Friday, May 1, 2009

Car Caddy Tutorial...

I've finally put together the tutorial for the car caddy that I made for our car trip to Florida. I always take hand sewing with me and this is just a great little holder for all my sewing needs. (click the link for the original post and pictures). The instructions are more of a guide, because every one's cup holder and can might be a little different in size and shape. I'll give you the measurements that I used, but remember to check the size of yours first.
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Materials Needed:


  • cup holder-the kind that hangs from the car window
  • recycled can- mine was a pineapple can. (most cans now do not have a sharp edge on them, but just check to make sure.)
  • fabric
  • optional trim- ric rac or ribbon
  • tape measure



Instructions:
Measure around the can...not too tight. Add 1 inch for seam allowance. My example: picture below is 11 1/2" plus 1" equals 12 1/2". This measurement will be the width of the body and the width of the pocket.

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Next, measure the depth of the inside of the can (write this down, because you will need this first measurement later on).



Keeping the tape measure still in the can, drape it over the outside to the bottom of the can. My example: the total inside depth of my can to the outside is 9" plus 1" for seam allowance which equals 10".



Cutting fabric:

The body of the caddy is made from the above measurements. For my example, I cut my fabric for the body 12 1/2" wide x 10" high.

The pocket has a finished height of 3" plus 1 inch for seam, so I cut my fabric 12 1/2" wide by 4" high.



Working on Pocket:

Fold over the top edge (long edge) 3/4".



Iron to set the fold.




Open up and fold over the raw edge into the fold line. Sew with matching thread.




Here you will sew on the optional trim.





Now, place the body fabric right side DOWN with the longer edge (12.5") on the bottom. Place the pocket right side DOWN on the wrong side of body fabric. In other words, both right sides are facing down.




Sew the bottom edge with a 1/4" seam allowance...mine is sewn in red.




Turn body over to the right side and fold up pocket. Press seam.




Close up picture of pressed lower edge.





At this point, you will be sewing the seams for each little pocket. This step is totally up to you, because everyone has different things they will be putting into their caddy. Just start at the top of the pocket and sew through all thicknesses until you reach the bottom edge. Back stitch to secure. Make some wide and some narrow. My pockets hold eye glasses, pens, seam ripper, ruler etc...




Once you have sewn all your pockets, you will need to sew the side seam. Keeping the bottom edge closest to you, fold over the left side over to the right. Pin the top half of the body. Remember the previous measurement of the inside of the can, mine was 4 1/2" in fourth photo...add 1/2" -1" to your measurement and sew down from the top edge.




I sewed mine 5" down from the top edge.





Here's another picture of the full piece.





This next part is not the greatest, but the finished seam is on the back of the caddy against the door, so no one will see it. If you can come up with something better, please let me know and I can pass it on to every one.

At this point, your final piece will have 2 edges at the end of the pockets that are left unfinished. They have to be finished separately, because they have to go over the hook of the cup holder on either side. I just turned my raw edge over twice and sewed down the edge. You could zig zag or serge it too.

The last step is to maybe finish the top edge of the body (the top edge in the picture below). This top edge is the part that goes in the can, so you don't see it. You can hem it, but I just trimmed mine with pinking sheers so it wouldn't fray.





Take that edge, that I pinked, and place that in the can (wrong side of body up against the inside of can) and then fold over the can to reveal the pockets. Here you have it...the perfect little helper while traveling in the car. I use mine for sewing in the car, but it's great for any crafts or crayons for the kids in the back seat. Easily hangs from the door, close by...yet out of the way!! Don't forget to add the pincushion for the handle. It's shown in the first picture.




I hope this tutorial is helpful. It can be difficult to explain certain steps, so if something isn't clear, please feel free to email me with any questions.

Can't wait to see every one's creations!!
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Have a great day,

~Karen~

43 comments:

  1. Thankyou so much for sharing the pattern i cant wait to make a few
    terry
    anmlvr13

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  2. Karen I just have to say you're fantastic! I love your ideas! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm also a hardware store junkie! But you're helping me see these things in a whole new way! I love this and the washer project! I'm linking that to my site by the way :) Thanks for doing such a great job! You're a ton of fun to read!

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  3. Clever and cute, cute, cute!

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  4. Thanks so much - you put a lot of work and time into this! Can't wait to make it!

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  5. Karen....thanks so much for the tutorial! As always, it is very helpful! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  6. I love your header! Thank you for the nice tutorial, I might give it a try!

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  7. Thank you so much for the tutorial! I was trying to figure out how to make it from your earlier post for my mom for Mother's Day. This will make it so much easier!

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  8. This one is awesome!!!! I knit in the car and I'm always dropping my scissors, counter or anything else I'm using. I'm going to the store today to look for one of those cup holders.

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  9. Wow. What a tutorial!! Thanks for leaving kinds comments on my blog Karen.

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  10. Thanks for the tutorial. it is on my to-do list. I'm looking forward to making one....or two.

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  11. What a great tutorial! I think this will be fun to make!

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  12. Thanks for the tutorial...your ideas are always wonderful!

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  13. Great job on the tutorial Karen!!! I missed TTT with computer woes! Love the circles!!!!

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  14. You always have such good ideas! Thank you for this one too!

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  15. Great tutorial Karen. Excellent photos and very easy to follow.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  16. Thank you for the tutorial! Fantastic idea!

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  17. I love this! Thanks for the tute.

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  18. Hi Karen! your blog is "LOVELY"!!!!!! Thanks for the tutes, God Bless you & your Family

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  19. This is so cute~I love it! Thanks for sharing:)

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  20. Hi, just made one of these! What a clever idea! I was thinking that you could hot glue around the inside edge of the can. That would secure the fabric. Also you might use velcro for the back open part. :)

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  21. I love the idea of recycling and this has been Super Super
    Kisses from Spain and I follow your blog because I love
    Mamen

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  22. I love this pattern! I can not wait to make it. Now I have a stupid question, how do you make the little pincushion that goes on top? Thank you.

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  23. Oh I need one of these for ME when I am traveling. I always lose my scissors under the seat or my spool goes rolling around etc..........

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  24. I have stopped cleaning my sewing room - as I fell into your site looking for inspiration on the organization of my sewing room...and have yet to leave! This is so cute - I know what my mom is getting for Christmas as she takes long drives to NC to see my Aunt. I am also making these for my own kids and other kids in my family for the crayons in the car! I am TIRED of seeing how far I can stretch to pick them up off the floor behind the seat!
    THANK YOU!!!

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  25. Brilliant! I am soo saving this tutorial for later. In fact I pinned it on my Pinterest "to do" list and everything which means I WILL get around to doing it, even if it's the last thing I do. haha, thanks so much for posting it.

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  26. I love this idea...I'm making things for my car for business office on the go...this is great! I've made hanging fabric baskets that hang off my car cup holder...so I can still use my cup holder...sweet! Thanks for sharing...Mel's Designs

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  27. I love this idea. I made one for myself, because I am always stitching something in the car, smocking, tatting, embroidery, shadow work, knitting, crocheting......I do a lot and get a lot done in the car. I am always loosing my scissors and thread and my husband gets upset because I have threads all over the car. I sewed up the seam in the bottom of the piece that goes in the can so that the threads can easily be emptied. I also sewed a ribbon on the bottom in the back so that I can tie the back together. Thanks for this great idea. I found it on Pinterest and our Smocking Guild is having a challenge to bring something in that we have made from ideas on Pinterest.....I can't wait to show them what I made.

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  28. Thanks for all of the great step-by-step pictures. Now I want to make one of these!

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  29. This really is so awesome and my first thought was to have a set of these in the back seats for my grandchildren to have a place to put tine parts and pieces, their sunglasses, etc. Thank you so much for the great tutorial.

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  30. More than three years later, this is still a GREAT idea! I wish I'd seen it when you first did it. My husband and I were still traveling the country full time in our fifth wheel then. All I did was sew in the truck!

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  31. I love this idea & your tutorial is great! I thought maybe making it from a place mat & a matching napkin for the pockets would be idea, maybe even getting 2 cup holders out of it! Will try it soon. Will be great gifts. Thanks so much!!

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  32. Karen, I ran across your Blog last night, by the way Happy Late Birthday, while digging through Pinterest. I have seen your craft room on there & thought what a Beautiful sewing room someone has. Of course I tagged it as my dream sewing/craft room. So when I saw that it was your blog & I got to see all the tips & tricks you have I was so excited to finally get to rummage through your room & your clever mind. I have been reading all of your tutorials today & I've really enjoyed them you seem like you'd be so fun to be friends with. Your cup holder caddy was such a clever idea, all of them are, & I hope to make it real soon. Thanks for sharing your awesome tutorials!! :)

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  33. I can't sew and drive at same time but plan to make one to hang on my chair for when I sew outside and since I may be facing hospital stay to hang on bed rail to keep from losing stuff in bed

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  34. This sounds like something I would like to try. Among other things I teach sewing, so if I ever get around to doing this, I will try to solve the dilemma you stated. If I do, I will email you.

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  35. Thank you! This is a great tutorial. Such a great idea for many things in the car. Too cute

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  36. Just made two. My daughter and I both sew. I added taller interior pockets, same instructions for the exterior pockets. For the seam under the hook, I did a seam bias tape on the raw edges of fabric and attached a button on one side and a bit of elastic on the opposite side for securing the fabric to the can. For my daughters' organizer I used the pineapple can, and for mine I used a plastic mayonnaise jar, since I wanted it a bit larger. Your tutorial is excellent, very easy to follow! Thank you so much for the idea.

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  37. Anyone have trouble getting these to slip into their window? Honor thinks they might not work with modern windows.

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  38. Adding a comment so I can check the notify button.

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  39. You give great instructions and pictures! I couldn't ask for a better instructor thank you for all you do and sharing! Hugs

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  40. Loved it, turned out wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment...I just love hearing from you!

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