Elegance Pleated Clutch
Posted by Lynn Merrill on Sep 11th 2015
In honor of New York Fashion Week and as designers prepare to show spring looks, get ahead of the game by making yourself a stylish clutch!
Read on for the free pattern for the Elegance Pleated Clutch from Bags - The Modern Classics by Sue Kim.
Elegance Pleated Clutch
Finished size: approximately 10 1/2˝ x 6˝
Skill level: **
Even a beginner can make this bag by following the instructions carefully! With the right fabrics and decoration, this bag can even go formal. Or, dress it down and it can be a makeup bag. You can use either home decorator or quilting-weight cotton fabric.
Uses the Elegance Pleated Clutch Front/Back, the Elegance Pleated Clutch Side, the Elegance Pleated Clutch Flap Corner, and the Elegance Pleated Clutch Lining Front/Back patterns, which can be downloaded here.
What You Need
Fabric amounts are based on 44˝-wide fabric.
1/2 yard for exterior
3/8 yard for lining
5/8 yard of 22˝-wide heavyweight fusible interfacing
18mm magnetic snap
1 1/2˝–1 3/4˝ button or bead
Cutting the Pieces
The easiest way to create the patterns or corner templates for your bag is to lay a piece of white paper over the pattern and trace it. Taping the pattern to a window, with the paper on top, will help the lines show through. If the pattern is larger than your paper, simple tape sheets of paper together to create a piece large enough to trace the pattern. Transfer all points and references to the fabric.
Exterior
Cut 2 Front/Back pieces.
Cut 4 Side pieces. (Trace the pattern and cut 2 pieces with right sides together. Flip the pattern over, and cut 2 more pieces).
Cut 1 piece 8 3/8˝ x 4 1/2˝ for the flap. Refer to the Flap diagram to mark the pieces and to trace and trim all 4 corners using the Elegance Pleated Clutch Flap Corner template.
Lining
Cut 2 Lining Front/Back pieces.
Cut 1 piece 8 3/8˝ x 4 1/2˝ for the flap. Refer to the Flap diagram to mark the pieces and to trace and trim all 4 corners using the Elegance Pleated Clutch Flap Corner template.
Interfacing
Cut 2 Lining Front/Back pieces.
Cut 1 piece 8 3/8˝ x 4 1/2˝ for the flap. Refer to the Flap diagram to mark the pieces and to trace and trim all 4 corners using the Elegance Pleated Clutch Flap Corner template.
Flap diagram
Sewing the Exterior
1. Attach half of the magnetic snap (see magnetic snap manufacturer's instructions) to the exterior front as marked (the other half is added later).
2. Pin a side piece to each side of the exterior front, matching the point A markings, with right sides together.
Pin side pieces to front.
3. Stitch the seams, backtacking at both ends. Press the seams toward the sides. Topstitch the sides 1/8˝ from the seams.
Sew sides to front, press, and topstitch.
4. Make the pleats as indicated on the pattern. Fold each pleat on the fold line. Make sure the pleats all fold toward the center. Align the 2 match lines, with right sides together. Pin the folded pleats to secure them. They will be stitched when the corresponding pieces are sewn together. However, you may also choose to baste them in place at this time.
Make pleats.
5. Repeat Steps 2–4 for the back.
6. Pin the exterior front and back pieces with right sides facing. Sew around the side and bottom edges, backtacking at both ends. Notch the seam.
Sew front and back together.
Sewing the Lining
1. Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the lining front, back, and flap pieces. Pin the lining front and back pieces with right sides together.
Pin lining front and back pieces.
2. Sew around the side and bottom edges, backtacking at both ends and leaving 4˝ unstitched along the bottom edge for turning. Notch the seam.
Making the Flap
1. Attach the remaining magnetic snap piece onto the lining flap as marked.
2. Pin the exterior flap and lining flap with right sides together. Stitch only the curved seam, leaving the straight edge unstitched. Notch the curved seam, and trim the seam allowance to 1/4˝. Turn the flap right side out, and press.
Turn flap right side out, and press.
3. Topstitch 1/8˝ from the seam.
Assembling the Exterior and Lining
1. Press the exterior and lining seams open. Turn the exterior right side out.
2. Position the flap onto the back piece of the clutch with exterior sides together and aligning the raw edges. Pin and baste in place.
Pin and baste flap to exterior back.
3. Insert the exterior inside the lining, with right sides together, sandwiching the flap between the exterior and the lining.
Insert exterior inside lining.
4. Pin the exterior and lining together around the top opening of the clutch.
Pin around top opening of clutch.
5. Stitch around the opening. Trim the corners at the tops of the seams. Turn right side out through the opening left in the lining. Slipstitch the opening closed. Tuck the lining into the exterior. Press the top opening of the clutch.
Turn, and press.
6. Topstitch around the opening 1/8˝ from the edge. Sew the button to the exterior flap in the desired location.
Happy bag-making!
