Linen letter and bill organizer

I became frustrated with the mound of papers that always piled up on our kitchen counter, so I decided to make a letter and bill organizer. It has 3 main pockets that hold full-size papers, plus an extra pocket for pens and smaller items.

Materials list:

• main body and pockets: heavy unbleached French linen
• back: lightweight ivory French linen
• hanging strap: linen book tape
• support: wooden dowel, 1/4" to 1/2" diameter

• Large pockets (cut 3): 16" wide on top, 9" high, and 14" wide on bottom (slope sides evenly towards the center)
• Small pocket (cut 1): 11" wide x 7" high
• Main body piece (cut 1) 16" wide x 20" high
• Back piece (cut 1): 16" wide x 20" high
• Hanging strap (cut 1): 16" long

• Cut pockets (3 large and 1 small), main body piece, and backing piece.
• Hem 3 large pockets: press top (longest edge) and sides under 5/8" and stitch down 1/2" from pressed edges.
• Hem small pocket: press under all sides 5/8" and stitch 1/2" from pressed edges.
• Pin small pocket to one of the large pockets, coming on closer than 1" to the bottom edge of the large pocket. Stitch down on sides and bottom. Add vertical stitching lines as desired for holding pens and pencils. This large pocket will be the bottom most pocket on the finished organizer.
• Mark stitching lines on main body piece 3", 6", and 9" from the bottom edge.
• Flip large pockets upside down, so the right side is facing the main body piece and the raw (shorter) bottom edge is facing the top of the body piece. Pin the three large pockets in place along the stitching lines, overlapping the raw edge 5/8". Stitch down all three pieces.
• Flip up the three large pockets, pressing down where the the bottom edge of the pocket folds upwards. Pin the top pocket in place, leaving the top edge slack so it hangs open. Each edge of the pocket should be no closer than 1" from the raw edge of the main body piece. Stitch down 1/8" from edge on sides and bottom of the pocket. Repeat with the other two pockets.
• Stitch hanging strap or rope onto top edge of main body piece, raw edges facing upwards (the rope will be sandwiched inbetween the body piece and backing, and will emerge once it's turned inside-out).
  
• Place backing over the main body piece, right sides together. Pin and stitch all around, leaving a few inches on the bottom for turning right-side out, and a 1" gap on the upper left side for inserting the dowel.
• Turn, press, and topstitch, avoiding the dowel pocket opening on the left side.
• Stitch horizontally 1" from the top edge, creating a pocket for the wooden dowel.
• Cut a dowel 1/2" shorter than the finished width of the organizer, insert, and hang!