inside: Use this free pdf pattern to sew a notebook pen holder. This notebook pen holder free pdf pattern is perfect for keeping your pens and pencils close by when you need them.
I carry this leather notebook with some fun pens to church every Sunday, and I have had these pens taped together, but had to carry them separate. I really wanted a way to carry everything together without buying another notebook. I saw something like this and decided to create a notebook pen holder for my Sunday notebook and some other notebooks too. You can make this pen holder in three different widths.
Notebook Pen Holder
Ok! So first up I want to note that this type of notebook pen holder works best with a stiff cover book. A flimsy carboard cover is going to be difficult as it will bend and warp. My notebooks seen here are hard leather AND plastic covers.
Here’s a little peak at the backside of the cover. The fabric only overlaps about 1/2″. If your notebook is larger than these 8″ covers, you can easily lengthen the fabric. There is a printable template for these holders, but I will also give you the dimensions if you just want to cut rectangles.
I made these pen holders for 1 and 4 pens, but if you use 1.5″ elastic you can also make a 2 pen holder using the same technique. The printable pattern has all three of these options and you can choose the one that works best for you and your notebook.
Other sewing projects with small scraps of fabric:
- Scrap Busters – projects with just a bit of fabric.
- Glasses case free sewing pattern
- Cross Body Bag sewing pattern
- Popcicle holder
- Scrappy Potholders
Free pdf pattern for pen holder
Here’s what you need to make your own amazing pen/pencil holder for a notebook. You can print the free template using the button below or use the measurements listed below to just cut rectangles of fabric.
- Scraps of fabric {not stretchy}
- Fusible interfacing
- Elastic {3in} or {2in} or {1 in}
- Fun pens!
Print pattern OR cut fabric:
- For each- cut 2 of main fabric, cut 1 of pocket and cut 1 of interfacing of main piece.
- Large: 4″ x 10 ” — cut pocket 4″ x 4.5″
- Medium 3″ x 10″ — cut pocket 3″ x 4.5″
- Small 2″ x 10″ — cut pocket 2″ x 10″
How to make a pen/pencil holder for a notebook
Let’s get sewing. First cut all the pieces you need from the fabric and interfacing. Don’t cut the elastic, we will do that later. You can see her the two page printed pattern, but again you can also use the measurements above.
Start by fusing the interfacing to the fabric. It will just be on one piece of the main fabric.
Place the pocket piece edge 3″ from the bottom edge of the piece with interfacing, place right sides together. Sew with a 1/4″ seam allowance along this edge. The pocket will be flipped up after sewing.
Finish the top edge of the pocket but folding over 1/4″, then folding it over again. You could press this, but I just folded, pinned and sewed.
Flip the pocket piece up and in place. Make 3/4″ for each pen slot. This one has 4 pen slots, the medium 2 and the small 1. Place pins to mark where to sew for the larger sizes.
Sew lines from top to bottom of the pocket to secure.
Take this piece and place it on the front of the notebook. Wrap the edges around to the back of the cover. Measure elastic. You want to leave 1/4″ seam allowance and have the elastic long enough that it doesn’t really have to stretch. Place the elastic edge on one short end of the fabric.
With right sides together, place the other piece of fabric on top. Sew this short edge.
The sew down the two long sides. Be sure to leave the elastic in the middle and not sew the sides of the elastic. Reach inside the open short end and pull the elastic up to the end. Pin and baste.
This is the elastic basted in place. Sew to only one side of the fabric.
For the smaller sizes, do not baste elastic. Pull it out and turn the fabric right side out. Then fold under the seam allowance and tuck the elastic inside. Pin or clip then sew to secure the elastic inside the fabric tube.
Back to the large size, turn the fabric right side out. It should be in a circle. Find the turning opening and fold the seam allowance inside and pin to elastic.
Sew along this line to secure the elastic in place and close the turning hole. Now you can slide onto your favorite notebook, add pens and enjoy!
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