A new school year means new pencils, new notebooks, and the perfect excuse to sew something fresh. Whether you’re outfitting your own kids, a classroom, or just love a good back to school craft binge, these projects are all about function and personality. Here are a few of our favorite handmade back to school projects, plus the materials that make them hold up all year long.
Structured Pencil Cases & Supply Organizers
A pencil case is a small project that gives you an excuse to experiment with structure if you haven’t already. Using a fusible interfacing like Stabilize™ gives even the simplest zippered pouch enough body to stand up on a desk and hold its shape through daily wear and tear. For extra rigidity in the base, a heavyweight interfacing stabilizer like Stiffen™ works beautifully, especially in boxier pouch designs.
Here are some pencil case patterns and tutorials to help you get started:
- Round Pencil Case from Easy Peasy Creative
- Pencil Case Pattern at Polka Dot Chair
- Simple Pencil Case at Crazy Little Projects
Supply organizers follow the same logic on a larger scale, like roll-up caddies for markers and colored pencils, or a fabric bin sized to fit a locker shelf. Interfacing, like the ones mentioned previously, will help your handmade project keep its shape and survive the school year. These project ideas are sure to inspire your back to school projects craft session:
- School Supplies Tote by Life Sew Savory
- School Supplies Organizer by Easy Peasy Creative
- Backpack Organizer by Sulky
Quilted Book Bags & Totes
A quilted book bag is sturdy, roomy, and endlessly customizable. Use one of Fairfield World’s Low Loft Batting options with your quilting to give the bag structure and a bit of padding. This added support is especially nice for protecting notebooks, tablets, or library books tossed in on the way out the door. Hand crafted bags and totes also make a wonderful back to school gift for a teacher! Check out these fun project ideas to get started:
- Moonchild Quilted Backpack by Cotton and Joy
- Quilted Mini Backpack Pattern at Suzy Quilts
- Sunburst Patchwork Backpack at Sew Liberated
- Back to School Tote at American Patchwork & Quilting
Mascot Plushies & Locker Buddies
For a softer, more playful project, mascot plushies and locker buddies are a fun way to bring a school’s spirit (or a child’s favorite animal) into the mix. These smaller stuffed shapes are brought to life with Poly-Fil® and Poly Pellets®. The fiber fill plumps them up, while the pellets keep them sitting or standing nicely! Locker (or cubby) buddies also make sweet first day of school keepsakes, especially for younger kids who might be feeling nervous about a new classroom. These tutorials feature some of the most common school mascots that schools use:
- Tiger Plush Toy Pattern by Ekaterina Cherkova
- Cougar Crochet Pattern by Punqa
- Eagle Plush from Mommy Made That
- Bulldog Plush at Crafts Resource
- Amigurumi Panther by Ekaterina Krikun
Getting Ready for the Season
Handmade back to school sewing is a great excuse to restock your interfacing, batting, and fiberfill before the projects start piling up. Structure and stuffing are what turn a simple sewing project into something that holds up to a full school year of use, so it’s worth choosing quality materials from the start. Whichever project you pick, we’d love to see what you make, so tag us in your back to school creations!
