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

 

 

 

 

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.

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.

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

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.

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).

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.

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.

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

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.

 

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Have fun organizing!