Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects (35 page)

*
See page 171
for an explanation of a gathering stitch.

c.
Remove the straight pins. Then, pull the heavy thread on each end of the strip, gathering in the ruffle strip and moving the gathers in toward the center of the strip. Gather it until the ruffle strip measures 24
¹
/
₂
″.

d.
To keep the gathering from loosening up, tie off the ends of the gathering thread by placing a straight pin at one end of the ruffle. Take the heavy thread used to gather the ruffle strip and loop it around the ends of the straight pin in a figure-8 pattern (up and around the top of the straight pin and down and across the bottom of the pin). Do this a number of times to hold the gathering in place. Repeat this step with a second straight pin to tie off the other end of the gathering thread on the other end of the ruffle. Keep the straight pins in place until after you stitch the ruffle to the front panel.

e.
On the
Right
side of the front panel, measure 1″ down from the first set of clips on each side edge of the flap and mark. Using your ruler and chalk pencil, draw a line connecting the 2 marks. (This will be the second fold line to make the spine for the clutch in step 5b.)
(
FIGURE 4E
)

f.
Clip into the exterior front panel,
¹
/
₂
″ in on each side of the guideline you made in step 4e.

g.
Starting on the right edge of the front panel at the marks you just made in step 4e, place the first end of the ruffle onto the
Right
side of the front panel. Match up the raw edge of the ruffle with the raw edge of the front panel and pin the ruffle in place. Slightly round the 2 bottom corners on the front panel with the ruffle as you pin it in place. Attach the ruffle by stitching a
¹
/
₂
″ seam down both sides and across the bottom raw edges, backstitching at each end.

h.
Velcro the flap on the front panel to the back pocket (already attached to one end of the Timtex panel). Then, pin the edges of the flap in place on the back pocket, to keep from pulling the front panel too much when attaching it to the Timtex panel. Turn the attached panels over so the
Wrong
side is facing up. Place the other end of the Timtex panel onto the
Wrong
side of the front panel (with the finished flap), matching the cut edge of the Timtex with the stitching line that is attaching the ruffle to the front panel, and pin the Timtex in place.
(
FIGURE 4H, I
)

i.
Fold the raw edges of the ruffle on the front panel over the Timtex panel and pin them in place. (The ruffle will be standing out from the front panel.) Then, machine baste a loose
³
/
₈
″ seam down both sides and across the bottom raw edge on the front panel to secure the Timtex to the front panel.
(
FIGURE 4H, I
)

Step 5. Make the spine for the clutch.

a.
Fold under
¹
/
₄
″ of the 1″-long section of the raw edge on one side between the 2 clips, toward the Timtex side, and press. Fold it under another
¹
/
₄
″, covering the cut edge of the Timtex panel, and press. Topstitch across the inner folded edge between the 2 clips. Repeat this step to finish the raw edge between the clips on the other side of the spine.
(
FIGURE 5A
)

b.
Now, turn the panel over so the
Right
side is facing up, and stitch along the guideline you made in step 3g across the top of the flap to attach the front panel to the Timtex panel. Then, stitch along the guideline you made in step 4e, backstitching at each end. (The 2 stitch lines will be the fold lines to make the spine for the clutch.)
(
FIGURE 5B
)

c.
Fold the exterior of the clutch toward the Timtex side at both of the stitch lines and press a hard crease. This will make the spine for the clutch.

FIGURE 2B, C

FIGURE 2E, F

FIGURE 3B, C

FIGURE 3D, E

FIGURE 3F

FIGURE 4B

FIGURE 4E

FIGURE 4H, I

FIGURE 5A

FIGURE 5B