I made this mailing tube pencil case out of basic craft store supplies using some fabric remnants and some of my digitally printed fabric.

My images are posted on my flckr account so, I apologize if they take awhile to load.

Materials:
- Mailing Tube w/2 endcaps
- Fabric remnants
- Small hinges and clasp (used for small wooden boxes)
- Brads and eyelets (the scrapbook types work great)
- Appx. 2 feet of ribbon (optional for handles)
- Spray paint for plastic or spray paint and plastic primer (optional)
- Spray Adhesive
- Glue Stick
- A piece of cardstock or a cereal box

Tools:
- Iron
- Small hacksaw (or heavy duty scissors and hand strength work too)
- Small vice (if using a hacksaw)
- Awl
- Eyelet setter (optional)
- Leather punch (optional)

1. Cut the mailing tube to desired length. Secure the tube in a vice and cut using a small hacksaw. Mine is about 8″ long. Make sure it’s long enough for the pens/pencils you want to put into it. Heavy duty scissors also work but require more hand strength.

2. Cut the tube in half lengthwise. Once again, using the vice to hold the tube in place. Make sure to mark a straight line if using scissors.

3. Sand the edges, gently, just to remove any rough bits, using a fine grit sand paper.

4. Prep the outside fabric. Cut a piece of fabric 2″ longer and wider than the size of each tube half to allow for a 1″ overlap on all sides. I pieced together this fabric because I liked the look.

5. Adhere the outside fabric by spraying adhesive on the outside of the tube and centering the fabric on it. Then wrap the extra fabric around to the interior and secure with glue stick. Glue the corners first and then glue the sides to get a nice mitered corner.

Here the pieces are after they’ve been covered.

6. Prep the interior fabric. Cut a piece of fabric to the exact size of the interior each half of mailing tube. Then, use glue stick to fold in the sides by 1/2 inch.

When glueing, a piece of wax paper under the fabric allows you to put glue on the edge.

Fold the fabric in by 1/2″ and press down. I used my cutting mat to help me get the fold nice and even.

Iron the fold to set it more securely. Do this to all 4 sides.

7. Adhere the interior fabric. Now spray the wrong side of the fabric with spray adhesive and attach to the interior of the tube half.

8. Prep the tube caps. Spray paint the tube caps (optional) using a spray paint suitable for plastic or use a clear plastic primer first. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly.

9. Cover the endcaps with fabric. Use the larger side of the endcap to trace a circle onto cardstock. Cut the circle out using scissors.

Use glue stick to glue the cardstock circle onto a piece of fabric.

With the glue stick, put glue along the edges of the circle and fold the fabric over the edges. Iron to set.

10. Glue the fabric circle to the endcap. Squeeze craft glue around the rim edge of the endcap and place your fabric circle on the glue. Allow to dry thouroughly.

11. Once the fabric circle is glued down and dry. Glue the endcap to inside end of one half of the tube. Put craft glue on the interior of the short side of one half of the tube and set the covered, endcap in place.

Glue the endcap to the end of one half of the tube. Now, glue the other endcap to the other end of the same half.

12. Attach the hinges. Measure and mark the location of your hinges on the long side edges of the tube halves.

Use an awl to drive a hole through the tube and fabric.

Secure the hinges with decorative brads.

Secure the brads on the inside of the tube by folding them over. Here’s a view of the brads from the inside of the case.

13. Attach the clasp the same way as the hinges. Measure and mark, then use an awl to punch the holes and secure with brads.

14. Create the handles. Measure and mark where you’d like the handles to be.

Punch larger holes using a leather punch or a snap-setter/punch.

Insert and set eyelets.

Insert a piece of ribbon for the handle. Secure with a knot on the interior.

This case has plenty of space to be used as small purse or a lunch box.