Car Organizer

Pattern Markings

Transfer all pattern markings to the fabric using a disappearing ink pen or tailors chalk.

TIP – If using a disappearing ink pen, transfer the pattern markings after applying the interfacing.

Interfacing

Use the manufacturer’s instructions to apply interfacing to the to the wrong side of the following pieces: Piece A – Base of Organizer (x2), Piece B – Large Flat Pocket B, Piece D – Small Flat Pocket D, Piece E – Small Volume Pocket E

Fold Piece D – Small Flat Pocket D in half widthwise, right sides together.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Turn right side out and press.

Topstitch along the top edge using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

Place onto Pattern Piece A – Base of Organizer at pattern marking. Pin.

Topstitch the bottom seam with a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

TIP – For extra support, shorten the stitch length slightly.

Find the center of the pocket and draw a vertical line with a disappearing ink pen or tailors chalk.

Fold the Piece E – Small Volume Pocket E piece in half widthwise, right sides together. Pin.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Turn right side out and press.

Topstitch the top edge using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

If you have not done it yet, transfer the pattern markings along the bottom edge of Piece E – Small Volume Pocket E.

Find the center of the pocket and draw a vertical line with a disappearing ink pen or tailors chalk.

Lay Piece E – Small Volume Pocket E onto Piece D – Small Flat Pocket D, both right sides facing up, matching center points, Pin.

Match the side outer edges. Pin.

Create the pleats by folding at the lines as shown, using the marks as a guide, and clip in place.

NOTE – The pleats are shown being made away from the organizer just for clarity, yours will be clipped onto your organizer to ensure the pleats create a pocket the exact size of the base.

TIP – Clips work much better than pins here due to thickness of seam.

Topstitch along the bottom using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

TIP – Sew slowly as the fabric will be thick and lengthen your stitch length slightly.

Stitch down the center line drawn in step 1.5 and 2.5, creating 2 pockets for both Piece D – Small Flat Pocket D and Piece E – Small Volume Pocket E.

Remove the fabric marker line.

Take Piece B – Large Flat Pocket B, fold the pocket in half wrong sides together, and press.

Top stitch using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

If you have not done it yet, transfer all the pattern markings using a disappearing ink pen or tailors chalk.

Set piece aside.

You will need to create six ‘holes’ for the twine to thread through the pockets. You can add metal eyelets or sew an eyelet hole. If you are adding metal eyelets, follow below. If you are sewing eyelet holes, follow step 4.1 to 4.2, then skip to step 4.7.

TIP – Eyelets can be tricky. We recommend practicing inserting the eyelets onto a scrap piece of fabric first, before inserting the eyelets onto your pocket.

Fold Piece C – Large Volume Pocket C in half widthwise and press. Unfold Piece C after pressing to avoid putting eyelets through both layers.

Transfer the eyelet placement The eyelets are marked on a straight horizontal line, they should be ½ inch below the folded edge of the fabric, and 1 inch apart.

TIP – Make a cross on your fabric to mark the center point of each of these to ensure they are spaced perfectly.

TIP – Add interfacing or stabilizer where your eyelets will be to help stabilize the fabric there.

Using a sharp awl or scissors, cut a small hole at the pattern marking.

NOTE – The picture is from a different pattern, however, the technique is the same.

NOTE – Make sure your fabric is unfolded and that you are only cutting your holes into one layer of fabric.

TIP – It is easier to start off with a small hole. You can then adjust the size of the hole to fit the eyelet more easily. It needs to just be as big as the center of the eyelet.

Eyelets come in two pieces. One with a longer shank and the second part (slightly flatter) is the washer.

Insert the shank piece on Piece C – Large Volume Pocket C through the hole.

Place the washer over the shank from the Piece C – Large Volume Pocket C from the wrong side of the pocket.

The pocket is now sandwiched between the shank and washer pieces of the eyelet.

Hammer the eyelet into place using an eyelet press or the eyelet tool (this usually comes with the eyelet kit) and a hammer.

TIP – Work on a sturdy surface as you will need to knock the eyelet hardware into place with a hammer or heavy tool. You can protect your surface with a piece of scrap fabric.

TIP – Tap gently and check that neither the shank and washer or pocket have shifted.

Repeat steps 4.3 to 4.5 for the rest of the eyelets.

Create 6 eyelets with the center of the eyelet at the center of the cross you marked on your fabric.

You can either use metal eyelets, following the manufacturer’s instructions, or if your machine has the ability to create sewn eyelets, you can use this function.

NOTE – the first picture shows the sewn eyelet, the second shows the metal eyelet option.

Tie a double knot on one end of your twine, and pin to the left raw edge of the pocket with the knot extending past the fabric.

1^st set of eyelets: Thread the twine through the eyelet from the back, leave a 15-inch loop, then thread through a toggle and through the next eyelet from right side to the wrong side.

2^nd set of eyelets: Thread through the 3rd eyelet from the wrong side to right side, again leaving a 15-inch loop of twine on the right side of the fabric, thread a toggle, before threading from right side to wrong side of eyelet 4.

3^rd set of eyelets: Thread through the 5^th eyelet from the wrong side to the right side, leave a 15-inch loop, then thread through a toggle and through the sixth eyelet from the right side to the wrong side.

Tie a double knot on the end of the right side of the twine and pin to the raw edge of the pocket with the knot extending past the fabric.  Make a knot again, and pin in place again.

Stitch the ends of the twine on both sides, making sure to backstitch several times to ensure it is stitched securely. Then cut the knots off each end.

Move the twine up and away from the needle, stitch below the twine to create a casing.

If you have added eyelets, you will need to draw a line that is far enough below the eyelets to stitch this line with ease.

TIP – To make it easier to stitch the casing, it may be helpful to move your needle to the right so that the stitching line is as close as possible to the eyelets, without the foot hitting the eyelets.

TIP – As you sew this line, use your fingers to ensure the twine is out of the way and doesn’t get stitched into this seam.

Pin the top and bottom edge of Piece C – Large Volume Pocket C at the markings.

Align the pins to the pattern markings on Piece B – Large Flat Pocket B.  Ensure the folded edge of Piece C – Large Volume Pocket C is 1 ½ inches below the folded edge of Piece B – Large Flat Pocket B at each mark. Pin.

Using your disappearing ink pen or tailors chalk, draw a line between the two points.  This will be your stitching line.

Stitch along the lines from top to bottom.

TIP – Move the fold out of the way as you sew down each line.

Baste the two side seams using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Remove marker.

TIP – Basting is just like normal stitching except the stitches need to be long and loose so that they can be removed later, if needed. Stitch within the seam allowance, so that the basting stitches are not seen in the final garment, while keeping the stitches loose enough to pull out just in case they are visible. The purpose is to hold a piece of fabric in place until that section is properly sewn. Set the machine to a long loose stitch. Test it on a piece of fabric first to make sure that the stitches can easily be removed. Do not backstitch at either end. Leave the ends loose, with approximately 1 inch of thread tails at either end of the stitching.

Create the pleat in the base of each pocket as follows:

Find the middle of the eyelets, crease the pocket down the length from this point.

NOTE – Mark the spot with a pin or chalk for more visibility.

Holding the crease made in step 6.1, match both of the wrong sides of the pocket together until the pocket is sitting flat against Piece B – Large Flat Pocket B and the pleat is sticking straight up.

Pin both sides of the pleat together at the base to create the center point of the pleat.

NOTE – The pictures used are from a different pattern, however, the techniques are the same.

Finger press the folded edge at the top of the pleat to mark the center point. Pin.

Align the pressed point with the center of the pleat created in step 6.2, flattening the pleat equally on either side of the center.

Pin in place.

Add additional pins on either side of the original pin, to secure the pleat in place.

Repeat step 6.1 to 6.5 for the other two pockets.

Baste along the base to hold this in place, using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Place on top of Base.  Match the raw edges and pin.

Align the first twill tape piece to the raw edge at the top of Piece B – Large Flat Pocket B. Pin.

Repeat with the second twill tape piece on the opposite raw edge at the top of Piece B – Large Flat Pocket B. Pin.

Align the third twill tape piece with the raw edge ¾ of an inch from the bottom corner of the Base on the long edge. Pin.

Repeat with the fourth twill tape piece on the opposite raw edge ¾ inch from the bottom corner of the Base on the long edge. Pin.

OPTIONAL: Baste all four twill tape in place using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Cut a 9-inch piece of webbing.

Add the button from the overall buckle 2 ½ inches from one end.

There will be a male part and a female part which join together. Work out which part you want on top.

TIP – The shank of the button should push through the webbing, if it doesn’t, use an awl or sharp pointed object to carefully pierce the fabric first. This will make a small hole and will make it much easier to insert the shank of the button. Make your hole as small as possible. If you make too large a hole, the button will move around.

TIP – If you are using hammer on buttons, try applying a spare set to practice first. If you are using a hammer to apply them, also make sure to protect the button with a cloth. If you have one, a mallet is a better tool as it is softer and less likely to damage the button. Many suppliers provide a set of tools for applying metal or hammer on buttons/snaps. If they do not, placing your button face down on a wooden spoon can provide a sturdy but slightly rounded surface which will protect the button.

Fold the piece of webbing in half with button facing the outside.

On your sewing machine, move the needle to left (to avoid the button) and topstitch the webbing down one long side, across the fold and back up the second long side using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

Place the webbing on the top the left side of the organizer, placing it 1 inch from the left edge, with raw edges matching. The button should be facing towards the organizer. Pin.

Take remaining webbing and thread through the overall buckle so that it can be adjusted in length.

TIP – Test this length in your vehicle to make sure your car organizer will hang at the level you prefer. If necessary, shorten or lengthen to meet the needs and fit of your vehicle.

Fold the raw edge that threaded through the clip under twice and stitch in place.

Place webbing on the top right side of the Base, 1 inch from the right edge, raw edges matching with the clip facing towards the organizer. Pin.

OPTIONAL: Baste both webbings using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Tuck the webbing straps into the small pockets.

Loosely tie the twill tape straps together to keep them out of the way.

Place the second Piece A – Base of Organizer on top of the organizer, right sides together, matching all the raw edges. Pin.

TIP – If you did not baste the twill tape and webbings, make sure to move all the pins away from the stitch line.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance, leaving approximately an 8-inch-long gap for turning.

TIP – On the webbing and tape, reinforce the seam by stitching 3-4 times back and forth to make the stitching stronger.

Clip the corners to reduce the bulk. Make little snips into the seam allowance at the corners. Be careful not to cut into the stitching.

Turn the organizer right side out and press the seams.

TIP – Push out the corners with a blunt object, like a chopstick, so that there are crisp, sharp edges and corners.

Pin the gap closed.

Topstitch the two long edges and top edge of the organizer ⅛ inch from the edge. Do not stitch the bottom edge of the organizer.

TIP – Be careful not to catch the straps or twine in your stitching.

To add snaps to the twill tape, place the organizer around the seat with the webbing strap at the correct length for your seat. Then, thread the twill tape around the seat and use safety pins to mark where you want the snaps to be placed.

Fill your organizer as you think it may be filled and check to make sure the safety pins are correctly placed.

Mark the placement of the safety pins with a disappearing ink pen or tailors chalk, then add Snaps to the marked points.

OPTIONAL – Add a second snap for extra stability.

Trim off the extra twill tape, leaving enough to fold the raw edge under twice.

Stitch along the fold.

Your Car Organizer is finished!