A Quick Project - Or Not

 Sometime in March, I decided to make phone clutch wallets for myself and a couple of friends. I used the Lemonza Wallet Clutch Pattern from Country Cow Designs. The tutorial made it look like a very quick sew. So, I bought the pattern, and read it over. I made a list of the things I was going to need to order, I picked fabric and got my friends to pick their fabric from my suggestions. I added linings, and waited for my order to hardware and strapping to arrive. 

I noticed that the pattern suggested that I use a different interfacing for the lining than I usually use. The designer said it was thinner and would make a tidier bag. The interfacing wasn't available from any of my usual sources. I was going to use my usual when I discovered a new supplier, who had that interfacing, so I order some for the three bags. (that was mistake #1)

I cut all the pieces. One piece of fabric may have been cut upside down, and I didn't have enough to fix it, so I had to leave it. Nobody will notice, right? (that was mistake #2)

I fused all the interfacing, and realized that the new interfacing was not giving me the crisp finish I like to the fabric. I made the zippered pockets for the inside, and it refused to lay flat when I pressed it. Very narrow double sided tape helped but didn't really solve it.

Onward! I decided to make one bag first and find the other pitfalls. Mistakes 3, 4, and 5 followed. Some mine and some the pattern designer's instructions that just didn't work for me. I persevered. The bag is finished.

Three months in the making, my quick little bag is ready for its first outing.

This is the back of the bag. My label will be going on the front on the other 2.

Because I am a klutz, my phone has an Otterbox (ruggedized) case. The pocket is big enough to get it in and out with ease.

It is always difficult to show the inside of a bag, but it has 12 card slots and two slip pockets as well as the zippered pocket.

The flap flopped back farther than I liked, and I discovered when the bag was finished that the lining wasn't completely caught at the attachment to the bag. I solved the problem by adding a couple of bar tacks near the top edge of the bag. they don't really show and solve the problem perfectly. I.m happy with the bag now, but I'll be making a few changes on future versions.

The fabric is entirely from my stash. The lovely hardware is by Emmaline Bags. The cork fabric is from MM Cork Supply. Seat belt strapping is from Blue Calla Designs.

Since Sandra of MMMQuilts is having her monthly DrEAMi linkup, I will add my squirrel project for this month. Drop over and see what others have done.

A friend is having her first grandchild this summer, so I broke my long standing rule and knit one baby sock between the first and second sock of a pair, the day after I heard the news.

It is in Turtlepurl's lovely self striping yarn, and is made from the leftovers of the first sock skein. The skeins are perfectly matched so I will make the second baby sock when the second adult sock is finished.