Amy Butler's Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags (8 page)
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Authors: Amy Butler
c. Using your ruler and fabric marker, mark the placement for the magnetic snap on the
Right
side of the main panel without the flap attached. Fold the main panel in half lengthwise, matching the short side edges, and gently press a crease. Open the panel, then measure 2″ (5.1 cm) down from the top edge on the center crease and make a mark.
d. Center the female half of the magnetic snap over the center crease and below the 2″ (5.1 cm) mark. Install the snap following the manufacturer’s instructions.
MAKE AND ATTACH THE INSIDE POCKETS TO THE LINING.
a. Fold the first inside pocket panel in half with the
interfaced
sides together, matching the 8″ (20.3 cm) edges. Pin down both short side edges. Press the fold flat.
b. Topstitch* ⅛″ (0.3 cm) from the folded edge. Backstitch at each end. Topstitch another row ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the first and backstitch at each end.
c. Machine baste* a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam down both pinned sides and across the long edge.
d. Place the inside pocket panel on top of the
Right
side of the first lining panel, matching the top long and side raw edges. Pin and then machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam down both sides and across the long edge. (See
Figure 2
on
page 62
.)
e. Repeat steps 5a through 5d to make and attach the second inside pocket to the bottom long edge of the second lining panel.
MAKE AND ATTACH THE PEN HOLDER TO THE LINING.
a. Fold the pen holder in half,
Right
sides together, matching the 2¾″ (7 cm) edges. Pin in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam across the pinned edges. Backstitch at each end.
b. Turn the pen holder
Right
side out, center the seam on the pen holder panel, and press the piece flat, with the inside seam allowance open.
Figure 2
c. Fold the piece in half, matching the short raw ends, and pin them in place. Then, machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam across the pinned edges.
d. Place the matched edges of the pen holder onto the first lining panel and center it on the bottom long raw edge. Pin in place.
e. Place the lining panels
Right
sides together, matching the bottom edges, and pin in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam across the pinned edges. Backstitch at each end. Press the seam allowance open.
ATTACH THE FLAP LINING TO THE LINING PANELS.
a. Fold the flap lining in half, matching the side edges. Using your ruler and fabric marker, mark along the folded edge on the
Right
side to mark the center.
b. Measure and mark 1½″ (3.8 cm) down from the top rounded edge along the marked center.
c. Center the male half of the magnetic snap over the center crease and below the 1½″ (3.8 cm) mark. Install the snap following the manufacturer’s instructions.
d. Place the long edge on the flap lining and top edge of the first lining panel
Right
sides together and pin them in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam, 1″ (2.5 cm) in length in from each side edge. Backstitch at each end. The opening that is left will be used to turn the cover
Right
side out in step 8d.
ATTACH THE LINING TO THE EXTERIOR.
a. Place the lining and exterior panels
Right
sides together, matching the seams that attach the flap and the lining panels. Pin in place around the outside edges.
b. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam around the outside pinned edges of the panels and flap. Backstitch at each end.
Figure 3
c. Trim* the corners in the seam allowances, making sure not to clip the stitching. Trim the seam allowances around the curve on the flap to ¼″ (0.6 cm). Clip* into the seam allowance around the curved edges every ½″ to ¾″ (1.3 cm to 1.9 cm). Be careful not to clip the stitching.
d. Turn the checkbook cover
Right
side out through the opening in the seam that attaches the lining panel to the flap lining. Using a turning tool*, gently push out the corners and press the cover flat.
e. Fold each side of the opening under ½″ (1.3 cm) toward the
Wrong
side and pin in place. Slipstitch* the opening closed.
f. On the exterior side, line up the seams on the front and back of the cover and pin them together. Stitch-in-the-ditch* between the seam that attaches the back panel and flap. Backstitch at each end.
g. Topstitch ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the seam on the flap. Backstitch at each end. Topstitch another row ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the first and backstitch at each end.
h. Topstitch ⅛″ (0.3 cm) from the finished outside edges on the flap, rounding each corner. Backstitch at each end. Topstitch another row ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the first and backstitch at each end.
i. Match the seams that attach the main panels together on the exterior and lining and pin them in place. On the exterior side of the cover, topstitch ⅛″ (0.3 cm) on each side of the seam. Backstitch at each end. Be careful not to catch the pen holder in your stitching.
Your Checkbook Cover is complete. Now retail checkouts will get a splash of your fashion every time you go for your pen!
PROJECT:
05
TITLE:
Perfectly Pleated Clutch
Graceful and dramatic! Your friends may gasp when they learn you stitched up this amazing, sophisticated clutch. Don’t sew and tell: you’re the only one who needs to know it was surprisingly simple to make. Choose fabrics you adore and make different ones in the three available sizes—the smallest is designed to fit a checkbook. Everyone you know will be secretly—or not so secretly—hoping to receive one as her next gift.
Small clutch
7″ (17.9 cm) wide across the top [11¾″ (29.8 cm) at the widest point] × 7″ (17.9 cm) tall
9″ (22.9 cm) wide across the top [14½″ (36.8 cm) at the widest point] × 8″ (20.3 cm) tall
11½″ (29.2 cm) wide across the top [17¼″ (43.8 cm) at the widest point] × 9½″ (24.1 cm) tall
From 44″ (112 cm) wide light- to mid-weight fabric
For small clutch:
1⅝ yd (1.49 m) of one print for pleated exterior
1⅞ yd (1.71 m) of one print for pleated exterior
2⅛ yd (1.94 m) of one print for pleated exterior
• ¼ yd (0.23 m) of a coordinating print for the exterior bands and handle
• ⅝ yd (0.57 m) of a second coordinating print for the lining and pocket
For small clutch:
• 1 yd (0.91 m) of 20″ (50.8 cm) wide fusible woven interfacing (I use Shape Flex SF-101 by Pellon)
• One 7″ (17.9 cm) coordinating zipper (I use Coats brand)
• 1 spool coordinating all-purpose thread (I use Coats Dual Duty XP)
• 1⅛ yd (1.03 m) of 20″ (50.8 cm) wide fusible woven interfacing
• One 10″ (25.4 cm) coordinating zipper
• 1 spool coordinating all-purpose thread
• 1¼ yd (1.14 m) of 20″ (50.8 cm) wide fusible woven interfacing
• One 12″ (30.5 cm) coordinating zipper
• 1 spool coordinating all-purpose thread
See Basic Tools Needed for Each Project
(page 14)
.
• Zipper foot for your sewing machine
1
CUT OUT THE PATTERN PIECES.
From the pattern sheet included with this book, cut out
• Main/pocket panel
• Band
• Handle
CUT OUT ALL OF THE PIECES FROM THE FABRIC.
a. Place a single layer of the exterior fabric for the main panels
Right
side up, smoothing out any wrinkles. Using a ruler and fabric marker, measure and mark the dimensions below directly onto the fabric. Then, cut along the marked lines.
For small clutch:
Cut 2 pieces each 8″ (20.3 cm) wide × 54″ (137 cm) long
For medium clutch:
Cut 2 pieces each 9″ (22.9 cm) wide × 64″ (162.6 cm) long
For large clutch:
Cut 2 pieces each 11″ (27.9 cm) wide × 76″ (193 cm) long
b. Fold both coordinating band/handle and lining fabrics in half lengthwise, the
Wrong
sides together, matching the selvage edges*. Gently press a crease on the fold. Open the fabric and fold each selvage edge in toward the center crease. This will give you enough folded edges to cut out the exterior bands, handles, and lining.