Features
This is a simple trifold wallet with magnetic snap closure. It has 9 card slots, 2 stash pockets (behind 2 of the card slots), a small zipper pocket inside for coins, and a bill pocket across the top because I don't like folding money.
Materials
1/4" Double Fold Bias Tape
2 - 11" x 5" pieces for bill pocket
2 - 11" x 5" pieces for lining & exterior
9 - 2.75" x 3.5" pieces for card slots
3 - 2.75" x 5" pieces for card slot backing
2 - 2.5" x 5" pieces for closure tab
1 - zipper (optional)
1 - magnetic snap (or other attachment method - snap, velcro, whatever)
Fusible fleece interfacing (1 - 3.5" x 5"; 1 - 2.75" x 5")
Fusible fleece interfacing (1 - 3.5" x 5"; 1 - 2.75" x 5")
Assemble Card Slots
I like my cards to be on the vertical rather than horizontal. I wanted my wallet to have 3 sets of vertical card slots.
For each of the 9 2.75" x 3.5" card slot pieces, fold down across the top (short) side 1/4" and topstitch across.
To attach the first card slot, take one of the card slot backing pieces (2.75" x 5") and align the card slot piece 1/2" from the top of the backing, matching up the sides. Topstitch 1/4" from the bottom of the card slot to secure it to the backing (and this will also serve as the "stop" for your card when you insert it).
Layer the next card slot on top, 1/4" down from the top of the first card slot. Topstitch 1/4" from the bottom of this card slot to secure it to the backing. The image below shows the first two - black is the card backing, green is the card slot, red is where you stitch the bottom to secure:
Layer the third card slot on top, again 1/4" down from the top of the second card slot. Topstitch 1/4" from the bottom to secure.
Cut two 5" lengths of your double fold bias tape (I cut mine a smidge longer). Lay it over the long sides of the card assembly.
Hint - I unfolded the back of the bias tape and pressed open with an iron just to make sure I caught the back of the bias tape when sewing. Seemed to work out well.
Topstitch the bias tape onto the card assembly at about 1/8". This will contain the raw edges on either side of the card assembly for a finished look.
Note: I first tried this by folding over the edges of each card slot but that adds a lot of girth and with cotton duck, that's a lot for the sewing machine to get through. The bias tape worked much better!
Repeat for the other two card slots. Set these aside.
Bill Pocket
This is the easiest part. Take your two pieces for your bill pocket lining and put them right sides together. Stitch along the short sides and a portion of the bottom (leaving a 3-4" gap in the bottom to turn things right side out later) at 1/4". Set aside.
Stitch along the blue line:
Stitch along the blue line:
Create Zipper Pocket
I did a zipper pocket behind the rightmost card slot. I didn't line it because it's so small and no one will see inside of it.
Take the card slot that you want to be on the rightmost side of the wallet. Place your zipper (right side up) under the card piece and using a zipper foot, stitch over the existing line (from your bias tape) to attach the zipper to the card piece.
Get our your lining piece and place the card piece 1/2" from the right edge. Fold the zipper tape under and pin to the lining (just the zipper tape, not the card piece).
Flip the card piece over (right side facing down on the liner) and stitch the zipper tape to the lining.
Flip the card piece back right side up.
Attach Card Slots to Lining
Lay out your lining piece right side up. Place your outer card pieces 1/2" from the edge, and center your middle card piece. Pin and test out folding to make sure your pieces are placed well. This may take a little trial and error to get the right fold.
Once your slots are in the right places, stitch along the edges (the red lines below) to secure the card slot to the lining. In the example below, I left one side open on the left and center card slots to create stash pockets behind the card slots.
Create Tab Closure
Take one piece of the 2.5" x 5" and fuse the fleece interfacing with your iron to the wrong side of the fabric.
If you use magnetic snaps with the little washer thingy, mark the holes using a pen on the right side of the fabric that has the fleece fused to it. Use a seam ripper to gently (don't go crazy here) open up the slots for the prongs. I also used a few little 1" x 1" scraps of more heavyweight interfacing to add more stability to the snap. I put the "male" end of the snap on the closure tab.
Take your two pieces of 2.5" x 5" and put them right sides together. Stitch 1/4" along the two long sides and the bottom where the snap is placed, leaving one short side open for turning.
Turn inside out and poke out the corners so they're nice and neat. Press with your iron and set aside.
Add Snap to Outer Fabric
Take your lining (with the card slots attached), your exterior fabric, and your tab closure.
Place your outer lining right side down. Place your lining and card piece right side up on top of the outer piece, lining up the seams. Pin it and fold it up to make sure everything is lined up the way you want it.
Move your tab closure around a bit and figure out where you want to place the female end of the snap - it should go somewhere on the "middle" section of the exterior. Remember, when your wallet is full of cards and whatnot, it will be thicker than it is in this step so you want to make sure you leave enough room on the tab closure so that it can make it to the snap once it's all done! I put my snap about center on the middle section of the exterior.
Unpin and take the exterior fabric and fuse the remaining piece of fusible fleece to the center section of the exterior (again, fuse to the wrong side of the fabric). Mark your holes for the snap (again, I used a few 1" scraps of heavier interfacing to add stability).
Sew Lining and Outer Together
Place your pieces right sides together and line up your edges. For the tab closure, sandwich it between the lining (green) and the outer, centered on the right side. Make sure your snap is facing down on the card slots (blue) . Stitch along the red lines (1/4") and leave the top open for the bill pocket.
Once this is done, turn it right side out, poke out the corners, and press.
Attach to the Bill Pocket
Last part. Get your bill pocket piece. Stuff the lining/outer you just sewed together inside the bill pocket (fold the bottom of the wallet up about an inch to make sure it fits). Line up the top edges and pin in place.
Stitch the top together (1/4"), paying close attention at the seams - this can get a little unwieldy at the machine but go slow and you'll get it right.
Using that open 3-4" at the bottom of the bill pocket, pull the wallet through the hole, which will also turn the bill pocket inside out. Fold in the open center portion of the bill pocket and stitch it closed (I set my needle all the way to the right and just followed the presser foot to close it up).
Stuff the bill pocket into the wallet, press, and voila! You made a wallet!!
Things that went wrong...
Here's a few things I learned the hard way, so you don't have to:
- When I first attached my tab closure, it was not long enough to reach the snap once I put all my cards in it. Fortunately I had enough length to adjust it. But, rather than pulling the whole thing apart, I just ripped the stitches out right where the closure was sandwiched, pulled the tab out a bit, and then hand stitched it closed. And, I'm a terrible hand stitcher so it looks pretty janky.
- When I did the first run, I had my tab backwards and on the wrong side so it opened the "wrong way" for me (it opened left to right instead of right to left). Pick which way works for you and adjust accordingly - the instructions I provide open the tab from left to right and the wallet unfolds right to left.
- You can see in the image that I top stitched along the bill fold outer. But I didn't topstitch all around because of the sheer girth of the fabric. I might pull that topstitching out. I might not. Time shall tell.