The Medicine "Book"

Some years ago, my son gave me a wonderful pill dispenser. It contained seven slide-out compartments; one for each day of the week that had movable dividers fitted into the compartment. It will hold over a month's worth of pills.

The case had a leather cover and over the years, the leather just gave out. I really liked the container and was not able to find anything as compact or well-designed as it was.

I had saved many pieces of beautiful up-market upholstery samples. The one I chose was a really good printed velvet reminiscent of pheasant feathers.

So one day, I decided I could replace the case and still keep the individual dispensers just like in the original one. The compartments have little removable dividers and I can store daily medications in them of up to a month's worth.

This is the result.

Measuring the slide- out compartments and the original case, I cut out the fabric, found some suede like binding fabric that did not need to have finished edges and located some interesting buttons.

I replaced the plastic transparent window in the original case with some flexible acetate.

In this case, the container had to be made on the sewing machine because of the need to anchor the acetate window down well.

The front button is a combination of a bone and brass button backed by a life-saver shaped bone button.

The back is a repeat of the front button and is anchored permanently in the back with the loop sewn down.

The front button has a loop closure.One of the main problems with a replacement was how to make the front and back cover rigid like the leather back and front.

To solve this, I made pockets behind the front and back covers that I could insert stiff cardboard into. When I want to hand-wash the case, I remove the cardboard and wash it in warm, sudsy water.

I also write down my current prescription names, milligrams dosage and amount on a 3 x 5 card and slip it into the pocket.

One unfortunate thing--the front of the case has faded much more than the back--the back shows the original print colors. The front is always laying around exposed to the light.

One of these days, I will have to replace the case again.

I did not write down an instruction sheet for myself this time, but on the next go-around, I will probably sew in the window on the machine and make the remainder of the case by hand.