Â
I have mentioned before that the reason we moved to Colorado 2 months ago, was for my husband to complete several clinical rotations (for PA school) before graduating next spring. And lucky us, we were able to bum my parents basement apartment off of them while staying here. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) The basement has everything we need; bedrooms, a bathroom, a family room……even a kitchen.Â
But overall, it’s a smaller space than what we had in GA.Â
So downsizing has been tricky. We can’t spread out as much.
Â
So we have meshed things together and have doubled up room purposes. Like, all of my craft stuff is in the family room. Eeek! And my husband’s school desk is in the kitchen. Another eek! But it works just fine and we are really grateful for our basement dwelling status right now. Haha.
Â
Anyway, lately, I have been having an all-out-fight with my jewelry. There is no room for a jewelry box anywhere in our bedroom……so I have random baggies filled with jewelry, shoved in random drawers or shelves. And then when I want something, I generally have to scour all nooks and crannies, looking for what I want.
Â
So, I was walking through Joann’s the other day (buying the duck cloth for this bag) and saw some fabric jewelry holders. I liked the idea……except didn’t care for the fabric. Or the roll up and tie (for travel?) feature. And well, I didn’t like the pocket sizes either. I wanted what I wanted…….go figure. So I bought some supplies, right then and there, and added the project to my list.
Â
And this is what I came up with.Â
Â
A double sided hanging fabric holder…….perfect for all of my orphaned jewelry pieces.
Â
Â
Â
Â
Both sides are made with customized pocket sizes.Â
Â
My rings and earrings fit perfectly in the smaller pockets and my bigger bracelets and necklaces slip right into the larger pockets.
Â
Â
I will be hanging my jewelry holder right in my closet. All nice and tucked away.Â
(And yeah, my clothes are never that organized. Totally for the picture. Haha.)
Â
Â
And when I need something, I can push the clothes apart and select what I need…….
Â
Â
………or pull it all the way out, while still hanging, and pick what I want to wear.
Â
Â
You could also hang this from a door or wall. And then turn it around to the other side, as needed.
Â
Â
Â
Or, you can fill it with something completely different.Â
Â
As I was making this, I realized I may need to make another one and fill it with sewing notions.Â
Remember how we have less room? Yeah, this may solve a few space issues in the craft area.Â
Â
Â
It would be expecially nice for the sewing things I use most often. Keeps them nice and handy.
Â
Â
Â
Need some other ideas of what to fill this with?
Â
Anyway, I know there are others out there with limited space, just like me. This may help you keep your sanity.
Â
Â
Would you like to make your own?
Â
Â
First of all……..you need a sturdy hanger. Mine came from the dry cleaner’s. But you want one that is thick and has a nice sturdy shape to it. Also, one that isn’t too curvy or have ridges along the main top section.
Â
Then, select a nice sturdy fabric. Mine is a home decor fabric……..so it’s thicker and sturdier than just plain woven cotton.
Â
Lastly, you need some clear vinyl. I purchased mine at Joann’s and I think it was a 10 guage thickness. I really can’t remember…..maybe it was .10 or something. The number 10 sticks out in my memory for some reason. Sorry, I didn’t write down the number. It isn’t super flimsy but is thin enough to fold easily and sew through. Does that help?
. . .
Â
UPDATE: A reader shared a little trick about putting scotch tape on the bottom of your presser foot while sewing with vinyl. I explained more about it here. Worked like a charm and will help with this project!!Â
Â
To begin, measure the width of your hanger (mine was 18 inches wide) and then cut 2 rectangle pieces that are 2 inches wider than your hanger…….and the length that you want it. Be sure to add a little extra for seam allowances.
Â
My actual finished jewelry hanger is 20 inches wide by 30 inches tall.
Â
So my starting rectangle pieces were 20 x 35 inches……..and then I trimmed a few inches off the bottom at the very end. But I liked having the extra length, just in case.
Â
Â
First, take one of your rectangle pieces (face down) and center your hanger along the top of your rectangle piece. Trace around the top contour of the hanger, about a 1/2 inch away from the hanger.
Â
I only traced around the top half and then folded my fabric in half lengthwise and then cut it out. This just assures that your two sides will be exactly symmetrical.
Â
Then I unfolded it and used that as the pattern to cut out the other rectangle piece of fabric, the exact same way. But however you cut out your shape, be sure that the front piece matches the back piece.
Â
Then, round your bottom corners. Use a round cup or small bowl as a guide, if needed.
Â
Â
Now, you’ll need to decide on the size of your pockets. And then sew 1/4 inch double fold bias tape to the top edge. (What is bias tape? Click here.)
Now, if your jewelry holder is a different size, you’ll have to do some math and figure out what size pockets you want, how big the pleats should be, how many pockets in each row, etc. But I will show you what I did for mine. (And as a tip, just to be safe, add a few inches of length to each strip and then cut off the excess that you don’t need.)
Â
I cut 4 strips of vinyl that were 28 inches long by 4 1/2 inches tall. And then one strip that was 28 inches by 5 1/2 inches.
Â
Â
Then I started making chalk lines across the front side of one of my fabric pieces. You couldn’t see the chalk lines very well in the picture, so I drew some white lines right on top, in photoshop. So I measured 6.5 inches from the top and made my first line (where the very top of my first row of pockets will hit) and then measured down 4 inches made another line, etc. These lines will be used to keep my rows of pockets even. Then kept measuring down 4, 4, 4, then 5 inches.
Â
Â
Here’s an actual picture of my chalk lines.
Â
And to give the pockets some fullness (so that stuff will fit inside), I added 2 pleats to each pockets. To do this, I started marking little lines along the bottom edge of the vinyl strips. For the first 4 rows of pockets, I wanted each pocket to be about 3 3/4 inches apart. And each pleat needed an extra 3/4 inch of length to fold with. So I used a blue pen to mark my pleat lines and a red pen to separate my 2 pleats for each pocket.
Â
Â
I used photoshop again to make new red and blue marks below, so you could see them better.
Â
So, starting on the left side, I started about 3/4 of an inch from the left edge and made a red mark. This is where the vinyl will line up with the edge of the fabric. From there I measure over 3/4 of an inch, then another 3/4 of an inch and marked both in blue. Then I measured over 2 1/4 inch and then made 2 more blue marks 3/4 of a inch apart, then a red mark, then another 2 blue marks. I continued all the way across the bottom edge of the vinyl. SO between each red mark, are the markings to make two pleats for the pocket that will fit between those 2 red marks.
Â
Â
To make the 2 pleats for each pocket, you will make the left pleat fold over to the left…..and the right pleat fold over to the right. Start on the very left of the vinyl and pinch the second blue line and fold the vinyl.Â
Â
Then fold it over to the left, until it reaches the first blue line.Â
Â
That makes your first pleat. Now, pin it in place. (Be sure to pin in the bottom 1/2 inch of the vinyl. Because once you pull the pin out, you’ll have a small hole. And the bottom 1/2 inch will be folded under so you won’t see those holes. Anything above that, you’ll probably see at the bottom of your pocket.)
Â
Now, do the same thing with the second set of blue lines, but fold over to the right. That makes the 2 folds for 1 pocket.
Â
Now, continue along until you have all of the pleats folded and pinned. Remember, the red lines are just the markers that will separate your pockets with seams later on.
Â
Now, turn this strip of pinned pleats face down, with the pinned side at the top. So, face down and upside down. Line up the pinned edge 1/2 inch above the second chalk line down. Also, center this strip between the two sides of the fabric. Be sure that none of your pleats are over the edge and that there’s at least 3/4 of an inch on each side before a pleat begins. Pin the strip of vinyl in place.
Â
Then place under the sewing machine and sew the strip of vinyl in place, removing the pins as you go. Sew right on top of that old chalk line as your guide.
**TIP: Sewing on vinyl can be tricky. It tends to stick to your presser foot at times, and can keep your fabric from advancing. To help this, you can place a layer of tissue paper between your foot and the vinyl and that will help it glide right along. Then after, you can rip the tissue paper right off. However, it makes it harder to see where you’re sewing. So what I do, is increase my stitch length (from about a 2 to about a 3 or 3.5) to help jump over the vinyl a little bit more. Also, I use both my hands on each side of the presser foot and pull the fabric and vinyl right along, so that the vinyl doesn’t get stuck. I also, at times, put one hand in back of the presser foot and one in the front……and pull the fabric back that way. Do what works best for you.
Â
UPDATE: A reader shared a little trick about putting scotch tape on the bottom of your presser foot. I explained more about it here. Worked like a charm!!
Â
There’s the completed seam.
Â
Now, fold it up, right along that bottom seam and press flat with your fingers.
Â
And then sew between each pocket and on each end (a 1/4 inch from each end). Use that old red dot as your guide and use pins to pin each pocket down, if needed.
Â
I did the same thing with the other 3 rows of vinyl.
Â
Now, if you’re changing your pocket sizes, you’ll need to pin it differently. I wanted 4 pockets in this bottom row. So I adjusted my pleats and spaced them a bit more. But I attached it to the fabric the same way.
Â
And here is the final side……..with pockets all sewn on.
Â
Now, it’s time to attach pockets to the other piece of fabric. For my back side, I made 2 rows of pockets at the top that were half as tall as the pockets on the other side. So instead of cutting strips of vinyl that were 4 1/2 inches tall, I cut them 2 1/4 inches tall……and then made 8 pockets across instead of just 5. So instead of cutting the strips 28 inches long, I cut them about 32 inches long……and then adjusted the pleat marks to 1/2 inch apart instead of 3/4 of an inch.Â
Â
Then I made 3 of the regular sized rows and then 1 bigger row at the bottom, just like the first side.
Â
Here are the two sides. The one I did first on the right…..and the other on the left.
Â
Then, at the top of one of the sides, I cut a dip out of the top. This will provide you with a hole to stick your hanger through, later on.
Â
Then I finished off the raw edge of that dip, with some 1/4 inch double fold bias tape.
Â
Then I pinned the two sides together, with wrong sides together (so that pockets are all facing outward).
Â
Then I sewed the 2 sides together (only along the top and sides…..leave the bottom open), using a 3/8 inch seam allowance.
Â
Then I attached some 1/2 inch double fold bias tape around the sides and top of the jewelry holder (don’t sew the bottom closed yet)…..making sure to sandwich the bias tape around the raw edges. While sewing, be sure that you are sewing through the bias tape on the back too. (And sew very slowly around the curves and pull the bias tape to help it curve better.)Â
Also, be sure to leave long tails of bias tape at each end, so that you have enough to finish off the bottom.
Â
There’s the top and sides, all finished off…….
Â
But the bottom remains open.
Â
Here is the very top, with your little opening.
Â
Stick your hanger up through the bottom opening and poke it through the opening in the top. See? Fits the hanger like a glove.
Â
Now, finish the bottom off. I sewed one end of the bias tape down and then folded the other end under and sewed it down too. Trim any uneven edges off, if needed.
Â
Â
And that’s it.Â
Â
You’re all ready to hang your jewelry holder.Â
Or your craft/toy/make-up/sock organizer.
Â
Â
Â