The winds were blowing and the snow drifting so not many people came to the store yesterday. So, I decided to make something small that I could finish. Since it was small and a second one always seems like to take less time that the first I decided to make two.
The wallet on the left is made from fabric that has been on the shelf for awhile. The one on the right is fabric coming in February called 'Piecemakers' by Kathy Schmetz. Our guild show in April is called Piecemakers so it is a 'must have'.
The wallet takes 2 fat quarters, some interfacing, 2 D-ring closure and a little piece of clear vinyl. There are 2 pockets on the outside, one under the flap and one on the back. Inside there is a vinyl pocket, a large pocket and several card holders.
The business card is peeking out of a large pocket that holds your phone. The pocket at the top is the vinyl one. Upside down at the bottom are the card pockets. There is room for 6. The strap is optional. The binding was made easier with a couple of tools. The directions say to sew it to the inside and topstitch to the outside. I used Wonder Clips from Clover to help hold the binding as I went around. They held the corners in place until I could get close enough that a stiletto (in this case my seam ripper) would hold the folds in place. Also, several years ago I got a foot for my Pfaff called a bi-level topstitch foot. That really helped me sew close to the edge without slipping off.
Now, remember I said the directions said to sew the binding to the inside. Well I was halfway around the topstitching before I realized it was the wrong side. If you go back to the top photo you can see the difference. The good news is that the choice of fabric makes a difference. The bi-level topstitch foot kept my sewing lines straight but the check design on the fabric hides a lot! It would not have worked so well with turquoise thread on black fabric for the other one. There is a problem with doing it the opposite way to the directions. I had a difficult time fitting my cards in the small pockets. In time and with frequent card use, I am sure the fabric will stretch enough to make spending easier.
I think this is a great wallet to use when you don't want to bring your purse (life in a bag) into every store. Combined with 'Among Brenda's Quilts & Bags' bag called 'Everything Goes Bag' I will be ready for anything!
