Leather accents easy-to-make zippered fold-over purse
Dear Julia: I really like the fold-over purses I’m seeing in stores lately. I love to sew, and it looks like something I might be able to make myself. But I can’t find a pattern for one in any of the pattern books in my local fabric store. Do you think I could make one without a pattern? — Susann F. Hi Susann: Depending on your sewing experience, you might be able to wing it and make one without a pattern. But I found this pattern by LBG Studio, called Leather Accent Fold-Over Pouch. It’s a cute fold-over handbag with leather accents and a zipper. I’ve made one myself and love it. It requires only 1 yard of fabric. I suggest canvas, denim, leather, suede or vinyl.
The pattern is a downloadable PDF that consists of 11 pages of stepby-step instructions and bonus measurements for a smaller-size purse. You can find it at lbgstudio.bigcartel.com. Search for “leather accent fold-over pouch.”
Dear Readers: Last week I wrote about different seam-finishing techniques. Today I’m going to go into more detail about what I believe is the most classic, elegant seam — the French seam. To be honest, it’s not the easiest seam, so I don’t use it often, but I do love the results. The seam is encased in itself, leaving no visible raw edges. So it’s a great option when you are constructing a sheer garment.
To begin, pin the wrong sides of the fabric together. This is the opposite of what you’re probably used to doing when joining two pieces of fabric together. Then stitch a ⅜-inch seam allowance. Next you need to trim down the raw edges of the seam to about
⅛ inch. Now, with the right side of the fabric facing up, press the seam to the side. Then fold the fabric at the seam with right sides together. On the wrong side of the fabric, press flat at the edge of the fold and pin down the fold. To finish the seam, stitch down the folded fabric at about ¼ inch. This will trap the original seam and allowance in the fold. Open up your fabric and press the seam on the right side of the fabric for a crisp finish.