BLACK FAUX LEATHER CLUTCH DIY

Are you still looking for that perfect handmade gift?  With Christmas right around the corner, you need a DIY that’s fast and easy but still looks fabulous.  This black faux leather clutch fits the bill.   It costs less than $5 to make and can be sewn in under an hour – the perfect afternoon sewing project!  I’ve even added a cutout to the clutch to display your favorite fabric.  I used some fabric left over from my up-cycled backpack project to make my clutch a one of a kind gift.

Materials:

12 1/4" x 24 1/4"  Black costume pleather

12 1/4" x 24 1/4" Black felt

Contrasting fabric for cutout

Velcro

Fusible webbing

Cardboard / thin plastic folder

Black thread

Scissors

Sewing machine

Method:

1]  Cut 1 piece of costume pleather and 1 piece of black felt according to the measurements below.

2]  Lay the felt on top of the pleather (wrong sides together), and fold it to form the clutch.  Use chalk to mark points where Velcro will be attached. 

3]  Separate felt and faux leather and sew Velcro to these points.

4]  Cut a triangular opening in the faux leather flap of the clutch, leaving a ½” edge on all sides. 

5]  Cut a piece of contrasting fabric and fusible webbing to the size of the flap of the clutch.

6]  Sandwich the fusible webbing between the wrong side of the contrasting fabric and the wrong side of the felt. Fuse fabrics according to manufacturer’s instructions.

7]  Line up the faux leather and felt and sew around the cutout.

8]  Cut a piece of cardboard/plastic 11” x 8”.

9]  Insert the cardboard/plastic between the faux leather and felt, positioning it in the front of the clutch. 

10]  Sew the front top edge of the clutch.

11]  Fold fabric to form the clutch.

12]  Sew side seams and you’re done! 

Take it out for a spin at your next Holiday party or gift it to someone special.  Please feel free to leave any questions/comments below.  If you enjoyed this tutorial please share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook. Also, don’t forget to follow The Felted Fox on Bloglovin to receive free tutorials and patterns to your inbox.

Happy sewing!  Nicole.

AFRICAN PLEATED SKIRT DIY

It’s funny how words can transport one back in time.  The words “Out of Africa” remind me of a day in the mid-80s when, as a child in Cape Town, I was dragged to a store by the same name to buy my first African printed skirts and dresses.  Even in racially charged apartheid South Africa, the film “Out of Africa” (which starred Robert Redford and Meryl Streep) encouraged a romanticization of all things African.  While the film is deeply problematic in its portrayal of African people, the store “Out of Africa” introduced me to the beautiful designs of my continent.

It would take nearly thirty years before I would fully appreciate African fabrics again in all their colourful, sometimes psychedelic glory.  On my last trip to Cape Town I decided to stock up on a few West African wax prints and South African shweshwe.  At $2 - 5 a yard, I am still kicking myself for not filling a suitcase with fantastic fabric!  

Of course, a short pleated skirt may not be Fall-appropriate everywhere, but here in San Diego we have been experiencing near 100F weather.  This, coupled with the fact that our home has no air conditioner, encouraged me to make use of some of my African print fabric.  The top was made using my wrap crop top pattern. 

Materials:

1.5 – 2 yards of fabric (here’s a link to sellers of African fabric on Etsy)

Matching thread

9” invisible zipper

Interfacing (optional)

Sewing machine

Pins

Ruler

Chalk

Scissors

Method:

1] Decide how long you would like your skirt and add 1.5” for seam allowance.  Cut fabric to desired length.  I wanted my skirt to end mid-thigh, so cut my fabric at 17.5”.

2] For the waistband, cut a 4” strip of fabric to fit your waist + 2” seam allowance.

3] Mark and pin the pleats.  Baste the pleats into place along the waistline.

4] Fold the waistband in half and iron.

5] Fold all raw edges of the waistband ½” towards the center of fabric and iron in place.  If you're using a soft fabric, I suggest using some interfacing to prevent the waistband from collapsing.

6] Sandwich the top of the skirt between the waistband.  Pin and sew in place.

7] Insert the invisible zipper.  I found this Youtube video on how to insert an invisible zipper pretty handy.
8] Finish sewing the side seam, making sure to secure the base of the zipper.

9] Hem your skirt.

Please feel free to leave any questions/comments below. I do so love hearing from you. J  If you enjoyed this tutorial please share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to or follow The Felted Fox on Bloglovin to receive free tutorials and patterns to your inbox.

Happy sewing!  Till next time. Nicole.

FAUX LEATHER SWEATER DIY

Grüetzi!  I’m excited to be blogging from Switzerland.  The husband and I will be based here for the next three months while he is a visiting fellow at the University of Basel.  I finally have a chance to practice my non-existent German on the unsuspecting masses.

Before I left home I reinvented a few items of clothing and some decorative pieces, which I’ll share in the coming months. I’ll also post a few travel photos and tips, so check back often for some European inspiration.

First up, I converted my husband’s old sweater into a fitted faux leather top.  I loved wearing his oversized sweater on wintery days at home.  But it turns out that the moths in my closet loved it too.  When the sweater became too embarrassing to wear, I decided to reinvent it by keeping the wool sleeves and adding a faux leather body.  Now I have a new piece to wear around Europe, which, judging by all the faux leather jackets in Switzerland, is bang on trend.

Supplies:

Old wool sweater

1 yard of costume pleather (should have some stretch if you want a more fitted top)

Black thread

Scissors

Chalk

Method:

1) Carefully remove sleeves from body.

2) Use the old sweater bodice as a template to cut a faux leather back and front.  If you prefer a more fitted top, cut faux leather to preferred size, using the armholes of the original sweater as a template.  Just remember to add a ½ inch seam allowance.

3) With right sides facing, sew front and back of bodice together.

4) Insert the sleeves and attach to bodice.

Why not reimagine an old piece of clothing from your closet? If you’re stuck, send me a photo and I’ll try my best to help. Nicole