Joining the Dots - Part 3 - 5 Years Later

This is part three of the additional items that go with the Fob a Month - 6 fob that I posted five years ago. It was one of those things that slipped through the cracks of life, things that you think you have done but apparently had not. The lack of the needle book was pointed out to me not so long ago and I've been meaning to do something about it ever since. As this is the first non-SAL Friday of the year it seemed like the perfect time to make it happen after all.

This is what the full set looks like. As this is basically a legacy pattern and it's made to fit a specific box I have only given the size for 18ct Aida - if you don't need to fit a box then by all means use your favourite count fabric - but please take into account that the fabric you need may be larger than given here.

You can read all about the box, and how the project started, as well as find the fob pattern here
You can find the post with the pattern and instructions for the pincushion here
You can find the post with the pattern and instructions for the scissor case here

This is the needle book - it's tiny but you can fit a few needles in, which is always handy when on the go.

If you wish to make the fob, pincushion and scissor case as a matching set you will need a piece of 18ct Aida or 32ct linen of at least 10" x 15" or 7,5" x 20" - you should have *just* enough fabric left for the needle book after stitching the rest. If you prefer more space for your hoop add 3" to each side. You need a 1/4" seam allowance for each piece so the sections must be stitched at least 1/2" away from each other using the back stitch lines as the counting point.

The needle book is 2 1/16" x 1 1/4" - 36 x 24 stitches - top view only. Opened flat its 4 7/16" x 1 1/4" - 80 x 24 stitches.

What you need to make the example above:

• One piece of 10 1/2" x 9 1/4"" 18ct Aida or 32ct linen if you are ONLY stitching the needle book - otherwise see above for the amount needed - you should have *just* enough left to one side.
• DMC 3347, 3348 and 3827
• Two pieces of 1 x 1 1/2" of felt, real wool felt is nice, but normal felt is ok too.
• One button - I used a 7/16" round button. 
• Optional: seed beads for a decorative edging.

I have given four different options for a spine and front/back, and five options for a inner cover pattern.

You can download the pattern here

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Additional pattern notes: 

• Orange dashed lines are NOT to be stitched, they show where to place the front and spine patterns in the outlines.
• Brown dashed lines are NOT to be stitched, they show where to align the inside pattern of choice

Instructions:

• First of all stitch the outline rectangle of the needle book twice, one at least ten stitches above the other. Do NOT stitch the central bars at this stage, they come later. 
• Then stitch the front pattern of your choice on the right hand side of the top (or bottom if you prefer) rectangle taking the orange placement lines into account.
• Stitch the spine pattern of your choice on the spine of the same outline, also taking the orange placement lines into account.
• if you wish you can also stitch something on the back. 
• On the second outline you can stitch the inside cover pattern of your choice, this time take the brown placement lines into account, - or leave it empty.
• Cut out the pieces leaving five stitches as seam allowance.
• Fold all of the seam allowances over to the back of each piece.
• Place the inside cover wrong sides together to the outside cover. So the nice stitched sides are facing out. Make sure that the little stitched element of the inner cover is on the same half as the stitched front.
• Whipstitch the two sides together using the backstitched outlines to slide your needle under - you can add beads if you like at this stage. I didn't use beads as it wouldn't have fit in the box if I had.
• As you don't need to turn your work OR stuff it you can just go all the way round till you reach the point where you started.
• Using the pattern as your guide you will now do the spine lines. Do a line of running stitch (every other stitch) all the way through the needle book so it can be seen on the other side. 
• Go back the other way making sure that the stitches you skipped on the way there are now done so it looks like a single continuous line.
• Repeat for the other spine line. This will make your needle book want to close and will help with the next step.
  
• Fold your needle book open along one of the lines you just stitched, so the front and back are facing each other.
• Place one of the felt bits with short side against the stitched spine line. Make sure it it centred top to bottom
• Whipstitch in place using the lines you just stitched to slide the needle under.
• Adjust where the fold is to the other spine line and add the second bit of felt.
• Add a buttonhole stitched loop to the front edge. A nice tutorial showing how to do this can be found here: Ysolda.com: sewn button loops
• Attach the button on the back edge so it fits in the loop.

I hope you enjoy this pattern. I didn't do as many photos as I'd usually do when I write instructions because I made the needle book five years ago and didn't take any photos of the construction.

If you have any questions just ask either here in the comments or in the Facebook group!

I'll be back tomorrow with the next part of the Mini Magical Mystery SAL 6!