DIY Quilt Block/Applique Envelopes

I was watching Martha's Sewing Room on PBS when one of her guests showed viewer's how to create an envelope to keep quilt blocks and applique pieces in to keep them from getting bent and wrinkled. In fact, the entire episode is available on her website. I watched and followed along and completed an envelope of my own . . . but then I decided it needed some changes.

The Original Design:

1. Cut 2 pieces of fabric 15 1/4 inches by the width of the fabric.

2. Place fabric right sides together and stitch around 3 sides leaving one 15 1/4 inch side open.

3. Turn the fabric right sides out. 

4. Cut 2 squares out of foam board to fit inside your sleeve. Mine were 14 1/8 inches around and I used foam poster board from the dollar store!

5. Take one foam board square and slide into the fabric sleeve you created. Slide it all the way to the bottom.

6. Stitch along the edge of the foam board to hold it in place and add another stitch a half inch from the edge of the foam board. 

7. Insert the second foam board into the fabric sleeve until it reaches the stitches you last added. 

8. Once again, stitch up against the foam board and also a half inch away from the foam board. 

9. Fold the raw edges of your fabric in about a half inch to one inch and top stitch to seal your sleeve shut. 

10. Fold everything up to form the folder. And that is it! Easy as pie!

But I thought that a few improvements could be made. For one, I always keep my directions close to my quilt blocks so a pocket would be a great place to keep them! Plus, with a toddler running around pulling everything out, I could use a block envelope that stays closed in case of being tossed across the room. A tie would be the perfect solution. So here are the directions for my quilt block envelope!

Seams Sew Precious' Quilt Block Envelope:

1. Cut 2 pieces of fabric 15 1/4 inches by the width of fabric. Cut 1 piece of fabric 6 inches by 14 inches. Also pick a matching spool of ribbon.

2. Lay out your ribbon over your outer fabric so that it extends about 8 inches past each end of your fabric. Pin in place and begin sewing the ribbon about 13 inches from the back end of your fabric. 

3. Sew ribbon up until a few inches before the selvage end of the fabric. 

4. When you finish attaching the ribbon pin the ends of the ribbon into the middle of the fabric so that they will not be in the way when piecing the envelope together. 

5. Sew down the edges of the pocket rectangle and then attach it to the inside fabric. Be sure to sew it in on the side of the fabric that will be the bottom of your fabric sleeve.

6. Now place your two pieces of fabric right sides together and sew around 3 of the edges leaving one 15 1/4 inch end open.

7. Turn your fabric sleeve right sides out. 

Unpin the ribbons. Then you will go about inserting the foam pieces just as you would in the above example (steps 5-10 in the above instructions).

8. Cut 2 squares out of foam board to fit inside your sleeve. Mine were 14 1/8 inches around.

9. Take one foam board square and slide into the fabric sleeve you created. Slide it all the way to the bottom.

10. Stitch along the edge of the foam board to hold it in place and add another stitch a half inch from the edge of the foam board. 

11. Insert the second foam board into the fabric sleeve until it reaches the stitches you last added.

12. Once again, stitch up against the foam board and also a half inch away from the foam board.

13. Fold the raw edges of your fabric in about a half inch to one inch and top stitch to seal your sleeve shut.

14. Fold everything up to form the folder and tie a cute bow. And that is it! This version is also easy as pie!

It holds quilt blocks and instructions perfectly!

I should also note, I chose to use flannel on the inside because I figured it may also help hold everything in place just a little bit better!

Now to get sewing so I can start filling my envelopes with blocks! :) 

Happy Quilting!