. I have no idea what my kid will need (and I can't remember what I used in school... that was centuries ago!). She has a backpack, several lunch bags, and most basic supplies, so I don't know... am I supposed to get her something else? Are there any other real 'must-haves' for first grade? Am I the most unprepared mother around? Maybe ('first world problems' written all over me).

When I don't know what I'm supposed to do, I make stuff. It makes me feel like I'm on top of things. I'm being productive!! (HA! sort of) So while gathering my daughter's school supplies, I realized there actually was one thing she needed... a pencil case. PERFECT! (I told myself) That I can do.

Emma loves everything from princesses to Hot Wheels, so her interests change often, but currently she is obsessed with rainbows and unicorns. So when thinking of a theme for her new pencil case, I knew unicorns would have to be involved somehow. Now here's something you should know about me. When I decide to do something, I have to do it NOW! So I basically made this pencil case with things I had on hand, and if I didn't have something, I just got creative ("Use what you have" is my creating motto).

Is your child obsessed with unicorns, too? Get your sewing supplies ready, because we're doing this!

What you'll need:

- White Minky Fabric, 8"

- Cotton print for lining, 8"

- 8" (20 cm) closed-end zipper in coordinating colour

- Lightweight non-woven fusible interfacing 8"

- coordinating thread

- Miscellaneous (small quantities of each):

Felt pieces in soft pink, white, black
Embroidery thread or yarn in brown or black
Ribbon (for hanging loop)
4" wide Chainette fringe in assorted colours (for hair)
Metallic fabric & stuffing (for horn)

I don't offer a printable pattern, but it's very easy to make your own. Draw an oblong shape that will be the face of the unicorn (mine was about 10" H x 8" W at the widest point). Cut out 1 full piece out of the minky and the cotton print; that will be the front of your pencil case. Then fold your pattern in half and cut 2 half pieces out of the minky and cotton print, adding about 1/2" seam allowance at the center line; that will be the back of the pencil case. Then cut 2 square pieces (about 2" x 2") out of each fabric; those will be the zipper tabs.

NOTE: I chose to interface the cotton fabric to give the pencil case a bit more structure, without making it super rigid, but this step is optional. If you choose to interface your cotton fabric, do it before you cut it.

Starting with the zipper, take one of the minky and cotton squares, right sides together, and slide the zipper in between (the right side of the zipper should face the minky fabric, as shown below). Sew a straight line, unfold and press your seam. Now do the same at the other end of the zipper. Your zipper should look like the pictures on the right (I serged around the tabs because the minky kept shedding, but it is not necessary).

Next, sandwich the zipper in between one of the minky and cotton halves (zipper facing minky fabric), as shown below, and using a zipper foot on your machine, sew the zipper in place.

Repeat the same steps for the other side of the zipper. The picture below shows what the back of the pencil case should look by now... all finished.

Now you can set that aside and get to work on the front of the pencil case. Cut out your felt shapes as follows:

- 4 white pieces for the ears

- 2 pink pieces for the inner ears

- 1 pink piece for the nose

- 2 black pieces for the nostrils

You will also need to cut a small triangle shape out of the metallic fabric, for the horn. Mine was about 3.5" H. Sew along the 2 long sides, turn right side out and stuff. Then sew the opening closed.

Assemble the ears by sewing 2 white pieces first, then a pink piece in the centre (for each ear).

Place all your felt pieces on the minky front piece and arrange them to create the face. Pin and sew in place.

You can now add the hair, sewn in layers of different colours behind the horn and in between the 2 ears.

For the eyes, I just traced the lines directly on the face with a soft pencil, then embroidered them using brown yarn (what I had on hand!). I am most definitely not good at embroidering, but I can stitch up a somewhat straight line.

As you can see in the pictures below, I added a small ribbon loop on one side of the face to attach the pencil case to binders, etc... and I also decorated the back of the case with some sewn-in felt starts. This is optional, but I thought it added a little bit of colour to an otherwise plain white backing. Now that you have both sides finished, it's time to put it all together.

This part is a bit hard to explain, and I sure wish I had a picture, but alas, I got distracted with sewing and forgot about the camera. Take your minky front (face) piece and place it on top of the backing piece (minky sides together). Then take your cotton front piece and place it under your backing piece (cotton sides together). Pin both in place, making sure the minky pieces and the cotton pieces remain separated. Now sew all around the minky (outer shell). Then sew around the cotton pieces, leaving an opening to turn the whole case right side out. Once you're done, turn it right side out and sew the opening closed. (I hope that was clear enough. If you have questions, leave me a comment!).