58 sew it all ° V O L U M E 8

Take inspiration from high-end

handbags to stitch a must-have

wristlet clutch for a fraction of

the designer price tag. Learn

techniques for sewing faux

leather and embellish the bag

with edgy metal studs.

StudFinder

by Beth Bradley

SUPPLIES1⁄2 yard each of 32-ounce faux-leather upholstery vinyl & coordinating print cotton lining fabric (See “Sources.”)

1⁄2 yard of (See “Sources.”)

Matching all-purpose thread

Size 75/11 universal or leather needle

Thirty-five 1⁄2”-wide metal pyramid studs (clutch; see “Sources”)

Ten 3⁄8”-wide metal pyramid studs (strap; see “Sources”)

9”-long metal closed-end zipper (See “Sources.”)

Awl (See “Sources.”)

Stud prong press (See “Sources.”)

Rotary cutting system

Binder clips or large paper clips

Hand sewing needle

Point turner or chopstick

Watch Beth create this clutch on "Pleather & Studs," episode 904 of Sew it All. Visit sewitalltv.com or sew.tv for more info.

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V O L U M E 8 ° sew it all 59

CUT IT

Download the Stud Finder pattern from sewitallmag.com. When cutting vinyl, spread out the fabric in one layer. To eliminate creases or wrinkles, spread out the vinyl under a warm sunny win-dow or apply a small amount of heat from a blow dryer. Don’t press vinyl, as the heat from the iron will damage or melt it. Use a rotary cutting system rather than fabric shears to cut clean, straight edges.

From the vinyl, cut two bags, two zip-per tabs and one strap. Note that most faux-leather vinyl has a mesh-like knit backing on the wrong side, so the fabric has a small amount of crosswise stretch. Cut all vinyl pattern pieces with attention to the grainline direction.

From the lining fabric, cut two bags.

EMBELLISH IT

To install the studs around the bag perimeter, as in the featured bag, trans-fer the pattern placement marks to one vinyl-bag wrong side using a pen or fine-tip marker.

Using the awl, poke a hole in the bag fabric for each ½”-wide stud prong, using the prongs and placement mark-

ings for reference. Make the holes smaller than the prongs to ensure the studs are securely attached.

Push the stud prongs through the holes from the fabric right side. From the wrong side, use the prong setting tool to press the first prong down against the fabric, using the work surface for lever-age. Repeat to bend the second prong over the first, securing the stud (1).

Repeat to attach a 1⁄2”-wide stud at each bag placement mark.

Transfer the stud placement mark-ings and foldlines to the strap wrong side. Install a 3⁄8”-wide prong at each placement mark.

SEW IT

Use ½” seam allowances unless otherwise noted.

Place the strap wrong side up on a flat work surface. Fold the strap left long edge toward the wrong side along the left foldline; finger-press. Fold the op-posite long edge toward the wrong side along the right foldline, enclosing the left raw edge; finger-press. Use paper clips or binder clips to secure the folds (2).

1.

(Tip)Vinyl types vary in thickness and

texture, so test-stitch a vinyl scrap to determine the best thread

weight and needle type before stitching the project.

2.

60 sew it all ° V O L U M E 8

Install the zipper foot onto the ma-chine for a left needle position. With the strap studded side facing up and begin-ning at one strap short end, positioning the needle 1⁄8” from the right long edge. Stitch the right edge through all layers, avoiding the studs and securely holding the folded edges (3).

Switch the zipper foot to the opposite side for a right needle position and ad-just the needle accordingly. Edgestitch the strap left edge in the same direction as the right edge, avoiding the studs and catching the lower raw edge in the stitching. (Stitching in the opposite di-rection will cause the strap to stretch and twist.) Set aside the strap.

Fold one strap-tab short edge ¼” to-ward the wrong side; finger-press. Align the tab fold with the zipper lower end, directly below the zipper stop; paper-clip to secure. Edgestitch the fold through all layers. Abut the zipper upper ends, and then stitch the remaining tab above the zipper upper stops (4).

Place the studded bag right side up on a flat work surface, designating one long edge as the upper edge. Partially unzip the zipper. Align the zipper right side down over the bag upper edge. Center one lining bag right side down over the studded bag, sandwiching the zipper (5).

Pin the upper edge within the seam allowance through all layers.

Install the standard sewing machine foot. Using a ¼” seam allowance, stitch the upper edge through all layers until the presser foot touches the zipper pull. End with the needle down, raise the presser foot, and move the zipper pull out of the way as needed. Finish stitching the upper edge.

Fold the vinyl and lining bag layers away from the zipper; finger-press. Repeat to stitch the remaining vinyl and lining bag to the opposite zipper-tape edge.

Fold one vinyl and fabric layer in one direction and the remaining layers in the opposite direction. Install the zipper foot. Topstitch the vinyl 1⁄8” from the zipper. Repeat to fold the opposite vinyl and fabric layers away from the remaining layers, and then topstitch the vinyl in the same manner (6).

Unzip the zipper. Align the two vinyl bags with right sides together and the two lining bags with right sides together. Fold the strap in half widthwise with the studs facing out. Position the strap between the vinyl layers ½” below the zipper, extending the strap ends ¼” beyond the vinyl left edges; pin within the seam allowances.

(Tip)Create a custom stud design for a simpler, more minimal look. Skip transferring the pattern markings

and mark the desired stud placement on the vinyl wrong side instead.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Topstitch

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Stitch the vinyl- and lining-bag perime-ters, leaving a centered 8” opening along the lining lower edge for turning (7). Clip the vinyl- and lining-bag corners.

Gently turn the bag right side out through the lining opening, being careful not to loosen the stud prongs. Fold the lining opening edges ½” toward the wrong side. Slipstitch the lining opening closed.

Push the lining inside the vinyl bag. Push out the corners using a point turner or chopstick and finger- press the bag edges. e

SOURCECoats & Clark provided the metallic-silver closed-end zipper: makeitcoats.com.

Fabric.com provided the UG-952 Marine Vinyl and 298958 Cynthia Rowley Paintbox Big Dot Navy cotton fabric: fabric.com.

Studs & Spikes provided the pyramid studs, awl and stud prong press: studsandspikes.com.

7. 8”