First Craft Project of 2007!

Last year (2005, sorry, still thinking 2006) I found this great cotton fabric at JoAnn's. I loved it! I screamed my friends name and I had every intention of making a needle roll for her knitting supplies. The fabric got washed and then stowed away in the fabric closet with all the other cottons. This year, I was surfing the web and found this great website. Craftbits. I don't remember how I found it, but I did. There was a loose pattern for a Kimono Needle Roll. Starting with Christina's idea, I made this Needle Roll for my friend, who shall remain nameless as I think she might read my blog :) I think this might be a little big, but I filled it with my needles and there are the smaller pockets for stuff. I think it would be okay. I started by cutting the front and back 25 x 17. I also cut 2 pieces of warm and natural batting the same size. Anything that was sewn to either front or inside piece was sewn through both the cotton and batting layers. The top pocket - which is cut at an angle is 25" by 6" at the small end to 9 3/4" at the other end. Just use your ruler to make a diagonal line. The short pocket in the front is 4 1/2" deep. I used the cotton fabric cut on the grain and iron it into "bias tape" using a tape maker. Since the strips didn't have to turn any corners - they didn't actually have to be bias strips. I don't remember the actual dimensions of the obi sash strips on the outside and for some reason didn't write them down. Also the inside flap which is meant to keep your needles from falling out is a little small. Next time I will make it deeper. Enjoy - would love to know if anyone makes one for their friends - or themselves :)