kraft-tex Pocket Pal

One of my stocking stuffers this past Christmas was a package of kraft-tex (thanks Jess... er... Santa!). It's something I'd heard of before but had never had any, so I was eager to give it a try. It's actually made of paper - "a kraft paper that performs like fabric" - and is good not only for sewing but for all sorts of craft projects. Here's a good video to learn a little more about it. It's washable, doesn't tear, and has sort of a leather look and feel to it.

I decided to give it a try with the Pocket Pal pattern that I've used before. It has all raw edges, which made it perfect for the kraft-tex. It sewed nicely, although not as smoothly as fabric or leather, but still totally doable. I took a risk and did contrast topstitching (without practicing because I didn't want to waste any) and was quite pleased with how it turned out.

I used some scrap fabric for the lining and inside the card slots, and a KAMsnap for the tab.

I wasn't totally thrilled with the puncture holes on the back side of the seam, but it wasn't a deal breaker. However, just look at that cool texture!

Here's a Pocket Pal I'd made before in leather for comparison.

I like it! It's very sturdy and should hold up for a long time.

Kraft-tex isn't just for sewing projects, but for many kinds of paper crafting, too. It'd be great for scrap-booking, if you're into that. If you're interested, Amazon has lots of it for sale. Give it a try and (or if you already have) let me know what you think. I'm open to project ideas, too. Since you can print on it with an inkjet printer, I'm thinking of maybe making some labels, for one thing. There are endless possibilities!