I have a wooden pencil box that has been a fixture on my desk since grade school. I believe my sister gave it to me... or perhaps I stole it from her; my memory is a little hazy when it comes to how things once hers came into my possession. A new pencil box instantly sends me back to crisp fall days dressed in even-crisper white shell-button blouses, itchy wool skirts and droopy knee socks. What does all this have to do with our cool little corduroy zippered pencil case with the cute front-buttoned pocket? Nothing really. But it was a sweet story, wasn't it?

What should you use to carry your school stuff this year? Well, if you're all about form and structure, the venerable back pack is your friend. But if you want something comfortably soft and slouchy, then go with the book bag: the wild child of school totes. Ours uses no stabilizer, only a lining. The exterior fabric is a velvety corduroy from Valori Wells with the thinnest of wales. Wooden beads, stone buttons and waxed cording create the closures. And, tiny golden rivets attach the strap. So cute... maybe you should keep it as your everyday bag!

Birthday party treat bags can be flimsy plastic things filled with candy and tiny trinkets, which are ultimately lost and sucked up by the vacuum. Or... you can bestow these dandy mini backpacks on your party guests. They are oh-so cute, actually useful, and fun to make! You can still fill them with candy and tiny trinkets, but they are cool enough to be great parting gifts even with nothing in them. You could also fill them with the souvenirs and prizes from the day's activities. Like I said: cute, useful and fun.

Our smaller (and cuter) diaper bag isn't meant to supplant the full-size, workhorse of a diaper bag; you know the one I mean... the one that holds enough stuff to open your own nursery school. Nope. This one is perfect to grab and go for short jaunts out and about. It's still big enough, with pockets inside and outside, to hold the essentials: several diapers, wipes, a couple bottles, a special blankie or toy, even your own wallet and keys. The outside fabric is our fave Pretty Bird from Pillow & Maxfield for Michael Miller Fabrics; the inside is the popular PUL waterproof fabric.

Do you have a dapper-dad-on-the-go? Then he'll love this wool messenger bag made from the classic Pendleton Indian design: Spirit of the Peoples. There are tons of messenger bags and casual briefcases out there, but we bet none are as unique or fashionable as this one. Besides, we have it on good authority that if you get him another tie this year, he's writing you out of the will! This project is more complex that most of the tutorials here at Sew4Home. But don't let it scare you away. We've written very detailed instructions and included lots of great pictures. I'm confident YOU are up to the task, but one word of warning: make sure your machine is up to the task as well.

Mom's have stuff. Lots of stuff. It's a rule. Sometimes, we need to take our stuff from one place to another, in which case, we need a stuff-carrier... and we do not want to use a plastic baggie. This lovely pleated travel pouch is an elegant answer to a pressing need. It uses just tiny bits of fabric, so it's a great project to try out little fabric cuts or perhaps use up some scraps. Our design has an easy-to-insert top zipper, generous pleats on both sides and a luxurious satin charmeuse lining. I'm thinking... perhaps one for you AND one for Mom. I bet you have a bit o' stuff, too.

Must be Spring, because we're in an organizational frenzy here at Sew4Home. We're tidying up every nook and cranny in the house, including the closets. This handy pouch hooks over a door knob to catch your fine washables. Toss everything in, then tote it all to the laundry. A clever tie in the front lets you adjust the opening wide to easily stash your delicates, or cinch it closed for privacy.

I use my computer all day every day, but that doesn't mean I don't also have about two thousand pens and pencils. As a writer, I love to collect writing implements. I've stored them in everything from flower vases to tiny galvanized buckets, and of course, the requisite artwork-covered tin cans lovingly made by my children. For our French Desk Set series, we knew we needed a couple classier Pencil Cups. Ours are quilted and feature a leather accent tie and cute button. Classy? Yes. Easy to make? Double yes!

For years I had an "unmentionables drawer." This had a double-meaning (double entendre for my fancy-schmancy friends): I kept my unmentionables in there (undies and the like), but it was also a drawer I preferred not to mention because it was such a MESS. I was always digging around, looking for something, tossing things about like a giant salad. Yikes! This easy over-the-door, nine-pocket caddy is much better at keeping my fine-wear and lingerie tidy and within reach. Plus, the Woodland Delight fabric is so bright and fun. You could also use the big pockets for larger jewelry, like beads and bangles. Even lightweight active wear, such as yoga tops and running shorts could be easily stashed.

I adore being organized. Actually ... I adore dreaming about being organized. I pour over my catalogs from Pottery Barn, Storables and Crate & Barrel, picturing my life neatly tucked away into matching bins and buckets. I even drool over those circulars from Target that show up this time of year when all the plastic tubs are on sale. Surely if I could see everything at a glance, I'd get more done. In this alternate, tidy universe, my children also pick up all their clothes and no one leaves their dishes on the coffee table in the family room. To further inspire me to coordinate my world, and you yours, we've come up with five French Desk Set tutorials, using the gorgeous French General Rouenneries fabric from Moda. These easy-to-make liners are a great way to add color and pattern to otherwise ordinary wicker baskets.

I live a ways out of town, so transporting home frozen food before it thaws can be a challenge. Canvas grocery totes are a great alternative to the standard store plastic bags, but they don't help with my frozen food dilemma. This insulated shopping bag with its Velcro closure was the answer. I can load up all the food I need to keep cold (or hot for that matter), seal up the top, and everything stays the right temp for the ride home. As an added bonus, by using the Flora & Fauna fabric, I solve my problem and look cool doing it. Several people at the store asked me where I got my bag. Of course, I told them I made it, and then proceeded to block the dairy aisle while I explained how THEY could go to sew4home.com and learn to make one too!

Traditionally, I've kept my recycled plastic bags in an old, cracked plastic bucket under my sink. Very stylish, don't you think? It was a mess, and nearly always overflowing. Nature Brights Kitchen to the rescue! I love the Patty Young Flora & Fauna fabric so much, I was searching for all kinds of ways to use it and display it in the kitchen environment. This clever plastic bag keeper/dispenser fit the bill perfectly. I put mine on the pantry door, but it would also work great over a doorknob, inside a cupboard or just hanging from a hook on the wall. Easy to store; easy to retrieve.

It's a good idea to keep your sewing machine covered when not in use. A cover helps protect the machine's moving parts from dust and debris, and it looks so much cuter with a stylish hood. I also happen to think it helps my machine sleep, like when you cover a bird in a cage. The fact that I've never heard my sewing machine singing when its cover is in place is further proof of my theory.

It would be an understatement to say we love the handmade gift here at Sew4Home. But even we run short on time during this busiest of seasons. So, how about a store-bought treat in a handmade tote? Of course, we'd still vote for homemade inside handmade (like a riddle wrapped in an enigma), but these tiny, two-tone felt totes are so cute, they'll make anything you put in them just as adorable.

Hanukkah gift wrap can be very challenging to find. So we decided it would be fun to show you how to make your own. We found some actual Hanukkah fabric at our local Jo-Ann Fabrics, as well as a nice combination of Hanukkah colors: blue velvets, silver cottons and rich gold satin. Then, we combed through our resources for the fastest, easiest gift bag project we could find. Happy Holidays!

Over the shoulder and off to class. This yoga mat bag is a great carry-all for your mat, towel and flip flops. It even has a handy outside pocket with a Velcro closure for a wallet, phone and keys. Our tutorial gives you great step-by-step directions for how to perfectly match the pocket fabric to the bag fabric. Haven't you always wondered how they do that?

We debuted this fun wristlet project just last week on Sew4Home, and knew it would look cuter still with a dash of embroidery. So, we return during Embroidery Week with Wristlet Deux: same great design, a new set of fabrics, and with the personalization of embroidery. You can keep the one you like best and give the other to your sister for Christmas.

Sometimes you want to travel light – with just the essentials at hand. For this, you need: the wristlet. A tiny, tidy tote that hangs from your wrist. It's just 5" x 7", but holds all the necessities with room to spare. Zip up your spending cash, a couple o' credit cards, maybe a bit of makeup and a comb. Ours has a detachable strap, so you can unclip it, and drop it into a bigger bag, like a handy wallet. So versatile, so itty-bitty cute, and with our excellent step-by-step instructions and photos ... so easy!

You can't sit and sew home decor projects all day long. Sometimes you need an exercise break ... but not a break from style. We fell head-over-heels for Amy Butler's Love fabric collection, and knew it would be perfect for our yoga tote. We then calmly meditated on the easiest instructions with the most stylish details. The result guarantees good karma for all who tote this tote to class.

Your choices for Halloween treat bags are many and varied: paper pouches, hard plastic pumpkins, even the old-standby: a pillowcase. But none of those is as cute as our reversible fabric tote. The easy patchwork pattern is bright and fun, but still filled with your favorite Halloween icons, like bats and spiders and moons. The heavy-duty webbing handles mean your little goblins can fill up with lots of tasty treats. And, it's a Green Halloween alternative to all the traditional throw-away decorations.

Sometimes, I think my TV remote has a mind of its own. Nine times out of ten, it's not where I want it when I sit down. I figure it must get up and leave when I'm not looking. Same thing goes for all my other controls ... never around when I need them (much like gas stations). This cool sofa caddy keeps everything right at my fingertips, The pockets all have the perfect expandable gusset: big enough to easily slide stuff in and out, but not so big that things topple out.

We all know how it goes. In the fall, we make a resolution to give only handmade gifts for the holiday season. Then, December rolls around, and you don't have the tree up, you have a full queue of holiday parties to attend, and the kids are begging to make cookies all weekend. That's where our handmade Gift & Wine Bags come in. They're quick to sew, and can at least add a homemade touch to those last-minute purchased presents. Plus, they're re-usable,which means they're a green alternative to wrapping paper.

I don't know about you, but my nightstand is pretty crowded. There are books and magazines and lotions and a clock and remotes and, and, and! This handy bed caddy allows me to keep my most-used items right at my fingertips, and the top of my nightstand stays tidy. The pockets all have the perfect expandable gusset: big enough to easily slide stuff in and out, but not so big that things topple out.

These clever storage baskets are not only cute and handy, they're also a secret recycling project. The sides and bottoms of each basket are stiffened with recycled cardboard! But wait ... they have another hidden talent: they collapse and fold flat to store.