Today I’m sharing one of my favourite “save your sanity” makes: a quick little zippered pencil case that slides right over the top of a notebook. I’ve been making these as last-minute gifts for friends, colleagues, and office mates (honestly… everyone is getting one), and once you sew one, it’s hard to stop. I started by measuring the standard notebooks we use at work (about 9 3/4") and aiming for a finished pouch around 8" long—big enough for pens (and yes, even a credit card), but not bulky. In the video I walk you through my final, best version after a few tests (and a couple fails). I borrowed ideas from Nikki at Pin Cut Sew (love her pull tabs and sizing) and Christine’s Home Affairs (her French seam approach and the clever zipper-stop method that totally bends your brain the first time). I’ll show you the exact cutting sizes, how I add zipper stops, why I prefer wider elastic (my “sew a bunch of skinny mask elastics together” experiment was a disaster), and how to assemble the whole thing with that magical inside-out turning step. It’s a perfect batch-sew project—and a great way to make the most of your fabric bits and pieces.