Work Diary Wallet Tutorial..

About a year or so ago I made a laptop bag using Cath Kidston fabric. There is a tutorial in the side bar. I really wanted to make something over the summer. I have a diary at work and get given lots of paper. I dropped my diary near the end of term and the contents shot down my classroom floor and covered nearly 6 feet!! So a wallet of some kind that I could keep my diary in and any paper which I then work on at home etc seemed the ideal solution.

Here it is!!

The fabric I got from Ebay ages ago along with some other pieces for a book cover commission. this one was not chosen. The binding is a lovely floral one on a green background which I bought from a market when I visited France with the school. I bought several bindings that day as they are 100% cotton. I made a pattern to fit my diary with a bit extra space for additional paper, pen, a couple of memory sticks and a small notebook. From that I cut a layer of outer fabric, soft sew-in interfacing and a cotton lining.

The floral fabric was not quite long enough, so the bit I trimmed off the side I added to the end with a length of green binding with piping cord in it. I then quilted the added on section width wise to add contrast. It also removes the need to try and exactly match up the vertical line quilting for the main body of the wallet which I then quilted next.

The lining was then put on the bottom of the quilted layers. I then added binding along the top edge of the wallet.

I then folded down the flap and marked the position of the magnetic snap. This needs to be attached before going any further.
Next, I folded up the main body of the fabric, pinned in an Indigo Blue Designs label, and added binding on the three remaining sides. I stitched it on the front , flipped it over to the back and then decided it would be neater to slip stitch it by hand. I also added a split ring so that I could add some keys if needed.

I carefully mitred the corners. You will probably find a video tutorial on Youtube fir mitring corners which will explain this better than I can here with just photos.

I left the back plain apart from the quilting lines.

There was a little fabric left over so I decided to make a key fob. (Got a little carried away) So I stitched a long tube then stitched a length of binding up the middle so that it matched the wallet. Then folded it in half, tucked in the raw edges and then attached it to a 'D' ring. Believe it or not but I still have a little bit of the floral fabric left! I only started off with a fat quarter as well so I think I got it to go along away. I have yet to make the next item with a left overs but i will post it as soon as it is done. I had such fun doing this at my sewing group on a Wednesday evening and then just quickly finished it off at home. BLISS! I took it to work last Wednesday and it attracted a lot of attention. I wish I knew who made this fabric as a bag would be so fun to make too. Any ideas who the designer was?

xx