Sewing: Jean and Leather Clutch

Jean and leather clutch – perfect for cool summer nights or warm fall nights. This is a bit of an upgrade off my clutch tutorial I did a while ago. Check it out, too. This one, however, has a nice and polished lining, something the other one does’t have. The other one I made you could see all the serger seams on the inside. Okay for me, but this clutch was a gift, so I needed to step it up. Plus, the zipper is far more polished on this clutch than the last, thanks to a new zipper end trick.

Okay…on to the project!

What You Need

• One Fabric – 2 pieces of leather 12×5 – for outside
• Two Fabric – 2 pieces of jean 12×5 – for outside
• Three Fabric – 2 pieces wool 12×4 – for outside
• Four Fabric – 2 pieces 12×13 – for lining
• Five Fabric – 2 pieces 2×1 – for zipper ends
• 12 inch zipper (or 10 inch)
• sewing machine
• matching thread
• iron & board
• rotary cutter
• cutting mat

Okay – first, cut out all of your fabric and ensure you fabric is well ironed and pressed.

The little pieces of fabric, for the zipper ends, fold it under 1/2 and inch and pin to the end of the zipper. Top stitch in place. This is a great way to lengthen a zipper (if you’re using a 10 inch zipper) if need be. It also will make the final product look polished.

Next – serge together the leather, wool, and jean. Do this for both the front and the back of the clutch.

Top stitch – I did this with the wool on the bottom, so both the jean and the leather were top stitched – this symmetry makes the clutch more finished and polished. Less hap-hazzard.

Zipper Time

Time to pin the zipper in place. Place the lining right side up, place the zipper right side up inline with the lining. Place the top of the outside (the jean part) right side down on top of the zipper, lining it up with the top.

Take particular note – the ends of the zipper are sticking out the right and left side. This will allow you to easily stitch right through the zipper end when you’re stitching the whole bag together.

If you need extra guidance for the zipper, visit the boxy bag tutorial, it’ll help. Or, if you want a more in depth tutorial on the zipper end, check out the make-up bag tutorial. It will help with this technique if it’s new to you.

Time to pin the whole thing together – right sides together. Be sure your zipper is open.

Serge along all sides, leaving about 5 inches of the bottom of the lining open so you can turn the project right side out.

Ladder stitch the lining closed and push it inside the clutch.

Done.

Notice how polished that zipper end is? So good.

Happy date night, or movie night, or whatever night you have with your clutch!

Thanks for visiting and I’ll see you again soon.