This wasn’t the tutorial planned for today, but a last minute emergency caused a change of plans, so I’m doing a little new year recycling of a tutorial I wrote for the Village Haberdashery early last year (apologies for those who may have seen it before)

You will need:

Directional prints:

• 1/2 yard outer fabric
• 1/2 yard lining fabric

OR

Non-directional prints:

• 1 FQ outer fabric
• 1 FQ lining fabric

Accent:

• 4 1/2″ x 8″ piece of leather (I used metallic pig skin leather, which is very thin, from The Identity Store)

Interfacing:

• 1/2 yd fusible woven interfacing
• 1/2 yd fusible fleece, such as Heat & Bond or Vilene H630
• scrap fusible fleece
• scrap very firm interfacing

Notions:

• Magnetic snap
• Thread to match accent fabric and main fabric

Seam allowances:

• Seam allowance is 1/2″ unless otherwise stated
• Top stitching is 1/8″ from edge

Cutting Directions:

• 2 x 12″ x 7″ – front/back
• 1 x flap from pattern piece – cut on fold, it should measure 12″ x 5″
• 1 x 7″ x 7″ – patch pocket

Preparation:

• Apply fusible woven interfacing to corresponding outer fabric pieces, following manufacturer’s instructions
• Apply fusible fleece to corresponding outer fabric pieces, centring to leave a 1/2″ seam allowance all round, following manufacturer’s instructions
• If you are using accent fabric for the corners, sew the 4 accent fabric pieces to the corresponding muslin pieces on the diagonal, right sides together, using a 1/4″ seam allowance, then open out and press wrong sides together.

Assembling The Clutch:

1. Take your accent triangles, and topstitch down the diagonal edge onto your front and back outer pieces.  Note: if you’re using leather, don’t use pins to hold it in place, as the holes will permanently show, instead use a dab of fabric glue to hold it temporarily in place.

2. Take your front piece, and make a mark 6″ from the side and 3″ up from the bottom.  Using the washer from the female side of your magnetic snap, line the centre hole up over the mark, then mark in the two vertical lines either side as in the photo below.  Repeat this on a roughly 1″ square each of the scraps of fusible fleece and very firm interfacing.

3. Using a sharp pair of scissors, cut through each of the vertical lines on the fabric and interfacing, then insert the female side of the snap, layering as follows:

• Outer fabric
• Firm interfacing scrap
• Fusible fleece scrap
• Washer

Then bend the prongs of the snap outwards or inwards – I usually use a flat head screwdriver for this.  Note: I use the interfacing scraps to protect the fabric from the entire snap trying to pull through when you open and close it.

4. Take your front and back pieces and place right sides together, then sew round the sides and base.

5. Trim the corners to reduce the bulk when you turn the bag through.  Note: I do this at more of a 60 degree angle than a 45 degree on so that when it’s turned through I don’t end up with any seams fighting each other at the corner – I’ve found that a 45 degree one tends to rub up against each other and overlap a bit.

6. Turn the bag right sides out and set aside.

7. Take your strap piece and fold in half, matching long edges, and press.  Then open it out and fold the long edges into the centre and press again., and finally, fold it in half along the original crease and press again.

8. Top stitch all the way around both sides of the strap.  Note: I find it easiest to do the open edges first before stitching up the folded edge, as it helps to make sure the edges are lined up properly.

9. Make a loop from your strap, matching the ends, and baste in place 1/2″ in from the right hand side on the back of the outer bag.

10. Take the remaining snap pieces and apply to the flap lining piece, 6″ in and 1″ up from the bottom, following the directions in steps 2 & 3.

11. Take the 2 flap pieces and place right sides together, then sew around, leaving the top edge open.  Trim the corners as per the photo below:

12. Turn the flap right sides out and press, then top stitch around the edge, going carefully past the snap.

13. Baste the flap onto the back of the bag, making sure that the flap outer is facing the bag outer, then set aside.

14. Take your lining patch pocket piece and fold in half right sides together.  Pin together and sew down one side and around 2 1/2″ in along the bottom edge.  Repeat on the other side, leaving a turning gap in the centre at the bottom.  Note: I use a double pin to mark where I need to stop sewing for turning gaps

15.  Trim the corners, and turn the pocket through the gap, carefully poking out the corners.  Press, then top stitch along the folded edge, which will become the top of the pocket.

16. Pin the pocket in place on one of the lining pieces, 3″ in from the side, 1 1/2″ up from the bottom.  Top stitch in place.  Note: this will effectively close the gap at the same time

17. Top stitch diagonally across the top corners of the pocket to secure them, roughly 1/4″ in from the corner

18. Place the lining pieces right sides together, and sew around the sides and bottom, leaving a 3″ turning gap along the base.  Trim the corners as for the outer bag.

19. Place the outer bag inside the bag lining so that they are right sides together, then sew all the way around the top edge.

20.  Turn the bag right side out through the turning gap, and press.  Pin the lining in place, and top stitch around the top of the bag, going carefully along the flap side to ensure the lining is caught on the other side.

21. Enjoy taking it out on a night on the town!