College Door Organizer

Categories: Utility, Gifts, Kid Friendly, Accessory, Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

College life is stressful, but you can make it a little less stressful when you keep your important things organized with this organizer that hangs behind the door. You will never forget your keys and cards again when you see them as you go out the door. This organizer is so practical that everyone will want one. Customize this project with your college logo or name or even add a little bling. The possibilities are endless. The finished size of this project measures 22” by 20”, but you can make it any size you desire by adjusting the measurements. This project is perfect for the entire family, as they come in the door they can drop their keys in a pocket with their name labeled on it. A place for everything and everything in its place!

What you need to make this project

Materials
1 piece Stiffen 2 (fusible both sides) - 20” by 22”
1 Yard quality cotton or medium weight fabric
½ yard utility mesh fabric
Coordinating polyester thread
12” nylon cording in coordinating color (for back only)
12” round cord elastic (for back only)
4 Yards - ¼” coordinating double fold bias tape (1 package)
Supplies
Sewing machine and related supplies
Rotary cutter, ruler, and self-healing mat, are preferred, but not necessary
7 Command® Decorating Clips
Wonder Clips® are preferred, but pins are acceptable
Point turner or some other blunt but pointed object
Painter’s tape, helpful, but not necessary
Optional Sewing machine feet: stitch in the ditch & 1/8” edger
Iron
Ironing board
Pressing cloth
Non-stick pressing sheet
OPTIONAL EMBELLISHMENT: Machine embroidery, hand embroidery, trims, patches, or fusible applique, etc. (For planning purposes, the available top band measures 20” by 4” and the middle band measures 20” by 2”.)

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Stiffen Double Sided Fusible Interfacing 20″ Wide X 10 Yard Roll

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Quantity

Price: $95.99

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Instructions

Step One

PREPARATIONS

NOTE: This project uses ½” seam allowance.

Read the Fairfield instructions on how to use Stiffen 2. Read the instructions below on how to complete this project.

Step Two

Cut 1 piece of Stiffen 2 measuring 20” by 22”

Cut from main fabric:

For the front-

  • 1 piece measuring 21” by 11”
  • 1 piece measuring 21” by 12.5”

For the back –

  • 1 piece measuring 21” by 3”
  • 1 piece measuring 21” by 21”

Cut from mesh:

  • 1 piece measuring 8.5” by 29”
  • 1 piece measuring 8.5” by 37”

Cut from double folded bias tape:

  • 4 pieces measuring 9” long
  • 1 piece measuring 37” long
  • 1 piece measuring 29”

Cut 4 pieces of nylon cording 3” long each

Cut 3 pieces of round cord elastic 3 “ long each

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Double Folded Bias Tape

 

 

 

Fairfield World College Dorm Organizer

Measuring Mesh Fabric

 

Step Three

Machine or hand embroider any embellishment onto the organizer as desired, allowing for ½” seam allowance on all sides.

CAUTION: Some trims may need to be added after the completion of the project.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Add Machine Embroidery or other embellishments to the top or in the middle

Step Four

If necessary, press and starch the main fabric. Press the mesh, if necessary, being careful of the iron setting. Use a pressing cloth, if necessary.

 

Step Five

SEWING THE MESH

Pin one of the 9” pieces of double bias tape vertically to the center front of the piece of mesh measuring 8.5” by 29”. Then sew it in place with a zigzag stitch. Press, being careful of the iron setting. Use a pressing cloth, if necessary.

TIP: Mesh sometimes gets caught in the feed dogs of the sewing machine. Whenever possible sew with the fabric side up or place tear-away stabilizer under the seam, if necessary, and remove once sewn. Sometimes just starting 3/8” from the edge of the fabric will rectify this problem.

Step Six

Pin three of the 9” pieces of double bias tape vertically to the front piece of mesh measuring 8.5” by 37”. Place them at the following positions from the left: 5.25”, 10.5”, and 15.75”. Then sew them in place with a zigzag stitch, being careful not to stretch the mesh. Trim the bias tape, if necessary, as mesh stretches and may be different lengths for each piece sewn. Press, being careful of the iron setting. Use a pressing cloth, if necessary.

Step Seven

Clip the bias tape to the backside of the mesh, easing it into the bias tape as the mesh stretches.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Clip Bias Tape to Mesh

Sew the double folded bias tape to the top of both mesh pieces of fabric, being careful to catch the mesh in the stitches.

Fairfield World College Dorm Organizer

Sewing Bias Tape to Mesh

Press, being careful of the iron setting. Use a pressing cloth, if necessary. Set mesh aside.

TIP: When applying double folded bias tape, sew the short side to the back at the 1/8” fold line, and fold the longer side onto the front, and then topstitch it down on the front.

Fairfield World College Dorm Organizer

Width of Bias Tape Varies by Front or Back

Step Eight

SEWING THE BACK

Lay the piece of fabric for the back measuring 21” by 3” right side up. Fold one piece of cording in half and tape it on the bottom edge of the fabric with painter’s tape with the loop facing the top of the fabric. Tape it 1” from the left edge. See photo below. Tape the other 3 pieces in the same manner, but at the following positions from the left: 7.5”, 13.5”, and 20” (aka 1” from the right).

Fairfield World College Dorm Organizer

Place Loop Along Edge

Tip: Painter’s tape is an excellent sewist’s aid. It can hold items securely when pins may falter and can be sewn over without affecting the needle.

Step Nine

Place the back piece of fabric measuring 21” by 21” right side down on top of the back piece above. Sew in place with a straight stitch. Reinforce the four loops by sewing over them 3 times in reverse. Press with the loops facing toward the top of the smaller piece. Use a pressing cloth, if necessary. Keep tape on so the loops do not get in the way when sewing it all together.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Sew Loops into Seam

Step Ten

With the back piece facing right side up, fold one piece of elastic in half and tape it on the bottom edge of the fabric with painter’s tape with the loop facing the top of the fabric. Place them at the following positions from the left: 5.25”, 10.5”, and 15.75”. Sew in place with a straight stitch. Reinforce the three loops by sewing over them 3 times in reverse. Keep tape on so the loops do not get in the way when sewing it all together.

Step Eleven

At the ironing station, place the non-stick pressing sheet on the ironing board. Place the Stiffen 2 on top of the pressing sheet. Center the prepared fabric back on top of the Stiffen 2 with the right side facing up, aligning it ½” from each edge.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Adhere Stiffen 2 to Back of Fabric

See the photo placement below, but it will be upside down and difficult to determine.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Visual Placement of Stiffen 2 to Wrong Side of Back Fabric

Press to adhere the Stiffen 2 to the fabric, following the manufacturer’s instructions. If a wrinkle appears, quickly lift up the fabric and press again.

Step Twelve

To reinforce the loops, stitch in the ditch along the sewn seam where the cording was sewn in place. Set back aside.

TIP: This is double-sided Stiffen and it will adhere slightly to the nonstick pressing sheet, but it will pull off easily and can be reapplied to the front of the fabric in a later step without any affect on its efficacy.

Step Thirteen

SEWING THE FRONT

Place the main fabric piece measuring 21” by 11” right side up. Place the shorter piece of mesh measuring 8.5” by 37” right side up on top of the main fabric and line them up on the bottom edge of the fabric with the bottom edge of the mesh piece, centering the mesh in the center of the main fabric, i.e., at the 10.5” mark. Pin the center vertical tape in place and stitch it down using a straight stitch, reinforcing it at the top.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Pinning Vertical Bias Tape in Place

 

Step Fourteen

Keeping the main fabric and mesh upright, place the left bias vertical tape at the 5.25” position from the left. Pin the left vertical tape in place and stitch it down using a straight stitch, reinforcing it at the top. Do the same thing with the right bias vertical tape, but place it on the 15.75” position from the left.

Step Fifteen

Clip the left and right sides of the mesh to the main fabric.

Step Sixteen

Pleat the pockets at the bottom corners by tucking in one inch of the mesh to one side and overlapping one inch of mesh on top of it. Clip in place. See photos below. This should be completed for all eight corners.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Measuring 1″ Pleat for Pocket

Corner of Pocket Use Clips for Pleats and Mesh

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Four Pockets Clipped for Sewing

 

Step Seventeen

Starting at the right side, sew the mesh pleats and sides in place with a straight stitch and pivoting as you approach a corner. Remove clips as you approach them.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Pressing Seam Down

Step Eighteen

Lay this top piece down with it face up. Place the main fabric measuring 21” by 12.5”, on top of it with right sides together. Sew it in place with a straight stitch. Press with the seam down so the mesh will lay flat in the back.

Step Nineteen

Topstitch this seam to keep the mesh from moving.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Topstitching to Keep Mesh Secure

Step Twenty

Follow the same directions above to add the bottom mesh to the lower edge of the main fabric, except there is only one bias vertical strip creating two pockets, and there is no need to topstitch as this will be sewn into a seam.

Step Twenty-one

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Tape the pockets (and loops, if removed earlier) towards the center so they do not get sewn into a seam.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Secure Pockets with Painter’s Tape

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Keep Loops out of Seams with Painter’s Tape

Step Twenty-two

Place the front and back right sides together. Clip in place, leaving an 8”-10” opening along the top starting at the edge of the opening at the top and ending at the other side of the opening at the top. Sew from the backside of the fabric using a stitch in the ditch foot that follows along the side of the Stiffen 2. Do not sew over the Stiffen 2.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Stitch Along Stiffen 2 with a Stich in the Ditch Foot

Step Twenty-three

Cut corners and turn right side out, being careful not to crease the Stiffen 2 too much. Carefully push corners out with a point turner. Fold the opening into the seam, press, and clip. Topstitch the top only, carefully catching the opening.

Step Twenty-four

Adhere the top fabric to the Stiffen 2 by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Be careful not to press the mesh. The organizer is now complete and can be hung up.

Step Twenty-five

Attach the Command® decorating clips to the door with 4 across the top and 3 across the bottom, aligning them with loops on the organizer. However, the clips on the bottom row should be placed upside down and the elastic stretched over the clip so it is a snug fit and does not slip off.

Fairfield World College Door Organizer

Command Decorating Clips

College Door Organizer

Have fun organizing!