Are you looking for a Father's Day gift idea or something for that special teacher? Make them a pencil / pen holder from a recycled can. Customize it to suit their personality by choosing a fabric to match their style.

Craft Supplies:

• Clean empty can - the type vegetables come in
• Fabric*
• Felt
• Tacky Glue - white glue such as Elmer's can also be used
• Masking tape, painter's tape or duct tape

* Amount needed depends on the size of the can used. Our piece of fabric was 6 1/2" h x 10" w.

1. Remove the label from your can and clean the can. Cover the top of the can with tape so that the rough edge is covered. This should be done by an adult to prevent children from cutting their fingers.
2. Trace the bottom of the can onto the felt and cut out a circle that is slightly smaller than the area you traced. Repeat so you have two circles. Place these two felt circles aside for the moment.
3. Calculate how much fabric you need to cover your can by measuring the height of your can and adding 2" to this measurement. Then, using a tape measure, measure the distance around the outside of your can and add at least a 1/2" to this measurement. On our sample, the can is 4 1/2" high and 9 1/4" around so we cut our fabric 6 1/2" high and 10" wide. Note: if you don't have a tape measure, you can wrap a piece of string around the can and mark where it overlaps. Then measure the string using a regular ruler.
4. Lay your fabric down on your work surface with the wrong side of the fabric facing up. Lay the can down on it's side being sure the height of the can is centered on the fabric giving you an even amount of overhang on both the top and bottom. Wrap the fabric around the can and glue the fabric in place as pictured below.
5. On the top of the can, fold the extra fabric to the inside of the can and glue in place.
6. On the bottom of the can, cut slits at 1" intervals in the fabric that is extending past the can. Glue each of these pieces down individually to the bottom of the can.
7. Glue one of the felt circles to the inside bottom of the can and the other felt circle to the outside bottom of the can for a nice finished look.

Printable Instructions

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