Make it Monday - Trish Preston - Two Peas in a Pod Homegrown Designs

The Patchwork Wristlet - January 2010

Are you ready? Here we go...

New for 2010, I will be hosting "make it monday" "sew it up sunday" (I'll explain the change later!) at the top of every month. Make it Monday Sew it Up Sunday is your opportunity to make something with me. I'll have the complete instructions for you here on my blog.

In addition, if you're feeling pressed for time and want to sew along with us but don't have the time to put it all together, I'll have a limited number of kits prepared for you. HERE in my etsy shop, you will find a handful of these projects all cut and ready to be sewn for you under the make it monday sew it sunday category. Neatly packaged and ready to ship but only available for a very limited time.

Let's sew!

To start off the new year, a patchwork wristlet. You can adorn the front with a brooch, a buckle, a button, a yo-yo - be creative! Read through all of the instructions first before beginning.

Here's what you'll need fabric wise besides all the typical sewing do-dads:

5 strips of fabric cut 2" x 6.5"
a piece of fabric cut roughly 8.25" x 6.5" for the rear exterior. I usually wait to cut this - using my top panel as my pattern.
2 pieces of heavy fusible fleece interfacing cut 7.5" x 5.25" give or take. You just want this to be about 1/2" smaller than the piece you are fusing it to.
a strap cut 2" x 14" in length
a piece of ribbon for the front of the wristlet
prequilted cotton, corduroy or heavy home dec fabric for the interior OR you can choose a quilting cotton. Cut 2 approximately 8.25" x 6.5" (I usually do not cut my interior until I get my top pieced - then I use that top as my pattern to cut the exterior back and the interior pieces. If you use a heavy fabric, you don't need to interface it. If you choose to use a quilting cotton, you will want to interface it.
your embellishment for the front
7" or 9" zipper

Using 1/4" seams, sew your 5 strips of fabric together to construct the front.

3. Use the top you have just assembled as your pattern. Lay it on the fabric you chose for the rear exterior and cut out the rear panel. Then cut out your interior pieces as well.

4. Fuse the interfacing to the front and rear exterior panels following manufacturers instructions.

5. Press your strap. Press the fabric in half. Open up. Then press each half in half to the center. Press in half again. Stitch down both side of strap.

6. Topstitch the front panel 1/8" from the edge of each seam / patch. You can skip this if you want but it looks nice to topstitch.

7. Stitch on your ribbon to the front panel.

8. Make a loop with your strip and lay your wrist strap about an inch or so down from the top along the side - matching up raw edges and stitch.

9. Sewing on your zipper. I used a 7" zipper however, it is exactly the same size and can be a bit tricky to work with. If you want a little wiggle room, use a 9" zipper.

10. With right side up, lay your front panel down on your table. Take your zipper and lay it right side down. Take one of your lining pieces and line it up with the front panel and zipper and pin all 3 layers together - making sure everything is even. Refer to the photo here for this step.

11. Now flip these out so that your wrong sides are facing together and give it a little press. Topstitch.

12. Repeat for the rear panel. If you're not sure if you have it correct - pin in place and then flip around while pinned so you can check before you sew. Oh, you knew that!

13. Don't forget to topstitch again! When you are all done attaching your zipper it will look like...

14. NOW...put your right sides together for the exterior panels, pin, and sew all 3 sides using a 1/2" seam allowance. You'll need to fidget with it a bit, line up your seams along the zipper, push the zipper up a bit...you'll get it. You want it to come together all nice and neat.

15. Once you've sewn around those 3 edges, open up your zipper almost all the way. Now pin the lining panels together, right sides together. Stitch around all 3 sides and leave an opening in the bottom. Clip the corners.

16. Turn your bag. You'll be pulling it all through the lining opening. Sew the lining closed and tuck it inside the bag.

You're done. How's it look? I added a little ribbon to my zipper for a pull.

Everytime I do something new - it never turns out that great the first go 'round so practice and in a time or two of making these - you'll be a pro!

Do you have any suggestions? Did you like it? Did I screw anything up? (I wouldn't be surprised :>) ) I'd love to hear from you so please - leave me a comment and let me hear from you.

Of course, post your make it monday projects on my Flickr page so we can all take a look at the gems you are creating.

Next months Make it Monday Sew it up Sunday project is full of Valentine sweetness - a doll blanket OR table topper. I'll be posting the kits for this project in about a week give or take a few days so you can have them shipped in time for the project post when it comes up (I'm actually posting the Make it Monday Sew it up Sunday February project on January 25th) and you can whip it out straight away for the holiday.

{and just an extra note...I hope you enjoy the ideas and photos on my blog but please note that the content here including photos and text are the property of Trish Preston and may not be used, copied or transmitted without the express consent of Trish Preston. For any inquiries, please email me at twopeasinapoddesigns@gmail.com. Thanks!}

xoxo,

Trish