Color on the go Travel Carrier TuTorial

February 8, 2022

Travel Art Carrier Tutorial

Hey ya’ll!  I’m Kelli from Simply MackBeth Design Co.  I am a pattern designer, premade binding maker and fabric shop owner.  More importantly, I’m a mama to 5 young kids who love to do art projects.

My house is filled with all sorts of supplies – mainly crayons, colored pencils + markers to last a lifetime!  I wanted a better way to take these items on the go – a way that could help them not end up melted or lost in my car or bag, so today I wanted to share with you my Color-On-The-Go travel carrier pattern.

Color On the go travel carrier Tutorial

travel carrier

COLOR ON THE GO – Travel Art Supply Carrier

This tutorial will go over two different sizes – one perfect for crayons + one perfect for colored pencils (or even markers).

There are also two different options for closures for the carriers.T

supplies for travel carrier

Want to take this tutorial on the go, I’ve made a quick 5 step guide to making your own Color-On-The-Go travel carrier.

DOWNLOAD THE QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Basic Supplies Needed for Color On tHe Go

*For exact sizes of fabric + batting needed, choose crayon or colored pencil options below*

  • 2 Coordinating Fat Quarters
  • Piece of batting
  • Button + elastic or Ribbon
  • Sewing machine, thread, rotary cutter, ruler, pins (or binding clips) + marking pen/tool
  • Iron Supplies
carrier and crayons

How to make a color on the go Colored pencil CARRIER

Approx. 9in x 16in finished

CUT out the carrier

From 2 Fat Quarters (FQs) choose a main fabric and a pocket fabric and cut the following:

Main – 18in x 16in

Pocket – 12in x 16in

Take the pocket fabric and fold in half, with wrong sides together (right side facing out).  Iron seam to make it nice and flat.  Pocket should measure approx 6in x 16in now.

Mark your pencil slots

hera marker lines

Next, you are going to mark your lines for the colored pencil slots.  You can use a fabric marking pen, I prefer using a hera marker. 

First, mark 1/2in line in from each short edge. 

Then start marking a line about 1 1/4in apart from each other – this will make 12 slots.

Attach your pocket

fabric pocket

Take the marked pocket piece and line up the raw edge to the bottom right side of the main fabric.  Pin in place.

Starting up on the folded edge of the pocket, sew on each line to attach the pocket to the main fabric.  Trim threads.

Add the Batting and Flip

fold the main fabric

Fold main fabric, right sides together, over the pocket.

Take an 9in x 16in piece of batting and place in on top of the carrier (it should be on the wrong side of the main fabric that you just folded over).  Pin in place (* I like using binding clips over pins – no pokes and faster)

Photo 7-2

Sew a 1/4in seam around the 3 raw edges of the carrier, leaving about a 3in gap in the middle of one short side to allow you to flip the carrier.

photo 8-3

Flip the carrier right side out.  Make sure you get the corners poked out as flat as you can.  I suggest a quick pressing of the carrier once it is turned right side out.

Finishing the carrier

Choose your type of closure.  I used the fold closure option for colored pencils.

Cut approx. 6in of elastic and fold in half.

Fold in the raw edges of your carrier opening 1/4in.  Slide the raw ends of the elastic into the opening at least 3/8in, making a loop and pin in place. 

photo 9-2

Sew 1/4in top stitch around all 4 edges of the carrier.

Fold the carrier into thirds. 

Place your button where the elastic loop will reach it snuggly.  Sew on the button.

photo 11-2
place the button where the elastic loop will reach it

Pack up and go!

Fill your slots with colored pencils, fold, clasp + go!

Color on the go Travel Carrier TuTorial
quilt kit

How to Make Color on The Go Crayon Carrier

sketch pad

Approx: 7in x 16in finished

Cut out the carrier

photo 15-2

From 2 Fat Quarters (FQs) choose a main fabric and a pocket fabric and cut the following:

Main – 14in x 16in

Pocket – 8in x 16in

Take the pocket fabric and fold in half, with wrong sides together (right side facing out).  Iron seam to make it nice and flat.  Pocket should measure approx 4in x 16in now.

Mark Your Crayon SLots

Next, you are going to mark your lines for the crayon slots.  You can use a fabric marking pen, I prefer using a hera marker. 

First, mark 1/2in line in from each short edge. 

Then start marking a line about 1 1/4in apart from each other – this will make 12 slots.

Attach your pocket

Take the marked pocket piece and line up the raw edge to the bottom right side of the main fabric.  Pin in place.

photo 16-2

Starting up on the folded edge of the pocket, sew on each line to attach the pocket to the main fabric.  Trim threads.

Add the batting and Flip

Fold main fabric, right sides together, over the pocket.

Take an 7in x 16in piece of batting and place in on top of the carrier (it should be on the wrong side of the main fabric that you just folded over).  Pin in place (* I like using binding clips over pins – no pokes and faster)

Color on the go Travel Carrier TuTorial

Sew a 1/4in seam around the 3 raw edges of the carrier, leaving about a 3in gap in the middle of one short side to allow you to flip the carrier.

Flip the carrier right side out.  Make sure you get the corners poked out as flat as you can.  I suggest a quick pressing of the carrier once it is turned right side out. 

Finishing The Carrier

Choose your type of closure.  I used the roll closure option for crayons.

Cut approx. 28in of ribbon and fold in half.

Fold in the raw edges of your carrier opening 1/4in.  Slide the folded end of the ribbon into the opening at least 3/8in and pin in place.

photo 18

Sew 1/4in top stitch around all 4 edges of the carrier.

PACK UP AND GO!

Fill your slots with crayons, roll, tie + go!

a person holding a green roll of fabric

Have fun staying organized and helping that little artist continue on the go!

DOWNLOAD THE QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

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