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e have always made reading a priority in our home. It was easy for me as a kid and I’ve always spent time in book stores looking for the next great read. I read to my daughter when she was young, and now, at 22, she has a love for reading as well. My son Cameron, 9, isn’t always as thrilled about reading as we gals are. He loves comic books and will pick those up on his own.
Chapter books are another story, so to remedy this I thought I’d get him involved making a book pocket to store his current reading material right at his bedside. Well, let’s just say he went along with it, but he wasn’t’ thrilled.
If you have a voracious reader in your house, or maybe one you’d like to coax along, try making a bed book pocket together. It will either bring you two together, or send your child running to their room. (Maybe they’ll read while they are there!)
Materials List:
- 1¾ yds. fabric of your choice
Matching thread
- Straight edge
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Pins
- Iron and ironing board
- 2 tubes from wire hangers
- Cutting mat
- Utility Knife
Tip:
Although most of my photos indicate that Cameron was a big part of this project, I did several of the steps myself. I was present during every step he did from cutting to sewing to pinning, but I didn’t let him iron or use the utility knife. You know your child’s abilities, just be careful.
Also, the dimensions suggested here are for a twin sized bed book pocket. If you have a full size bed add 15” to the length cut and if you have a queen bed, add 21”. The sleeve filled with hanger cardboard tubes keeps the book pocket from sliding out from under the mattress.
Instructions:
1) Cut a piece of fabric measuring 60 5/8” long by 17 ¼” wide. We used a long straight edge to mark the dimensions and carefully cut out the rectangular strip.
2) Fold the strip of fabric, right sides together, lengthwise to create a long, even narrower strip. Pin together along the long side and one end.
3) Stitch along the two pinned edges using a 5/8” seam allowance. Remember to keep one of the ends open.
4) Once the two sides are sewn, trim the seam allowances in half and clip the corners.
 
5) Then turn the tube right side out!
6) Here’s where I stepped in and ironed the book pocket flat, making sure the sewn seams were pulled out to their fullest extent.
7) While I was at the ironing board I ironed in the sleeve for the hanger tubes by turning the unsewn end over ½” and pressing. Then I turned the end over 1 ¾” and pressed it again.
8) At the sewn end, I turned the fabric up 7” to create the pocket and pressed the fold in place.
9) Pin along the two sides of the pocket and stitch in place. Do the same at the other end, pinning in the sleeve and sewing it in place.
10) Cut the cardboard hanger tubes down to 7 ½” using a cutting mat and a utility knife.
11) Insert three, 7 ½” cardboard tubes into the sleeve.
12) The last step is to lift up the mattress and place the sleeved end at one side of the mattress, lay the fabric flat on your box springs, and let the book pocket fall on the other side of the bed, close to your pillow, within easy reach!
Now if that doesn’t get a kid to read, I don’t know what else will….maybe the suggestion of another sewing project!
Shari
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kids & family 
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There's nothing that gets you in the holiday spirit more than creating old fashioned paper snowflakes! 
