Seersucker & Leather Fold Over Clutch

Hello Tatertots & Jello readers! My name is Melissa Mortenson and I blog at the Polka Dot Chair! I love to sew and I especially love dreaming up new projects! I live in Louisville, Kentucky where we’ve had a particularly hard winter (like most of the country I think!). The long winter has me dreaming of summer, especially summer clothes.

Living in the South, nothing says summer like seersucker! It’s always been one of my all time favorite fabrics.

Normally I sew clothing from seersucker, but I thought it would be fun to try out making a clutch out of seersucker fabric. To keep it all from being too “sweet” I added a few touches of leather.

Even though it’s still chilly outside, I’m going to start carrying my clutch as a reminder that warmer weather is not far away.

If you want to make one you’ll need:

2 pieces of seersucker fabric cut to 9” x 12″

1 piece of seersucker cut to 3” x 16”

2 pieces of Shape Flex interfacing cut to 9” x 12”

2 pieces of fabric for the lining cut to 9” x 12”

2 pieces of fusible fleece interfacing cut to 9” x 12”

2 pieces of leather cut to 4” x 4”

2 pieces of leather cut to 1” x 1 1/2”

Leather Needle

Extra Strong Thread

Regular Thread

9” Metal Zipper

Glue Stick

Zipper Foot for Sewing Machine

Begin by cutting your 4” x 4” leather squares in half on the diagonal. To cut leather I use a rotary cutter dedicated to only cutting leather.

Press the shape flex to the wrong side of the seersucker fabrics

Press the fusible fleece to the wrong side of the lining fabrics

Using a glue stick, apply a bit of glue to the wrong side of the leather triangles. Attach one triangle to each bottom corner of the clutch. Use binding clips to hold the leather in place.

Put the leather needle in your machine

Thread the top thread with extra strong thread (you can leave the bobbin thread as is)

Set your stitch length to 4

Going slowly, sew the leather across the diagonal.

Repeat for the other side of the clutch.

Apply a bit of glue to the back of the 2 1″ x 1 1/2” pieces of leather. Using binding clips, clip to the ends of the zipper. Stitch the leather to the ends of the zipper, close to the zipper.

Put the regular needle back in your machine and switch the thread back out.

Fold the 3” x 16” piece of fabric in half lengthwise with right sides together. Sew. Turn right side out and press with the seam in the center of the tube of fabric.

Fold the fabric in half again.

Top stitch down each side of the fabric.

Cut the finished piece to 13″ long.

Pin to the left side of the clutch front 3 1/2” down from the top.

Trim the leather ends of your zipper down to 1” long.

Center the zipper on the clutch front piece. Pin the zipper to the clutch front piece with the RIGHT side of the zipper facing the RIGHT side of the clutch.

Pin the RIGHT side of the lining to the WRONG side of the zipper.

Attach a zipper foot to your sewing machine. Stitch this seam.

Repeat for the other side of the zipper.

After you’ve sewn the clutch front and back to the zipper, press the seams well away from the zipper. Top stitch along both sides of the zipper.

UNZIP the zipper.

Pin the two clutch outside pieces together, right sides together. Pin the two lining pieces right sides together. Stitch around the perimeter of the clutch using a 1/2” seam allowance. Leave a 4” opening in the lining piece to turn the clutch right side out.

Turn right side out. Press well. Hand stitch the opening in the lining closed.

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Thanks Melissa! I LOVE seersucker too. What a fun accessory to have for the summer! Melissa has so many great ideas on her blog. Here are a few of recent projects of hers that I love:

This DIY Hair Tie Tutorial is so fun, and would be a perfect gift idea too!

And this Button up Shirt Refashion is the perfect way to dress up a plain white shirt!

And these Printable Pom Pom Polka Dot Hats are so adorable and would be a fun addition to a spring birthday party!

I am SO thrilled to have Melissa as one of my contributors this year. As you can see, she has such fun, creative ideas on her blog and I know you will just love everything she shares with us.

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xoxo