I made up a few new mini pouches in the last few days.

All of them are either rare fabrics that are no longer available or the last of a newer fabric, like this Magenta Scatterec Petals batik:

This Yellow Feathered Friends fabric has been out of print for many years, and it is lined in a soft yellow gingham check that i inherited from my mother-in-law (probably from the sixties)

This is another unique "braided" batik strip design that I had made up for another project a while ago:

And I have always liked this raven print fabric on a deep magenta purple background:

What can you put in a long pencil  pouch?

Here are 5 ideas to get you started, and there are many more:

-Pencils and pens
-Markers
-Art supplies and brushes
-Jewelry
-Cosmetics

I have been making these long pencil pouches for a while now, and they seem to be particularly suited for a larger scale print fabric, such as this one:

or this bird print fabric:

or perhaps a large-scale floral print

How is batik fabric made?

The method for making batik is called wax-resistant dyeing. The fabric artist uses the liquid wax in a tool called a tjanting which has a spout so they can draw the patterns into the fabric. Patterns can also be stamped on with a copper cap tool. 

An interesting fact is that each region in Indonesia has its own distinctive batik motifs and patterns. Uniquely, each batik motif depicted has its own meaning and philosophical value based on each region's belief and culture.

The easiest way to identify how a piece of batik was made is to check if the fabric looks the same on both sides. With authentic batik, both sides of the fabric are equally vibrant as the hot wax is drawn with a canting tool or stamped with a batik block and then hand-painted.

 

 

Why I like batiks:

 

I like batik fabrics and use a lot of them in my fabric business. Batiks are unique, very colorful, and a single piece of fabric can vary greatly in the color and design from one section to the next. One section could be purple, and the other one more blue or green.  I alos like the waxy smell when batik fabrics are ironed!

 

There is a lot to like about batiks!

I have been making my line of mini-pouches for a couple of years now, and they have proven to be very popular. 

These bags may be small, but they are constructed the same way as my larger pouches, with fleece and stablizer interlinings and high-quality YKK American-made zippers. I usually leave off the label inside, as it would take up too much space, and I also skip the cord zipper pull. There is a sewn-in fabric tab on the side with a detachable split key ring to attach car or house keys, etc.

Here are 6 ideas on how to use these mini-pouches, as described in a mini-pouch listing in my etsy shop:

-earbuds
-loose change or cash

lip balm or lipstick

business cards

keys

cosmetics (or a loose feather or 2)

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I use 100% cotton fabrics in all my bags and other fabric creations. There is definitely a difference between cheap cotton produced overseas and American-made cotton.

From a post by MasterClass:

"Cotton is a staple fiber, which means it is composed of different, varying lengths of fibers. Cotton is made from the natural fibers of cotton plants. Cotton is primarily composed of cellulose, an insoluble organic compound crucial to plant structure, and is a soft and fluffy material. The term cotton refers to the part of the cotton plant that grows in the boil, the encasing for the fluffy cotton fibers. Cotton is spun into yarn that is then woven to create a soft, durable fabric used for everyday garments, like t-shirts, and home items, such as bed sheets. Cotton prints and cotton solids are both available designs."

American Made Brand cottons are 100% cotton fabric that is s grown, spun, woven, and dyed right here in America. The solid colors are perfect for bag linings and come in 75 colors.