A Handy Drawing Pad

"Did you do all these drawings, Doctor?"

                                                                                      (Silence of the Lambs;1991)

I have got my first e-mail with a tutorial request in June. I was very happy to know that someone likes my blog and find it interesting. The request concerned a drawing pad, which the author of the e-mail had found on the Internet. I have send her a preliminary version of the tutorial but I didn't have time for posting it here. This week I finally found time for completing this project. The final version vary from what I send as an answer, but the result should be the same. It is also a good opportunity to learn the patchwork technique.

difficulty:hard
estimated time: about 60 minut


You need:

• a clipboard (mine is so old, it remembers the primary school, when I was a member of the school’s choir, I was very nervous before my solos, so the corners are devastated^^)
• a piece of hard cardboard in size equal to the clipboard
• several kinds of fabric (you can use old pajamas or hangings – I usually buy those in second hand stores)
• few pieces of felt for making pockets
• gluegun
• sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• wadding (optionally, I took some from my old toys)
• tailor scissors

Tutorial steps:

1. Depending on the way you want the pieces of fabric to be situated on your pad, cut out some pieces of fabric and sew them together – you can use the patchwork technique too. The final size of the fabric has to be 5 cm longer on each side of the clipboard and cardboard (see the picture). Also cut out few pieces of felt for pockets.

2. Place the fabric upside- down . Place the cardboard on the left side of it, and the clipboard on the right. There should be at least 1 cm of free space between them.  

3. Using the gluegun, glue the edges of the fabric to the inside.

4. Put the wadding through the hole between boards.

5. Cut out two pieces of fabric in size of the clipboard and secure the edges from ripping. In one of them make a rectangular space for the clip. Sew the pockets on the piece that is going to be on the left.

6. Also cut out a strip (4 cm wide), cut off its corners and secure the edges. Saw it in the centre, between the boards. It will prevent the wadding from moving. 

7. Using the glue gun glue the inner parts. Decorate it as you wish . You can also sew handles as in the photo, which was an inspiration for this tutorial.

Downloadables:

- Printable version (pdf)

  

Next tutorial in August:

Jewelery Box