Quick & Easy Block Keeper

While working on my Bee exchange blocks for the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild, I decided that I needed a little block keeper to hold/transport my collection of blocks.  Nothing elaborate, my only requirements were that it had to be quick, easy and cheap.

So I cut a 20" square from this felt backed tablecloth that I had found at Target.  (I started with 20" to give me plenty of room to house 12" finished blocks, if you'd like to make one, you can adjust your measurements up or down for larger or smaller blocks).  You can get several block keepers out of a felt backed tablecloth too, so make them in whatever different sizes you need!

Fold under the edge about a half inch and top stitch to elevate the raw edges.  The felt backed table cloth finger presses pretty well (definitely do not use a hot iron, it would melt pretty quick I think).

(Do that all the way around all four sides.)

Fold one side in wrong sides together about 2 1/2" and use a pin or two to hold it in place.

Then fold in the opposite side wrong sides together 2 1/2" as well.

Now fold up the bottom about 1".  Sew down the stitching line that you already made when you first turned the raw edge over, and then topstitch about 1/4" from the folded edge.

Repeat this step on the remaining side with one exception...

In the top stitching, stitch down a piece of ribbon (approximately 20" long and folded in half).  This will become the ties for the roll.

The blocks tuck nicely into the flaps created by the 2 1/2" folded sides (These are the blocks I received from round one of our block exchange ~ I can't reveal the ones I'm making for round two just yet). 

Then starting from the side without the ribbon, roll up the block keeper, wrap the ties around it, and tie it shut. Easy, quick, and surprisingly durable!

...And ready to go to my next guild meeting :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn