Back To School Pencil Case Crochet Pattern

It feels like summer came late this year, so it’s hard to believe it’s back to school time already! Whether for school, work, or crafts, get organized with this handy pencil case. It’s a great way to store brushes, markers, knitting needles, crochet hooks, or..well..pencils.

White, crocheted pencil case with a black zipper, on a wood table. Pencil case is full of markers in different colors. Back to School Pencil Case from Stitches n Scraps

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A Blank Canvas

I made my pencil case white so it would be a blank canvas that I could decorate. Some time ago, Artesprix had given me a free set of thermal transfer markers to review. As it turns out, they work really well on polyester yarn! Learn how you can personalize your pencil case in this tutorial.

Personalized crochet pencil case and markers. Tutorial on Stitches n Scraps

Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn

For the thermal transfer markers to work, I needed a 100% polyester yarn. Luckily, Lion Brand has one! They sent me a free skein of Feels Like Butta yarn for this design. I had never used this yarn before and chose it purely for the fiber content. I’m glad I got a chance to try it. It’s soft and silky and drapes fabulously.

The way it flows through my hands when I work with it is hard to describe. I wouldn’t actually call it butter, more like a feather light velvet. It’s a little thinner than other worsted weight yarns, but fluffs up nicely when washed.

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Back to School Pencil Case

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Materials

75 yds of Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn (100% polyester, 218 yds / 199 g per skein) #100 – White
Size J / 6 mm crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge.
Stitch marker or scrap of yarn
9 inch black zipper
1-2 yds size 10, white, cotton crochet thread
Sharp embroidery or tapestry needle (for sewing thread onto zipper)
Water soluble, fabric marking pencil or chalk
Larger yarn or tapestry needle (for weaving in yarn ends)

Project Level

Intermediate: Split single crochet, worked in the round. Crocheting onto a zipper.

Size

9 inches wide x 3.5 inches tall. Height is adjustable.

Gauge

13 split sc x 24 rows = 4 inches.

Abbreviations used

(Pattern is written in US terms)
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
ssc = split single crochet
st(s) = stitch(es)
sl st = slip stitch
sk = skip
RS = right side
WS = wrong side

Recommended Resources

Special Stitch

Split Single Crochet (ssc): Single crochet in the center, between the “legs”, of the indicated stitch, rather than in the normal location.

2 images of split single crochet swatches in white yarn. Image on the left shows a hook placed in the normal stitch placement. Swatch on the right shows a hook placed in the center of a stitch. Stitches n Scraps

This stitch is sometimes also called waistcoat stitch. It causes the stitches to line up directly on top of each other for a smooth, knit-like fabric. See this split stitches tutorial for a more detailed look at this and other centered / split stitches.

Instructions

Pencil Case

Pencil case is worked in continuous rounds, on right side of work. Do not join or turn. Mark first stitch of rounds – see this tutorial for using running stitch markers.

Foundation Chain: Ch 31

Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Rotate to work on opposite side of foundation chain, sc in bottom of each st across. (60 sc)

Rnds 2-20: Ssc in each st around. Do not fasten off.

To make a taller pencil case, work more rounds until you reach your desired height.

Preparing Zipper

With fabric marking pencil, make 31 marks along one side of zipper. Space the marks about 5/16 inches apart, along the middle of the zipper tape. Start from just in front of the top stop (where the zipper pull rests when closed), and end just past the bottom stop. I found it easier to tape the zipper down while marking it, to keep it from moving.

A wood table with a black zipper. On the zipper are markings spaced 5 16ths of an inch apart. A wood ruler rests on the bottom of the zipper, showing the measurement. - Back to School Pencil Case from Stitches n Scraps

At the bottom stop end, make the very last marks a little bit closer to the center of the zipper.

Back end of a black zipper, taped down to a wood table, showing white dots to mark stitch placement. - Back to school pencil case from Stitches n Scraps

Make 31 matching marks on the opposite side of the zipper.

A wood table with a black zipper. The zipper has white markings showing stitch placement. Also on the table are a wooden ruler and white fabric marking pencil. Back to School Pencil Case from Stitches n Scraps

With sharp needle and crochet thread, sew a chain stitch around zipper as follows:

Start near the top stop at one side of the zipper. Bring the needle up at the first mark, leaving an 8 inch tail.

*Bring needle down through the same mark, leaving a loop of thread on top of the fabric.

Bring needle up at next mark and through loop of thread, pulling gently to tighten the loop. Keep the tension even but a little loose – you will need to get your crochet hook under that chain stitch later. **

A hand holding a black zipper with one chain stitch being made in white thread. The needle is passed up through the loop previously made, to lock it in place. Back to School Pencil Case from Stitches n Scraps

Repeat from * to ** across to last mark.

Bring needle down just in front of the last loop, to secure it. Then bring it up again at the first mark on the opposite side of the zipper.

thump and forefinger holding a black zipper with white chain stitches on one side. The needle is being passed from one side of the zipper, across the back to the other side. This is the back of the zipper for the Back to School Pencil Case from Stitches n Scraps

Repeat from* to ** across to last mark on this side.

Bring the needle down just in front of the last loop to secure it, and remove needle.

Woman's hand holding the front end of a black zipper with white chain stitches around it. Needle is being passed from front to back to lock the last chain stitch in place. Back to School Pencil Case from Stitches n Scraps

A black zipper with white chain stitching around both sides, laying on a wood table. Back to School Pencil Case from Stitches n Scraps

Crocheting the Zipper on

Hold zipper in place against pencil case so that the next stitch on the pencil case lines up with the first stitch on the zipper.

If you have trouble working into the zipper chain stitches, you can try using a smaller hook. Just be sure to keep your tension loose so your gauge will match the rest of the pencil case.

Working through the center of the stitches on the pencil case and the chains on the zipper together, ssc in each st around.

black zipper with white chain stitches, held against white crocheted fabric. A crochet hook is passed through the fabric and through the first stitch of the zipper. Back to School Pencil Case on Stitches n Scraps

When you reach the back end of the zipper, Tuck the extra tape “tails” inside the pencil case and continue working around. Join with sl st to first st.

Crocheting a black zipper into a white pencil case. At the back end of the zipper, the extra tape is tucked inside, and then the crochet continues across the opposite side of the zipper. Back to School Pencil Case on Stitches n Scraps

Fasten off and weave in yarn ends.

Use thread tails to tack down the extra tape at the top of the zipper, then weave in the ends.

Hands holding a pencil case turned inside out. White stitches being made to tack down the extra tape from the zipper. Back to School Pencil Case from Stitches n Scraps

Remove any stitch marker(s).

I hope you enjoy making this back to school pencil case. A downloadable pdf of this pattern is also available on Ravelry, for a small fee. The fee for the pdf format is to offset the advertising revenue lost when you print or download the pattern rather than viewing it online.

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Back To School Pencil Case Crochet Pattern

A Blank Canvas

Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn