Stitcher's Wallet Tutorial

Sajou Be Glad (freebie)
Stitched on 32ct Raw Linen Belfast with DMC 498
Finished into a Stitcher's Wallet

I completed the Sajou Be Glad in October and had wanted to finish it as a stitcher's wallet. In my blog travels I hear they'll be a Stitcher's Wallet SAL at Tempus Fugit starting 2 days from now. So I decided to finish mine up today and perhaps my tutorial will give stitchers out there an idea on how to go about it. No doubt, there are many ways to finish a stitcher's wallet, mine is just one of the interpretations :)

Here's what you need:

1. A 4 panel stitched piece
2. Smallish stitched pieces for scissors sheath and pincushion
3. Backing fabric
4. Felt for pins and needles
5. A little polyfill
6. Short strip of lace
7. Small piece of interface
8. Leather strip for closure
9. Matching sewing threads
10. Hard interface or skirtex (optional)
11. Thread rings

1. Cut the backing fabric into 4 pieces with addition 1" allowance on each side of an individual panel.
2. Then cut two smaller pieces for the pockets

Left most panel

1. Sew a strip of lace onto the top of the pocket
2. Stitch the thread rings onto the left most panel (Note: I should have only used 2 rings instead of three as the width was only 3")

Reverse of left most panel

1. Use some scrap fabric for the backing of the holding stitches of the thread rings, so that it is more sturdy.

Right most panel

1. Sew a strip of lace onto the top the pocket

Iron a small piece of interface behind the small stitched piece for the scissors sheath so that the point of the scissors will not catch on the threads.

Centre right panel

1. Stitch the scissors sheath piece onto the backing fabric using blind stitch. Reinforce the stitches on the top side of the sheath.
2. Stitch a length of ribbon onto the backing, again a fix a piece of scrap fabric at the back for sturdiness.

Centre left panel

1. Stitch the small pin cushion piece onto the backing fabric using blind stitch. Leave an opening to add in some polyfill. Do not let it bulge too much, a flat pin cushion is more desirable in a stitcher's wallet.
2. Sew a strip of wool felt beneath the pin cushion

You now have all the 4 panels ready.

Carefully sew the parts together as precise as you can, trim the seams to 1/4" and iron them open.

Mitre the stitched piece in all 4 corners and stitch to fasten. The stitching need not be neat :p since you'll be covering them up with the backing fabric. If you're using the hard interface or skirtex, now is the time to cut a piece according to the stitched piece and insert it under the folds.

Trim the backing panels accordingly to the folded 4 panels stitched piece and stitch the edges of the backing fabric along the edges of the stitched piece.



Fold the panels and tie it up with a strip of leather.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment. I'll answer all your questions in my following post.

Dear Stitching Friends,

I want all you good people to know that I am still actively stitching and lately even quilting ;) I will upload pictures of what I've been up to in my albums listed on the right panel.

I have today been allowed to join Jennifer's Bride's Tree SAL and Christmas Ornament SAL. So that is testament that my needles are still flying :) or pure craziness on my part! :D

I do come by your blogs and I DO like the stitching I see. You all continue to inspire me.

This blog will always be here as a reference to the couple of tutorials I've written and another that I will write for Focus on Finishing once things are more confirmed.

Take care everyone.