Spring has finally sprung here in New York. And with Spring, comes wedding season. The sun is out and birds are chirping. Love is most certainly in the air. We have shed our winter coats and are in search of the perfect party dresses and dancing shoes. But wait! There is one more essential accessory… a clutch!

Few occasions are more joyous than a wedding. Weddings are chock-full of emotions. Between the tear-filled vows, laugh-inducing toasts and face fulls of cake a girl has to be prepared. You don’t want to be caught without your lipstick and handkerchief. What better place to tuck away such things than this unique, yet timeless clutch!?!

For me, the elegance of this project comes from the richness of the materials and the simplicity of it’s form. The clutch’s classic shape allows Globalweave’s modern prints and natural slub of the fabric to shine, providing a product for all ages and occasions, formal or casual, subtle, but with a splash of sparkle.  Enjoy! –Laura

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.

Materials

To make one 7-inch tall x 11-inch wide clutch:

• 1/2 yard of one of Globalweave’s beautiful linens. I used Block Print Circles in White, Block Printed Silver Leaf and Embroidered Stripes in Neutral. For both the Silver Leaf and the Embroidered Stripes fabric, I use 3/4-yards due to the direction of the fabrics’ patterns. You can get three clutches our of 3/4-yards.
• 1/2 yard of Robert Kaufmann’s Kona Cotton in Snow
• 1/2 yard of Pellon’s Lightweight Sew-In Stabilizer
• 1 pack of Dritz’s Magnetic Snaps, size 3/4-inch
• Ecru Cotton Thread (color 1040)
• Beige Cotton Thread to match the Globalweave (we used 3310)
• Clover Chaco Pen

Pattern

Cut

From the Globalweave, cut:

• One 11 1/2-inch by 19 1/2-inch rectangle, paying close attention to the pattern

From the Kona Cotton, cut:

• One 11 1/2-inch by 19 1/2-inch rectangle
• One 5 1/2-inch by 7 1/2-inch rectangle

From the Pellon, cut:

• One 11 1/2-inch by 19 1/2-inch rectangle

Prepare and Place the Pocket

Fold and press all four sides of the smaller Kona Cotton rectangle over 1/4-inch and pin. Using the Ecru thread sew down the four edges of the rectangle with a 1/8-inch seam allowance. This piece will become an interior pocket.

On the larger piece of Kona Cotton, mark a line 6 1/2-inches from the bottom short side. Pin the interior pocket piece along this marked line equidistant from the left and right sides of the larger rectangle.

Sew along three sides of the pocket, leaving the top open.

Place the Snap

Flip over the Kona Cotton rectangle and measure 1 3/4-inches from the top edge. At the center of the fabric and mark the fabric with a dot, 5 3/4-inches from each side. Place the backplate of the magnetic snap on the mark and draw a line in each of the slots. Cut the fabric along the two marked lines. Holding the backplate on the back side of the fabric, from the front push the snap through the two holes you have cut as well as the slots in the backplate. Press down the tabs firmly.

Similarly, now place the bottom half of the magnetic snap on the Globalweave. This time measure 4 1/4-inches from the bottom edge of the back side of the fabric. At the center of the fabric make a mark. Place the backplate of the magnetic snap on the fabric and draw a line in each of the slots. Cut the fabric along the two marked lines. Holding the backplate on the backside of the Globalweave, push the snap through the holes from the front, going through the two holes as well as the slots in the backplate. Press down the tabs firmly.

Pin

Lay your Globalweave on the table right side up, on top of it place the Kona Cotton right side down. On top of those, lay the Pellon Stabilizer. You have made a sandwich of sorts. Pin your sandwich together, going through all three layers, aligning the fabrics as best you can.

Sew

Using a 1/4-inch seam, sew around the 4 sides of your sandwich, leaving a 3-inch opening in the middle of one of the two longer sides and snip off the corners.

Turn your sandwich right-side-out through the 3-inch opening, making sure to poke out the corners. Press your rectangle.

Turn in and pin the un-sewn edges of the 3-inch opening a 1/4-inch to hide the raw edges. Hand sew the opening closed using a blind stitch and the Ecru thread. Press once more.

Lay this rectangle of fabrics on your work surface with the Kona Cotton fabric facing up and the snap at the top. Fold the bottom edge of your rectangle up 6-inches. Pin the it along the left and right sides.

Using a 3/8-inch seam allowance and starting at the bottom left corner of the bag, sew along the left side, the top and then the right side. 

This will close the bag’s sides and create a neat top-stitch detail to the clutch.