Sewing an Amy Butler Clutch Part 2

It's such a lovely clutch that I almost don't want to use it and get even a speck of dirt on it! The Amy Butler Clutch has been one of the easiest to sew. This article covers how to sew the exterior panels but if you'd like to see the beginning, please visit this post, or see this video.

After cutting everything, applying the interfacing, and copying markings on each piece (see part 1), it's time to get sewing. I used a plum colored thread that would blend in. If you want to add a pop of color, try a contrasting thread instead. Take one of your exterior main panels and make the lines at the top meet. Pin in place. Now sew down that small line. As you can see in the image below, this forms pleats. The image is of the wrong side of the panel.

Iron the pleats so that they lay flat and baste a seam to keep them in place.

You can see in the image below what the wrong side looks like now. Do this for both of the main clutch panels.

The next stem is to take the trim and fold them in half the long way. Iron them to create the nice fold.

You will then pin them to the main panel (on the end with the pleats) and stitch it in place. Before sewing, I realized I had cut the trim from the wrong fabric. luckily, I had enough fabric leftover to cut out the correct one and then simply folded the trim in half, ironed, pinned it, and finally, sewed it in place. Learn from me and don't get distracted when cutting fabric. Measure twice, cut once!

I then attached the yoke, pinning it in place on top of the trim and main panel. Right sides together, I sewed it all together.

Below, you can see the trim in the correct fabric, sandwiched by the yoke and main panel.

Below, you can see what the clutch panel finally looks like. Do this for your other exterior panel as well.

Now you'll be pinning both exterior panels together, right sides facing each other. Match the dots you transferred over. Sew the panels together from the marking on the yoke, to that dot on both ends.

Take the bottom panel and pin it (right sides together) to one of the side exterior panels. Match the dots. Then you'll sew along that edge. This took me a while because I have a hard time sewing around a curve.

Do this for the other side as well.

This is what it will look like. If you turn it right side out, you might do a little dance of excitement like me. It's starting to come together!

The only thing left to do is to clip around the curve. Make sure you DO NOT CUT INTO THE SEAM! It will just make a hole in your lovely clutch!

Want to see the video? Here's the part 2. Did you miss part 1? Check it out at our youtube channel!

How To Sew A French Seam

A French Seam is the perfect way to hide those unwanted fraying edges, especially when it comes to delicate or see through fabrics in things like lingerie. It's a pretty easy seam to create but please steer away from using it in curves as I've found that it often bunches.

Step 1: With your two pieces of fabric, make sure that the wrong sides (the inside part of the fabric) are facing each other and sew a 1/4" seam. Backstitch as needed.

Step 2: I then cut the seam to only 1/8" and fold the fabric right sides facing each other.

Step 3: Sew a 1/4" seam. You're done!

You've created a pocket that holds the fraying edge in place so that your project looks great, inside and out. Watch out video to see more details on how I sewed the sample piece. I suggest practicing on scraps first.


A lot of folks vary the size of the initial seam but as long as you find what's comfortable for you, you'll be fine!

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~Yasmine

My First Quilt: Ironing, Straight Lines, and Forgetfulness

Quilting is hard. There, I said it. There's so many things the quilter has to remember, which is strange, since I'm not a complete stranger to sewing. Quilts are hard.

Not only are they larger than the typical headband or handbag I make, but they can get bulky if you're in a crammed space trying to sew. Check out my last video to get a small glimpse of the space I was working in.

But I'm still excited, no matter how hard learning to quilt may be. The blanket, although with it's odd mistakes, is almost done! I just need to finish up the edges and I'm set.

When sewing it, I had been trying to follow the instructions on the blog KatieDid. Little did I know that sewing a straight line would prove to be more difficult. As you can see in the photo below, her lines look perfect. Mine, as you can see in the other images, doesn't...

I also decided to use less thread. Is this bad? Should I make more lines on mine to give the quilt more purpose? Please let me know! I'd love to get your feedback on that.

Things I've noted as having done wrong:

1. I failed to use batting that, when ironed, would stick to the fabric. Thereby reducing the shifting of the elements. 

2. I forgot to iron the fabric before sewing the pieces together. I have no idea why I did this!

3. I didn't use enough pins. I should have placed pins closer together to hold the layers together while I sewed. If I had wanted to go the extra mile, I could also have gotten safety pins. This could have helped me avoid all the pricks from the pins.

4. I should have simplified the quilt, like Katie. I should have started off with only a solid or used a solid backing. For some reason, I wanted to do a quilt that was nice on both sides but should have simply chosen a nice fabric for the back.

5. I should have re-read, then read again, all those tutorials. Maybe it's that I'm busy, stressed, or just plain need more vitamins, but it's almost like they went in one ear and out the next! I need to slow down.

Am I disappointed? No. It's a perfect learning experience and not only will the next quilt be better, but I can apply what I learned to all aspect of sewing, not just quilting.

What do you think? Am I crazy? Do you have any tips on whether or not I should do more lines on my quilt or just start on the edges? When I start on the edges, do you have any tips, tricks, or links to tutorials? Let me know!

Please follow us on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and/or comment below on things you'd like me to feature or talk about! Thanks!

~Yasmine

My First Quilt: Sewing

I sewed the first few stitches. Then some more and more! I'm really excited to finish this quilt. The decision to alternate a solid and a floral was perfect. The only regret is that I should also have made either the floral strips or the solid fabric thinner to make it less stagnent. Sadly, I can't adjust that with Photoshop.

My sewing machine is an old Kenmore that I got when I was 17. It has it's off days but it gets the job done.

Check out the video of me sewing. You can also hear my daughter in one clip talking to me and checking photos of herself on my phone! I don't know if you consider that a bonus or not. Haha.

It's one of my first videos so please be easy on me. Please leave me any tips on what I can do better next time! You can comment, email me (yasmine@fabriclovers.com), facebook, twitter, or follow us on Pinterest!

Telas, Un Video, y Mi Primera Cobija

Ha sido una semana muy ocupada! Tenemos nuevos tejidos, he comenzado a hacer una cobija, arregle los sitios web y e estado haciendo otros trabajos de diseño. Pero me encanta estar ocupado. Me mantiene fuera de problemas! Ja ja.

Este video fue publicado en nuestra página de Facebook. Es perfecto para los principiantes. En él se explica cómo se puede empezar a coser sin mucha experiencia.

Aquí hay una foto de mi manta. Voy a estar cosiendo este fin de semana y pueden esperar un video! Míren como yo hago algo hermoso o aprender de mis errores. De cualquier manera, es una aventura!

Decidí hacerlo en tiras y sólo uso dos tonos para el interior: una sólida y una tela con flores. Me encanta esa tela de flores. Es perfecto!

Hemos recibido nuevas telas y patrones y realmente me encantan! Aquí están mis favoritos.

Este es mi tela de coser número uno. Me encanta el color rojo brillante y los cráneos encantadoras y divertidas! Es perfecto para el día de los muertos. La pueden encontrar aqui.

Mi segundo favorito es éste con la virgen. La decoración de este tejido es muy divertido y colorido. Me encanta el diseño graphc en él. Lo pueden encontrar aqui.

Hay muchos más, pero no estoy aquí para aburrirte con mis telas favoritas! ¿Por qué no me dices que te gusta?

Siempre puede ponerse en contacto conmigo a través de correo electrónico a yasmine@fabriclovers.com, Twitter, e incluso Facebook, o Pinterest. ¿Tiene proyectos que le gustaría compartir o tutoriales que encontró muy útil? Envíame el enlace o imágenes! ¡Gracias!