Girlfriend Clutch Tutorial and Free Pattern

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Sarah Markos

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Girlfriend Clutch Tutorial and Free Pattern - Blue Susan makes

I think it is really fun to give a handmade gift at Christmas.  Are you making any Christmas gifts this year? You still have time to whip up something special for your sister, daughter, mom, or BFF.  Today I'm sharing a tutorial on how to make my Girlfriend Clutch so you can make one too. Follow along and I'll show you how it's done.

You can also make a single fabric version by omitting the gathered panel like I did in this post! 

small wristlet clutch - Girlfriend Clutch Tutorial and Free Pattern

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How to make a Girlfriend Clutch Zipper Pouch

Supplies:

It doesn't take much fabric, Here's what you are going to need...

  • 3 Fat Quarters (FQs) of coordinating prints
  • scraps for the accent strips
  • 9 inch (or longer) nylon zipper
  • scraps of fusible fleece, Soft and Stable, or Felt for the interfacing

Cutting out the Girlfriend Clutch

Using the Girlfriend Clutch Pattern template:

  • Cut 2 from the 1st FQ for the interior
  • Cut 2 from the 2nd FQ for the exterior
  • Cut 2 from the interfacing not pictured (I like to use the thick felt cut from the bolt)

Additional cuts:

  • Cut 1 rectangle 8 in. X 11 in. from the 3rd FQ for the pocket - fold in half lengthwise and press
  • Cut 1 rectangle 4 1/2 in. X 9 in. from the 3rd FQ for the Accent Panel
  • Cut 2 strips 1 1/2 in. X 6 in. for the Accent Strips fold in half lengthwise and press
  • Cut 1 strip 11 in. X 3 in. from the 2nd FQ for the Strap 11 in. X 3 in.
Fabric cuts for The girlfriend clutch tutorial

Sewing the Girlfriend Clutch

Now you're ready.... Let's get started

Prepare the Exterior 

1. Place the fusible fleece or felt on the wrong side of each exterior piece. Fuse or pin the layers and treat each panel as one. 

2. Lay accent panel right side down on ironing board.  Fold each long edge over 1/2 inch and press. Sew a gathering stitch (longest stitch length on your machine) about 1/8 inch from folded edge on each side.

fold raw edges towards center

3. Pin each short edge to the center top and bottom of the front exterior panel.  Gently pull the top thread on each ennd and gather the fabric to the width of the clutch.  Spread out the gathers evenly. Slip the accent strips just under the gathered edge and pin in place.

Pin gathered panel to the front - girlfriend clutch

4. Topstitch the gathers, stitching just to one side of the gathering stitches.  Pull out the gathering threads and set aside.

Stitch front panel in place - sew a small clutch with a ruffle front

Prepare the strap

5. Take strap and fold long edges toward center of wrong side of fabric 1/2 inch on each side and press.  Fold in half matching folded edges and press. Basically you are making a strip of double fold bias tape.

make the strap

6. Topstitch about 1/8 inch away from each long edge.  Fold finished strap in half and position it about 1 in down from the top on one of the exterior pieces, baste in place. 

stitch strap to the clutch

Prepare the Interior

7. Fold pocket piece in half lengthwise.  Center pocket over the middle of the clutch interior, matching the pocket raw edge to the bottom, pin in place. Topstitch in two places to form pockets. Backstitch at the top of each pocket so it's nice and secure. I like to make my center pocket wide enough to slip a credit card into it.  The small pockets on each side are great for lipgloss.  Make it how you like it. 

sew the pocket to the inside of the pouch

8. Turn piece over and trim the corners to match the exterior. Sew around the raw edges with a basting stitch.

trim off the extra corners

Put in the zipper

9. Take one lining piece and lay it right side up. Center the zipper, teeth up, along the top of the lining piece (my zipper happens to be extra long). Position the zipper about 1/8 in from the top.  Lay an exterior piece down on top with right side of fabric down.  Make sure your exterior and interior pieces line up and pin in place. You created a little zipper sandwich.  

What is a zipper sandwich

10. Using a zipper foot, stitch 1/2 inch away from top edge.  Use the zipper teeth as your guide.

stitching with a zipper foot

11. Fold exterior and interior pieces back to expose zipper matching wrong sides together. Press and topstitch 1/8 in. away from seam.  Repeat for the other side.

Pfaff Zipper foot

Finish the Clutch.

12.Unzip zipper at least halfway.  

free zipper pouch tutorial


13. Match exterior and interior pieces right sides together and pin in place.  Fold zipper toward the exterior side.

zipper detail

14. Starting at the bottom of the interior, sew around the clutch with a 1/2 in seam allowance on the interior pieces and a 1/4 inch seam allowance on the exterior.  Leave a 3 inch opening in the bottom of the clutch.  Clip curves and trim zipper. 

how to clip corners around a curve

15. Turn inside out through interior opening. Fold raw edges in and stitch interior opening closed.

sew the lining closed

And your Girlfriend Clutch is done!!

Press the outside so it looks nice and crisp. Now you have a pretty little clutch to give as a Christmas gift. If you like this tutorial, please follow me or friend me on facebook and Instagram @bluesusanmakes . I'd love to know if you make one too! Tag me and I'll see! #girlfriendlutch #bluesusanmakes

Lucky Penny Fabric by Alison Glass

Oh, and if you are curious about this lovely fabric I used, it is from the Lucky Penny line by Allison Glass. I couldn't pass it up at the Quilt Market sample spree! Its out of print now but Allison Glass has loads of other beautiful fabric lines.

Happy sewing and Happy gifting!

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About Sarah Markos

Hi, my name is Sarah Markos and I love to sew! Mostly things out of fabric. I'm a little addicted to buying and looking at fabric. Especially vibrant, colorful fabric. I love to make things like Halloween Costumes, Pillows, Clothes, Quilts, but most especially Handbags.

8 thoughts on “Girlfriend Clutch Tutorial and Free Pattern”

  1. Very cute thank you so much for giving me the use of the pattern to make for my guilty friends….they will love it. Each year we just make something small and give each other a notion….. appreciate it

    Reply
  2. That's really cute and your instructions are very clear. I'm teaching my daughter to sew and this contains some great new skills for her (easy zipper, gathering, sewing a gentle curve)!! Thanks for the tutorial.

    Reply

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