Magnetic Pockets

Did I mention I like turquoise? The plaid fabric matches the colors of the curtains in my dining area.

The plaid pockets came from some 2T overall shorts that my now-10-year-old daughter used to wear. I loved the colors and the fabric. Alas, I have no two-year-old and no plans for one. So, I decided to cut out the pockets and make magnetic pockets like I've done before with denim. They are so easy.

All you do, is cut out the pocket, right along the edge, leaving the front and back still sewn together with an inch or two flap of the fabric at the top of the pocket. Then you fold over that top inch and hot glue it to the back of the pocket. Then you glue a magnet to it. Or, if the fabric is thin and you want a more substantial backing, you can glue the back of the pocket to a piece of posterboard and glue the magnet to that. To help them not fray, I just run a little hot glue around the edges.

We use these on the fridge and on metal doors. The denim ones have my children's names on them. They put their library cards in them, though I think they'll use the new pockets for that now.

We also use the denim pockets for their chore cards. My seventeen-year-old came up with this idea. She just printed up pictures of everybody's chores on the computer, let them color their own, used clear packing tape to cover them, and then attached them to the pockets with yarn. When the kids are done with their chores, they put the card in their pocket.