Friday, June 8, 2012

Mail organizer tutorial


Looking for a way to tame those frustrating mounds of mail piling up on your counters?  I sure was.  Hopefully this tutorial will help you create a solution.  All you will need is an old cereal box, about a 1/2 to 3/4 yard of fabric, a 12" piece of ribbon, scissors, a tape measure and a sewing machine.


Let's get to it.  To begin cut both the front and back sections off of your cereal box.









Cut the back of the box in half.  These two pieces will be your mail pouches.










It is now time to cut the fabric to cover your cereal box with.  When measuring the fabric, allow yourself a 1/2" all the way around to give yourself a seam allowance.  The fabric should be double the width of each piece of cardboard so it can cover the front and back of the cereal box pieces.  Repeat this process for all three pieces of the cereal box.




Now you can begin sewing.  Fold the pieces of fabric for the two mail pouches in half with the right sides of the fabric touching and sew the short sides closed taking a 1/4" seam allowance.  Turn the fabric right side out. This then creates a lovely little pocket to slide the cardboard into.  Once the cardboard is in the pocket, fold the open sides under and sew closed.  I am not a fan of ironing, but if you feel inclined, you can press the fabric seams before sewing.


Next find your largest piece of fabric that has not yet been sewn, and measure down 2.5" from the top.  Place one of your sewn pockets at this location and then sew the bottom and short sides of the pocket to your back fabric.  You have just created your first mail pouch.






Next you will fold the large piece of fabric in half with the right side of the fabric touching and sew the sides closed just as you did for the individual pouches.  The pouch that you sewed on previously will be on the inside.  Once you have sewn the sides closed, you will turn the entire thing right side out.  Next you will sew your remaining mail pouch onto the bottom (the closed end) of your mail carrier just as you attached the first mail pouch.  The bottom pouch will slightly overlap the upper pouch.

 You are now in the home stretch.  Slide the front piece of the cereal box into the large pocket you have created.  This will provide your mail carrier with structure and stability.








Using a piece of ribbon, you will create a loop to hang your mail carrier from.  Fold the open side of the carrier under and pin the ribbon in between the two layers of fabric about 1" from each edge.  Sew the top closed attaching the ribbon as well.


















Now take a moment to pat yourself on the back!  You have created your very own mail carrier.  Find yourself an empty nail to hang this on or a sturdy magnet clip on your refrigerator.  Enjoy. 

4 comments:

  1. Yes! Love how this is made with a cereal box. I have to make this. Our mail just gets thrown on the counter and I hate it! Thank you for entering the Craftastic Competition.

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  2. Oh, and I'd love for you to come share any projects you create at our Pinteresting Party. :)

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  3. Cool! Way to recycle those boxes, love it!!
    I'm stopping by from the Craftastic Competition, thank you for entering.
    -Molly
    www.justalittlecreativity.com

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