Every year, summers seem to go by faster and faster, so I have no hesitation with beginning the preparation for back to school in July! We may not start until September up here, but I know many of you begin even sooner. Now you can send your Star Wars fan off to school with a lightsaber pencil case!
Your little Star Wars fan can start school off right with the coolest pencil case in the galaxy! This simple pattern works up pretty quickly, and might even make your kid excited to go back to school!
May the force be with them, and keep their school supplies safe!
Materials:
Worsted weight yarns in grey, black, red, and lightsaber color of choice (I’m told green and blue are most popular).
Crochet hook size, G – 4.25mm
Star Wars fabric for lining; mine is fabric I’ve had for years, but there are lots of great options on Amazon or at JoAnn’s!
7 inch zipper, green or blue
yarn needle
needle and thread
*sewing machine is optional, but helpful with sewing the lining
Worsted weight yarns in grey, black, red, and lightsaber color of choice (I’m told green and blue are most popular).
Crochet hook size, G – 4.25mm
Star Wars fabric for lining; mine is fabric I’ve had for years, but there are lots of great options on Amazon or at JoAnn’s!
7 inch zipper, green or blue
yarn needle
needle and thread
*sewing machine is optional, but helpful with sewing the lining
Terms and abbreviations to know:
Magic ring
rnd, rnds – round, rounds
rows – turning rows (chs will not count as sts in the rows)
ch, chs – chain, chains
st, sts – stitch, stitchs
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
inc – increase, 2 sts into 1 st
sc2tog – single crochet 2 together, decreasing 2 sts down to 1 st
BLO – back loop only
WS – wrong side, when crocheting in turning rows working with the wrong side facing
RS – right side, when crocheting in turning rows working with the right side facing
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
Magic ring
rnd, rnds – round, rounds
rows – turning rows (chs will not count as sts in the rows)
ch, chs – chain, chains
st, sts – stitch, stitchs
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
inc – increase, 2 sts into 1 st
sc2tog – single crochet 2 together, decreasing 2 sts down to 1 st
BLO – back loop only
WS – wrong side, when crocheting in turning rows working with the wrong side facing
RS – right side, when crocheting in turning rows working with the right side facing
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
Notes: Know how to crochet in rnds. The lightsaber pencil case is worked from the handle, up, with no joining. Use a st marker as you work to mark the beginning of each rnd. After the handle, you will switch from working rnds to working rows, with turning to create an opening for the zipper. As a free pattern, this pattern has not been tested, but is accurate to the best of my abilities. Please let me know if you find any errors! All text and images are owned by Erin Greene of ekayg, copyright ©2017. Images may not be used by anyone else without express written permission. If used, the ekayg watermark must be visible. Pattern may be shared, but NOT be copied and passed off as anyone else’s work. Pattern credit must be linked back to ekayg. Finished products made from this pattern may be used for sale, at your own discretion, but I cannot legally give you license to sell trademarked characters.
Lightsaber Pencil Case
Beginning with gray, make magic ring.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring; 6 sts
Rnd 2: inc in each st around; 12 sts
Rnd 3: (inc, sc in next st) 6x; 18 sts
Rnd 4: (inc, sc in next 2 sts) 6x; 24 sts
Rnd 5: (inc, sc in next 3 sts) 6x; 30 sts
Rnd 6: (inc, sc in next 4 sts) 6x; 36 sts
Rnd 7: (inc, sc in next 5 sts) 6x; 42 sts
Rnd 8: (inc, sc in next 6 sts) 6x; 48 sts
Rnd 9: BLO, sc in each st around; 48 sts
Rnd 10: work directly over top of the same sts worked in rnd 9, to thicken the rnd, sc over each st around; 48 sts
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring; 6 sts
Rnd 2: inc in each st around; 12 sts
Rnd 3: (inc, sc in next st) 6x; 18 sts
Rnd 4: (inc, sc in next 2 sts) 6x; 24 sts
Rnd 5: (inc, sc in next 3 sts) 6x; 30 sts
Rnd 6: (inc, sc in next 4 sts) 6x; 36 sts
Rnd 7: (inc, sc in next 5 sts) 6x; 42 sts
Rnd 8: (inc, sc in next 6 sts) 6x; 48 sts
Rnd 9: BLO, sc in each st around; 48 sts
Rnd 10: work directly over top of the same sts worked in rnd 9, to thicken the rnd, sc over each st around; 48 sts
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1. For rnd 10, work over row 9, right into the same sts.
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2. Working over the rnd will make this part thicker, like the bottom of the handle.
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3. Completed rnd 10. Don’t join, and continue on to rnd 11, in BLO.
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Rnd 11: BLO (sc2tog, sc in next 6 sts) 6x; 42 sts
Rnd 12-20: sc in each st around; 42 sts
Rnd 21: BLO (inc, sc in next 6 sts) 6x; 48 sts
Rnd 22: work directly over top of the same sts worked in rnd 21, to thicken the rnd; in doing this, you will be doing the (inc, sc in next 6 sts) 6x, all over again, over the same sts; 48 sts
Rnd 12-20: sc in each st around; 42 sts
Rnd 21: BLO (inc, sc in next 6 sts) 6x; 48 sts
Rnd 22: work directly over top of the same sts worked in rnd 21, to thicken the rnd; in doing this, you will be doing the (inc, sc in next 6 sts) 6x, all over again, over the same sts; 48 sts
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4. The same way you worked rnd 10 to make thicker, work rnd 22, working over top of rnd 21.
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5. These thicker rnds will serves as markings for the handle.
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Rnd 23: BLO (sc2tog, sc in next 6 sts) 6x; 42 sts
Fasten off gray, and attach green (or whatever lightsaber color you have chosen!). Work in turning rows here (but continuing with the same rnd/row count), until we’re ready to close. The even numbered rows will be RS, and the odd numbered rows will be WS.
Row 24 : sc in each st around to the last 2 sts, leave last 2 sts unworked; 40 st
Fasten off gray, and attach green (or whatever lightsaber color you have chosen!). Work in turning rows here (but continuing with the same rnd/row count), until we’re ready to close. The even numbered rows will be RS, and the odd numbered rows will be WS.
Row 24 : sc in each st around to the last 2 sts, leave last 2 sts unworked; 40 st
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6. Rnd 24 will stop here, leaving the last 2 sts unworked, and 25-50 will be worked in turning rows.
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7. Begin turning rows. Odd numbered rows are worked WS facing, and even numbered rows are right side, until row 51.
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Row 25: ch 1 and turn, sc in each sts around; 40 sts
Row 26: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 36 sts, sc2tog; 38 sts
Rows 27-31: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st around; 38 sts
Row 32: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 34 sts, sc2tog; 36 st
Rows 33-39: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st around; 36 sts
Row 40: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 32 sts, sc2tog; 34 sts
Rows 41-45: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st around; 34 sts
Row 46: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 30 sts, sc2tog; 32 sts
Rows 47-49: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st around; 32 sts
Row 50: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 28 sts, sc2tog; 30 sts
Rnd 51: do NOT turn, RS facing, continue working in same direction now, joining to beginning of row 50 with a sc, and sc in each st around; 30 sts
Row 26: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 36 sts, sc2tog; 38 sts
Rows 27-31: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st around; 38 sts
Row 32: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 34 sts, sc2tog; 36 st
Rows 33-39: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st around; 36 sts
Row 40: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 32 sts, sc2tog; 34 sts
Rows 41-45: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st around; 34 sts
Row 46: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 30 sts, sc2tog; 32 sts
Rows 47-49: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st around; 32 sts
Row 50: ch 1 and turn, sc2tog, sc in next 28 sts, sc2tog; 30 sts
Rnd 51: do NOT turn, RS facing, continue working in same direction now, joining to beginning of row 50 with a sc, and sc in each st around; 30 sts
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8. At the end of row 50, stay RS facing, and start the next rnd.
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9. Do not join. Just begin the next rnd by going right into a sc in the first st of rnd 50, to connect again. Work in rnds, not joining, from here to end.
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Rnd 52: sc in each st around; 30 sts
Rnd 53: (sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog) 6x; 24 sts
Rnd 54: (sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog) 6x; 18 sts
Rnd 55: (sc in next st, sc2tog) 6x; 12 sts
Rnd 56: sc2tog 6x; 6 sts
Fasten off, weaving tail around and through the circle to close.
Rnd 53: (sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog) 6x; 24 sts
Rnd 54: (sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog) 6x; 18 sts
Rnd 55: (sc in next st, sc2tog) 6x; 12 sts
Rnd 56: sc2tog 6x; 6 sts
Fasten off, weaving tail around and through the circle to close.
Handle Buttons
In black, ch 9
Row 1: turn and sc in each ch across; 8 sts
Rows 2-4: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across; 8 sts
Fasten off, leaving long tail for sewing onto handle.In red, simply sew over the middle tow rows of the black piece.
I went over the same spot 5 times to create the button.Sew the black strip onto the gray of the handle, in between the thickened rnds.*You could get fancier with the buttons if you really wanted to. I figured, for a pencil case, simple was just fine. 🙂
In black, ch 9
Row 1: turn and sc in each ch across; 8 sts
Rows 2-4: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across; 8 sts
Fasten off, leaving long tail for sewing onto handle.In red, simply sew over the middle tow rows of the black piece.
I went over the same spot 5 times to create the button.Sew the black strip onto the gray of the handle, in between the thickened rnds.*You could get fancier with the buttons if you really wanted to. I figured, for a pencil case, simple was just fine. 🙂
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10. Sew some red over the center of your black strip to make a button. I went over the same spot about 5 times, and then knot off in back.
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11. Then sew your black strip onto the gray handle, between the thick rnds.
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Now for the sewing!
Measure your bag to get the appropriate size for your fabric. With a little extra room, my fabric is about 12 inches long, and 6 inches wide (folded for sewing).
Some sewing notes:
- I am not an experiences seamstress! I show you, in very basic terms, just how I learned to do this myself.
- I do not prewash or iron my fabrics when they are simply for lining. If you want to get fancy, go for it!
- I do not sew the folded hem (picture 13) down on either side of the lining. I simply pin it down, and then sew the sides. It will later get sewn like that, right into the bag with the zipper.
Follow the pictures and captions below to see how I sewed in my fabric lining and zipper.
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12. The opening for the zipper should be approximately 7 inches, perfect for your zipper. Measure this part out on your fabric, so you know where to leave the opening when you sew!
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13. Fabric is lowered here a bit, so you can see my lightsaber underneath, but I simply placed my fabric over it, to know the kind of shape I would need to sew. Just like the sword narrows, so should the fabric.
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14. My handle measures approximately 5 inches, so this is where I placed my pin, and began sewing.
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15. Begin going down, so sew that hem down, and then shoot back, for the portion that will be in the handle.
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16. Turn to sew toward the back.
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17. Turn again to sew down the side. My fabric piece was folded at the bottom, so no sewing needed down there, but sew closed if you have 2 separate pieces!
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18. Do the same with the other side, sewing down the fold, then round it out for the tip of your lightsaber sword. Trim your excess fabric off, and knot your threads off. They can all be tucked away and hidden between the fabric and the crochet part, so no sewing in loose ends! Yay!
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19. Pin your zipper into place at both ends of your crocheted opening.
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20. Once you pin the zipper down at both ends, then open it, and pin the sides down.
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21. Insert your fabric lining into the bag, and using the same pins, just take them out and pin down the fabric WITH the zipper, carefully around, until both are pinned into place together.
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22. Pin fabric into place with zipper AND crocheted bag.
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23. Begin sewing. Start inside the bag, from behind the fabric, so that you can hide your knot. Then, just sew back and forth! If you use a thread close enough in color to your lightsaber, and keep the stitches close together, it will not show through the yarn. Just pull it snug enough, and the yarn will hide it!
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When you finish sewing in your liner, knot your thread, and weave it behind your fabric!
