Cork Wallet

 One of the nephews suffers from  having a December 18th birthday.
At 14 years old, I think it's high time he learns about the combined birthday/Christmas gift.

Of course I caved.
I'm the airplane auntie.

 This was a quick, easy sew. I would do one part different, but otherwise the directions were very clear to follow.

Made with cork fabric, the pattern is designed with non-fraying materials in mind. This produces a very thin wallet.

The back piece is cork and it is 'lined' with cotton fabric (did you notice the airplanes?).
The pattern has you cut the cork and cotton lining separately and then make them the same size by folding in the 'seam allowances' of the cotton fabric just so and it will magically match the cork fabric dimensions. Sure. Between the cotton stretching as I ironed the raw edges under and the cork stretching a wee bit. Ahem.

But I have a solution of cutting the cotton fabric first. Then I will use a template cut from card stock that is near the finished size to help with ironing the raw edges under. Then I will lay my finished cotton lining on top of the cork fabric and draw an outline and cut out. Then they will match easier.

Except for turning the raw edges under on the cotton lining, all other edges are raw - hence the name of the pattern - Rawly Wallet by Clo Bird Designs.

 There is a 3-piece credit card pocket on the right side of the wallet and an ID slip pocket on the left. You can customize by adding more card pockets to both sides. You can add decoration to the front or onto the pocket. I added a piece of the fabric selvedge to the ID pocket - "Flying High".

Folded in half, it's quite slim.

I'm going to make more of these as these wallets are quick to sew.

Sewing Ideas On The Passport Wallet - Final Post

Travel Set of Purses

If you are one of my regular readers, this post is super heavy on sewing stuff. I wanted a place to put all my hacks so I can remember how to do them again.

My dd is traveling to Sweden and Finland and I decided I would sew her this set of travel purses so I could avoid looking at photos. She needs the photos because she is visiting some of the relatives from there and it's helpful to carry photos.

Photo avoidance is my middle name. Even though I take a million photos a year, I hide from them. The ones that get into the blog are the lucky ones, the others go onto obscurity and forgotten place names. It's embarrassing - but I will say, when I procrastinate, it might be my super power - look what I made!

First make was a Two Zip Hipster, a pattern by Dog Under My Desk (Dumd). I love this pattern. It's so easy to switch it up. I made a Pendleton one for my Japan trip and widened it out a wee bit. Just over an inch.
The Pendleton Wool was thick and adding a little over an inch to the sides gave me the extra room I wanted. I felt the depth was perfect.

For this version in Cork, which isn't as thick as wool, I think I could have gone back to the original size. And I get a chance to do so. I have an order to make another - woot!

For the strap, I used one from a garage sale purse. Well - I used it first on my pendleton. It's beefy webbed strap that perfectly offsets the pendleton and the cork. Not sure what I'll do for the next one.

For all my two zip hipsters, I add a zippered pocket to the inside making this a very secure traveling bag with the cross-body strap. I don't put the slip pocket inside anymore.

Otherwise, I make as directed with Erin's excellent directions.

 2nd; The Coin Purse.
This came in handy in Japan. I didn't have one with vinyl though. In Japan, you see a lot of coinage. You want to move the lower denominations on as quick as you can or you can easily weigh five pounds more.

I started with some rough cut 5 x 6 inch pieces for the back and quilted them. This gives the coin bag some substance if it does get full of coins. Alternatively - you could interface but I like the diagonal quilting lines. I've done this little bag a couple of ways and totally forget each time how to hide the seam.

This is what I did this time with an exposed seam.  Make the quilt backing. Cut vinyl roughly to 4 x 6 inches.   I butted the vinyl up to the lower teeth of the lace zipper and top-stitched the zip in place. On the top side, I used an inch wide scrap of cork and top-stitched the zip in place.

I trimmed everything down to 4 1/2 x 5 1/2- or so. Then I sewed around the entire outer edge. Then I zipzagged to finish that seam. Turn and top-stitch. Whenever I was sewing on vinyl, I just laid the thin paper that comes with (or tissue paper) and then ripped it off once seam was finished.

Neither my daughter nor I are super frilly girls. I think this lace zip gives this small bag a feminine vibe without going over the top.

Oh - and I forgot to add a d-ring. I took another scrap of cork and just sewed it on top of everything and I love it.  I'm in love with cork now - almost obsessed. It doesn't fray, it's strong but lightweight. The texture is amazing. And you can add a strap attachment on afterwards.

And Finally - The Passport Wallet.
Up, Up & Away
This is a pattern by Liz of Moments blog and this is her pattern design name. She's tested a lot of bags and learned a bunch of tricks.
You can find her pattern on Craftsy.

This is a big Family passport wallet holding 4 -6 passports.
I just wanted one for my single daughter.

I've made a passport wallet for me. This one went to Sweden, Aland Islands, Finland, Estonia, & Japan.
This one went to Ireland and Schiphol Airport.

When I designed mine, I wanted something small for airport screening. It would hold my passport, 2 -3 credit cards/drivers license and some EURO cash. And this worked out very well for my needs. But it doesn't hold Japanese Yen flat nor American dollars flat.

Fast forward 4 years; I would have to find my notes on my passport from then or open the PDF file on my computer with Liz's Passport Wallet as a starting point.

I thought about this new pattern for a good three weeks before I started cutting. First of all at 9 inches tall, it's big. I wanted it a tad shorter. Liz offers a zippered pocket alternative for the right hand side - this was all good, but I had to size down on every little pattern piece.

80% solution: I printed my pdf out at 80%. 

I wish I had known this before I started but I'll say it here. This design has you make the pocket pieces, then have you sew them to the lining, then you sew right sides together and turn.
Make your pockets but don't cut the lining and main fabric yet. More on this later.

For my zippered pocket, I wanted to be able to put my iphone inside the back slip pocket so the pocket needed to extend to the edges to accommodate my phone. More calculations. Did you know there are websites that will figure out what is 80% of 7.2"?

The left hand pocket will hold three passports plus one business card slot. In the pattern this is repeated onto the right hand side. For a total of six passport sized slots and two business card slots (driver's license).
Right now is good time to go into the problems in this pattern.  If you have aspirations of becoming a pattern designer; things to reflect upon.


#1. Take good photographs with high contrast fabrics and contrast top-stitching. The left hand pocket is made from five pattern pieces that look identical with similar sounding names and all in blue on the pattern. Was I confused?
#2. Use photoshop or something to name things in your photo.
#3. For similar sized pattern pieces, using the alphabet might have  saved me some time.

 Liz's written directions are excellent. Just her photos need some work. If you cannot figure out how to place each of the five similar sized pieces then just trust the directions. Erin from Dumb patterns labels each photo with step # so you know where you are. (#4. Link steps to photos)

After figuring out the left side pocket 'bag', I tackled the zipper compartment. This is constructed to enfold the raw edges so this seam allowance isn't cluttering up your outer seams. I thought it was genius on how to attach the slip pocket behind the zip pocket. And there's two behind the zip - one for your phone, one for bills.

My iphone measures 7" high so I needed that slip pocket to be 7 1/2" or so. It's all on me making this way more difficult but I wanted the option.
I also wanted some credit card slots on the front of the zipper bag. This was easy to do when installing the zipper -- when it's still all flat.

Before you cut your main and your lining, lay your pocket "bags' in place.
I found I needed to add 3/8" in height to accommodate the "bags".
Your goal is to be able to sew  RST together without hitting the "Bags". With the exception of the left hand side of the the passport pocket which is sewn into the seam.  You also need some room to top-stitch. Using your needle in the far left position will help keep the top-stitching even - the pocket "bags" are vying for room and they push back.

I like her hint of trimming 1/4" off the lining and easing it in when sewing RST. It helped keep the lining from getting baggy.

This is the time to put in your magnetic snap on the outer piece and also on the inner lining.
Do you need to embellish the outside? This wasn't covered in depth as the original pattern uses velcro. She has you go elsewhere to get directions for magnetic snaps. No problem for me.


This wallet finished up about 8 inches high. Enough to easily hold my iphone. It's more typical wallet size than the original patterned one at 9 inches.

Overall, I liked the pattern. It had some genius tips and if you're keen on reading directions, this pattern is an A+. The photos don't give you visual clues on the multi-layers parts and make this pattern an Intermediate sewing pattern.

I had this discussion with one of my FB sewing groups about where to put alternative construction ideas. Place them with the pattern. For the zippered bag on the right, I had to go somewhere else and print them and try to segue them into the general directions. None of her pages had numbers making this a fun project if the wind got to them. It's not like it's a paper pattern. Its a PDF file which can be updated. There could have been page numbers on the directions but my computer did not print them. #5 Number your pages prominently.

I nearly went crazy with trying to figure out where I was in the pattern because I was doing some sewing hacks. Part of this is my fault (for not sewing things as written. )

"...If you have chosen the zipper pocket version.. attach your zipper pocket to the right side now as described in the Double Up Passport (page 9)...."
Gah - where's page 9?


If you only want one side for the passports, you go to her Upgrade pattern, but you don't cut out all the pieces and since they all look alike, I would add
#6 add cutting diagrams like on old commercial patterns. A pen and ink drawing.
Cross-hatching to indicate the main, the lining, the coordinating fabrics. Cutting diagrams for each variation of the wallet would have been fab.

 I wanted my pocket on the left (passports) to have an second fabric in the middle but I was unable to replicate. I tried. She gives written directions on how to do it. But the photos were no help. I did manage to get my third fabric (coordinating lining - running short of my two main fabrics) in the correct no-show place though.

This hacked wallet will hold three passports, one piece of ID, two credit cards, Coins in zippered compartment, paper bills and smart phone. It's gorgeous in cork.

I just noticed in researching info for this post that Liz has another Big Pocket version here. This version is more like mine to accommodate the big phone and extends the entire height of the wallet.

This would put those seams into the sides seams of the finished wallet, adding  some bulk. It would have been easier...Some of these notes are here just to make my life easier if I make this again.



****update -- Dear Daughter just received them up in Alaska and loves them. Be still my heart.
This is the last post on these travel purses. Thank you for bearing with me and reading so far.

I've had guests all week from Finland with no time to blog but I did take another million photos so I will try to share some soon.

All photos for dd have been put in the Shutterfly queue. Sigh of relief.

Travel Purses; Passport Wallet Finished

I've got another post planned on this trio of travel  purses with all the pattern info and my hacks in one place. For right now, it's getting mailed today up to dear daughter for her upcoming trip to Sweden and Finland.

I am still hiding from my photos as she will be visiting some of the relatives there as well as possibly one of my friends who is visiting ME tomorrow! 

The travel set consists of a messenger style bag, a coin purse, and a passport wallet.

The Messenger style bag is sewn without the flap but with a recessed zipper to keep items secure while in strange places. It also contains a zippered pocket inside for extra security. The two outside pockets  stack on the front - one zippered, one a slip pocket.

The coin purse was my own design but loosely based on some small bags sewn during BagIt, hosted by ElmStreetQuilts last November. BagIt for 2016 has already started and will go on for three months this year.

The passport wallet is from a new-to-me pattern but was seriously hacked by me. I downsized the wallet to 80% of original. I added some credit card pockets inside and I also added the alternative pocket option. It also fits my IPhone6. I'm showing it with my old android which is a bit smaller.

I like the concept of this wallet but it gave me 2am nightmares trying to figure out the next step. Now that I've sewn it, I love the concept. You make what type pockets you want, then cut the outside and lining so those pockets will fit inside. Definitely my style of sew as you go.  I'll be blogging more about the pattern difficulties later.

On the main bag, I like the length of the tassel but it was a trial one out of thinner fabric. I may re-do the tassel but my brain says it's done.

I don't know if dd will want to carry all these as she usually travels via small backpack. I think she will like the passport wallet as I like to have my drivers license/ID and passport in the same place and readily available for airport screeners. She probably won't need to pull it out too often. In Japan, I felt like I was showing my passport about five times a day.

In other good news, one of my cousins saw the bigger bag/purse and ordered one exactly like it for herself. Thank you for helping to pay for new cork fabric addiction.

Travel Purses; Part Three

The Passport Wallet.

This is just a teaser post as I'm running amuck with house guests arriving Saturday and my awesome work schedule getting in the way.

The bathroom is cleaned and it will just have to stay that way until Saturday.

Here's the first post in my Travel Purse trio.

And my second with the coin purse.

This wallet has been placed under my mattress to flatten it out and set the folds.

Sketch Wallet

I have wanted to make a wallet with a  zipper enclosure for a while. Choly Knight from Sew Desu Ne offered up a free tutorial a week or so ago and I got inspired.

Really inspired. Before sewing it once through, I added all sorts of amazing bits.
Which is bad!
Note to self: Please try to sew items the first time as per directed.

Above is my second attempt which is so much better than the first one.


Below is my first attempt.

What? You can't see what could be made better?

I immediately had to add a  see-thru vinyl zippered pocket. The attachment is onto the spine, which is floppy. I ironed on some SF 101 to the spine before sewing but it isn't enough. And then to add another pocket for it to support. Ahem.

After turning acrobatics, it comes out pretty wrinkled. Attempting to iron it smooth, I scorched my pretty Summersville fabric store.

Then, I got my iron too hot because now my interfacing won't lie smooth. Anymore.
(I pre-shrunk that interfacing too!)
I hated - okay - disliked the pellon decor bond 803 that Choly had you add to the outer sections to stiffen them up.
On a good note, I did not burn a hole in my vinyl pocket.

I also tried out a metal zipper because I had one in the exact length. I actually liked the metal teeth on this wallet, but there wasn't enough sub-structure to support this heavier zipper.

I love how my second one turned out.

First off, I used a nylon zipper - as called for in the directions! and following my recent success at putting zipper pulls back onto zipper tape, made it a double pull zipper. You can unzip from both directions.

Secondly, I ditched my awesome extra vinyl pocket. I may add it back in.

Thirdly? I looked around my sewing room for something to add to make the outsides stiffer. I found these disposable meat cutting boards. I originally bought these for camping but they have migrated into my sewing room for making templates.

So useful here. I cut two a little smaller than the outside dimensions, rolled them up and inserted them and mushed them into place with my fingers. Then I sewed this seam shut (open from turning it inside out).

Musing on needing a stiffer outside, I thought about inserting peltex (pellon 70) inside but that stuff is thick - about 1/16" thick. The plastic was much thinner and works perfectly.

Seriously awesome sturdy sketch wallet.
Now, I need to go shopping for a sketch book that fits.

Have you jumped on the adult coloring book bandwagon?
Zentangle anyone?

 
Blue sketch fabric is from Riley Blake's "Rocket Age".
Ticket fabric came from Japan.
Cork fabric (New love - it does NOT fray and looks amazing) was purchased from this seller.    The cork helped to give this structure as well - home dec weight. 

Leather Making

This is my kitchen table. A big fat leathery mess.
DS and I have been delving into leather work. He wanted to give his friends 'Handmade!'
I'm happy to support that.
Also, very interested.

One of two hides I now have in the house - will they stay with me or do they travel with DS?

He made this hatchet cover.
 

•  We covered pattern making. 
• How to figure out dimensions if you do not want to pay $4.99 for a digital download. 
•  How leather stretches (OMG). 
• What types of leather we really needed. 
•  How to hold a bic lighter so it does not scorch the leather (do not use on cork!).
• Which tools are necessary (thank you garage sale find! and Tandy Leather).

The wallet behind the cork  was our first presentable wallet. I made the cork one first. This holds a card on each side (mirror image design) with a pocket in the middle for paper bills/more cards.

We are now working on a design for a four card minimalist wallet with middle pocket. DS bought the second hide - a shoulder cut - the other night. This leather cut looks like we'll be able to shave the 'seams' easier and provide a bit more structure - and less stretch.


His goal is a minimalist wallet. He also made a couple of journal covers. 

I have seriously awesome kids.

Sashiko Dragonfly Wallet

I cut into my sashiko dragonfly sampler.

 Open wallet showing two slip pockets.

 Backside with coin pocket and secret pocket behind coin pouch. I pieced a little sashiko to the coin flap.

 With detachable strap.

 

 For the dragonfly wallet, I shifted the coin pocket left so most of a sashiko dragonfly could be seen.

 I made the red wallet first. At a recent estate sale this summer, I found this unfinished kit for the Winslow Wallet. I bought the package because it contained two magnetic snaps. Spendy little items when you buy at retail so this was a huge score.  The fabric was cut out and interfaced. It just needed sewing.

The original pattern was not included nor did it come with the strap. I just like detachable straps on small wallets. I made my own pattern from the cut out fabric pieces. It was pretty straight forward.

After finishing, I liked it. For a little thing  -  5 1/4" w x 4" tall, this wallet has a lot of segregated storage. 

I had time to make another. I picked out an airplane fabric and then realized it was directional. This just means some sewing geometry because this wallet starts out flat and then is folded and once you fold it, some of the airplanes would be upside down doing aerobatics badly, unless you cut and piece it just right.

Then I spied my dragonfly print, skipped right over to where my Yoko Saito fabrics are stored -- right next to my completed sashiko dragonfly piece.

This dragonfly sampler was meant to be a small pillow. I have no use for small pillows so it was sitting until a lightbulb moment happened. 

I bought this sampler at Sewexpo back in 2014. I finished it, left it at a friend's house (lost) and made a second one. I did recover the first one eventually - which means I can make another of these purses - yay!


The sashiko sampler was on flimsy blue fabric. I used the unmarked section meant for the pillow back to double up and treated this fabric as one, with interfacing added. I serged the edges before turning for extra durability and securing any stray sashiko threads that might work loose.


Now, if I can recall where I stashed the recovered first sampler.....