Exciting news, my friend!
A little over three years ago, I made a little needle book for my best friend Cora. Super scrappy using her fave prints. And I loooved making it. Back then I decided it had to be my next pattern... but it took me till today!
However. Here we are and I am (finally) sharing the pattern for the Tiny Needle Book with you.
Hoping you'll like it as much as I do!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
But let's start at the beginning. Shall we?
The idea behind the needle book is simple. I wanted to make something quick and easy yet it had to be quilty. So I could use all my precious prints.
A quick project in between some long term WIPs. So wether you’re in between two quilts or need a little sewing fix - this project has it all. Quilty vibes but made within one afternoon.
Because we are all busy with kids, jobs and daily responsibilities that keep us on our toes and a full quilt sometimes feels a little daunting. That's at least why I love making bags and pouches. Quick satisfying projects over anything.
Don't you agree...?
Ok. Now let me talk you through the details of the pattern a little more.
Are you ready?
Tiny Needle Book
The pattern is absolutely scrap friendly, suitable for beginners and best of all... it comes as an Online Sewing Course for you as well. But let's break it down a little more.
- No binding promise! The needle book is cleverly constructed, no wonky binding has to be attached at any point. It's almost like magic!
- The book comes with two "secret" slip pockets, one on each side, keeping your fabric organised.
- A zipper pocket and a felt section, keeping your needles and notions neatly in place.
- And finally - best of all - you have the chance to also take my On-Demand Sewing Course, getting to sew alongside me as if we were both doing a class at your local quilt shop. Fun, right...? But more about the course in a bit.
What you'll need
Now let's talk about the materials a little more.
Shall we?
First of all - you will need your copy of the pattern which you can find in my shop (or join the course that comes with the PDF pattern inlcuded!). Remember, it's a measure and cut pattern, meaning all pattern pieces are cut using a rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler. No need to print anything, unless you wish to do so. So you can start straight away picking your fabric!
And here the list with all the things you'll need:
- quilting cotton
- batting
- zipper
- ribbon
- felt
- thread
Fabric:
You will need fabric. Obviously. I like using quilting cotton (I yet have to make one using Liberty *eeeep*) but of course other fabric works as well. Whatever you have on hand. Ohhh... and as the pattern is using rather small pieces everywhere, it's a great chance for you to use up some of your most precious scraps.
Batting:
Only a small piece of batting is needed (roughly 6" x 12") - so you can totally use up some of your scrap batting. Leftovers from your last quilt. This is the one I am using for my quilts and therefore also for my needle book, but any piece of batting works really.
Zipper:
I always use 10" zippers. Like ALWAYS. They are my absolute go-to zipper length for literally everything. Even for much smaller pouches... you can always chop off the ends of a plastic zipper, right?
Technically you only need a 6" plastic zipper but again... you'll always find me using longer ones.
And now the tip: buy them in bulk! I order mine all the way from the US but they are here in absolute no time, super cheap if I buy a pack of a 100 or more and the colour choice is amazing (cotton candy pink, bubble gum pink and gray are my faves if you were wondering).
Ribbon:
Pretty ribbon to close your needle book. I like the plain off-white herringbone one a lot but of course, who can say no to pretty pink ribbons... And you only need a little (18" per needle book to be precise).
Felt:
For the felt section I like to use pink wool felt. It feels amazingly luxurious and is great to work with. And I never had any issues with it fraying (or not behaving in any way).
Thread:
You will need thread. For the construction of the pouch, I am using Aurifil 50wt. That's for all the seams that are not visible later on but have to last.
And for topstitching along the zipper and felt as well as for all the machine quilting, I am switching over to Aurifil 28wt. That's for all the seams that are visible later on. The result looks super neat!
Find out more about thread and when to use which thread weight over on my blog post here.
Online Sewing Course vs PDF Pattern only
As mentioned above... you have the chance to choose!
You can either purchase the PDF sewing pattern as a single if you like - or go all in and sew right alongside me in my binge worthy online Sewing Class.
With the Online Sewing Course you'll also get access to the PDF pattern of course (already included when you purchase the class) and fun bonus material!
Five easy to digest modules cover the basics of bag making helping you to understand the basics so you gain the skills to create confidence. Perfect for you as a visual learner.
Level: beginner friendly!
Find out more about the course and why it's a good fit for you!
And of course - if you have any questions. Please don't hesitate to get in touch. I am only an email (laura@sweetcinnamonroses.com) away and here to help you.
"I’ve finished my needle book and I’m just so in love! I’ve been dying to try my hand at sewing a zipper, this seemed like the perfect project to dip my toes in! The instructions are very detailed and I think even the most beginner sewer could make this with ease!” Stacie, Nebraska
Hope you'll love the Needle Book as much as I do.
Best + big hugs.
Laura x
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