Fat Quarter Friday: Gathered Clutch

This week I made this cute gathered clutch using this tutorial from Noodlehead as my starting point. I had a 7″ zipper on hand, so I changed the original tutorial to fit, and I’m glad I did because I don’t think I’d want it any bigger. I also left out their insert and added a phone pocket. Check out their tutorial for more doodads on the inside.

Materials:
2 fat quarter
7″ zipper
some fusible interfacing

Step 1: Cut out your pieces.
Fabric 1: Outside and Pocket
5.5″ x 8″
5.5″ x 12″
4″ x 9″
Fabric 2: Lining, Outside Band and Zipper Ends
5.5″ x 8″ (cut 2)
4″ x 8″
1.5″ x 2.5″ (cut 2)
Fusible Interfacing:
5.5″ x 8″ (cut 2)

Step 1: Take your pocket piece (4″ x 9″) and iron over the long ends 1/4″.

Fold it in half hamburger style (please excuse my disgusting ironing board). Topstitch along that folded edge.

Grab one of your lining pieces (right side up) and place your pocket piece in the center of it. Pin and then sew in place. Set it aside for later.

Step 2: Take your long outside piece and sew two basting stitches 1″ apart from each other in the middle of the fabric.

Grab the bobbin threads and pull until your fabric matches the same length as your other outside piece (5.5″ x 8″)

Iron the folds in place so you now have a nice rectangle.

Step 3: Take your outside band piece (4″ x 8″) fold it in half, hotdog style with right sides together and sew along the long edge.

Turn it inside out and iron the seam on to the middle of the back.

Place the band seam side down on the middle of your gathered piece and pin in place. Sew along both long edges.

Step 4: Take your two outside pieces and place them face down on your ironing board. Attach your fusible interfacing the the wrong side of the outside pieces according to your product’s directions.

Step 5: Take your little zipper end pieces and fold them in half hamburger style wrong sides together and iron. Then open it up and fold the two ends into the center crease you just made and iron again. Then fold them all up like so.

Grab your zipper and place the end of your zipper into the folded piece you just made. You want the fabric to just cover the little medal bit, so you may need to trim off some of the extra zipper fabric. Topstitch it in place.

Repeat on the other end of the zipper, be sure to move the zipper out of the way.

Step 6: Take your gathered outside piece and lay it out right side up. Place the zipper face down with the zipper pull on the left.

Place your lining piece without the pocket face down on top. Pin the very top edge and sew together using your zipper foot.

Step 7: Now flip it open so you can see the right sides of the fabric and the zipper sticking out the top. Set it to the side for a second.

Lay out your other outside piece right side up. Place the sew pieces from the previous step on top with the outside pieces together (the zipper pull should be on the right).

Place your lining piece with the pocket opening at the top and pin in place. Sew the layers together using your zipper foot.

Step 8: Open your pieces up like so. Your outside pieces are right side up and the lining pieces are on bottom.

Grab your outside pieces and pull up, sweep the lining piece that is on the left over to the right to meet up with the other lining piece and lay the outside pieces down on the left.