A new sewing box

I’ve been using a variety of containers to haul all my sewing paraphernalia back and forth.  I’ve used baskets and boxes and bins.  But, nothing permanent.  Nothing that quite fit the bill.  Like Goldilocks, it was too big or too small or too fragile.

Rob and I collected train cases for a short time.  We like them to store photos in.  They make a great little photo box, filled with memories.  Rob picked up this green case at a goodwill or an antique shop for a song. 

The outside looks great and is sturdy, but it was very dusty.  It’s made of wood, and is very structurally sound.  But, the inside was wrecked.  At some point, it got wet on the inside and was allowed to mold in one corner.  That was pretty gross.  And, the cheap lining was stained all around and, basically, it was junk on the inside. 

So, I pulled all that out and let the wood breathe for a few days.  I didn’t take pictures.  If I’d taken pics before I ripped out the lining, you’d be asking why I didn’t toss this case in the trash.  And, after the lining was gone, it was just rough on the inside.  So, I saved my picture taking for after the work was done and I was sure of my success.

I bought a yard of this tape measure fabric.  It has a green similar to the outside and just seemed the perfect fabric for a sewing box. 

I lined the bottom with quilt batting.  That’s what it had in it before.  I glued that down, and then glued a layer of fabric to it, trimming the corners to get it to lay flat and rise up the sides part way.  Then, I took a piece of very stiff canvas and I layed a piece of fabric on it and folded the fabric edge to the back and sewed a quarter inch seam all the way around, and then glued the canvas to the sides of the case. 

For the top, I didn’t need the batting layer, so I glued canvas directly to the top to give me a flat surface, and then glued fabric over it, trimming the corners.  I took a narrow strip of the canvas and covered it with fabric and glued it around the sides of the lid. 

Works perfect.  My only regret is that I didn’t add any fabric covered elastic strips that could hold tools.  But, I was worried that if I hung anything off the sides or lid, it would pull the fabric away.  So, my alternative is to use the last of the fabric, or something coordinating, and some canvas to make a couple of free standing fabric boxes to put inside.  The plan is to keep my sewing machine mat/caddy and my matching sewing kit inside, along with my small rotary cutter and a small mat and my sewing notebook and a box of bobbins for all the portable machines and a couple spools of extra, neutral colored thread.  And, that will leave room to toss in whatever I need for whatever project I’m working on.  I think it’s going to work great. 

So, that’s my gift I made myself over the weekend.  Easy-peasy.  And, hopefully practical.  Total cost was $12 of fabric and some canvas scraps, a $3 bottle of sobo fabric glue, and a $5 train case that was destined for the landfill.

Everybody have a great Tuesday.  This morning, the Prius goes in for it’s last covered maintenance visit.  The warranty was 2 years or 25k miles, whichever came first.  Well, the 2 years is nearly up and there’s only 15k miles on the car.  I feel like I wasted the warranty.  But, I just don’t drive that much.  I can’t sew in the car. 

Yet.

Be well.  Lane