I may have mentioned my photography student daughter just now and again! She is lovely, clever, talented and very good at dropping/loosing her lens cloth. Once those babies have been on the floor you really don't want to be wiping your lens with them. Can you even imagine, a tiny bit of grit - oh the scratches! Doesn't bear thinking about!

So when I saw this brilliant idea on Fearlessly Creative Mamas to make a little pouch for your lens cloth:

- one where the cloth stays attached and therefore virtually undroppable - I knew I would have to make one for her, and then another for her friend.

I read the tutorial by Kathleen on Fearlessly Creative Mammas then ended up trying a slightly different way on constructing it.

If you want to have a go have a read of this, pop over to Fearlessly Creative Mammas and see what they did and then decide which you want to try. Or try both and give one to a friend!

I made two with different fabrics and the photos here switch between the different versions - I was just picking the best photos, the method is the same.

You will need:

• 2 pieces of fabric 6" x 7.5" (15cm x 19cm) I used 2 different fabrics but they could be the same. 1 will be the outside, 1 the lining.

• 3" (7cm) length of ribbon

• A lens cleaning cloth (I used the kind meant for glasses)

• A little piece of velcro

• A carabana clip type thing - that's its technical name obviously!

Place the 2 pieces of fabric right sides together and pin the longer side.

Stitch, press the seam open and then turn so the right side is up. Mark the centre with a pin then position the velcro pieces on the lining fabric as shown. Mine were each 2cm in from the centre. Then just stitch round them.

Now fold the fabric in half, right sides together.

At this point you need to add the ribbon, the clip and the lens cloth. Fold the ribbon in half,

Add the clip nowif using (yes I did forget on the purple one - doh!)

Pin it in place between the layers of outside fabric about 1" from the seam.

The ends will be sticking out like this.

Place the cloth between the lining fabric, most of the cloth inside, just a little corner poking out.

Then stitch along the short side of the outside fabric and the long edge. 

Don't stitch the lining short edge like I did in the photo - that was by mistake and I ended up un picking it. Just stitch the 2 sides.

I went over the ribbon a couple more times just to make it extra secure.

Snip off the corner as shown here then turn the whole thing out and press.

Should look something like this!

Now shove the lining back inside but leave the cloth out.

Using your fingers, scissors or a ruler to smooth the lining fabric out, then pin across the bottom to secure the lining in place.

 Stitch this seam and you're done! 

The cloth pushes neatly into the pouch when not in use. The velcro is slightly to one side which makes it easier. The clip/ribbon attaches it to a camera bag or pouch.

Whoop whoop! No more dropped, gritty, wet lens cloths.

And just to finish here is a slightly poor quality photo from my phone of it being used!

Julie

I know stock these in my Etsy shop, so if you don't want to make your own, you can usually find a few there.

I'll be linking up to all these great link parties