Problem, I have a bountiful supply of buttons. I don't know why. I think it is just one of my random things I find myself coming home with after visiting secondhand stores. Maybe I should join a button collecting society, they do exsist. There is a whole Wikipedia page devoted to button collecting, and there are even button conventions, and 'tray competitions' where you get all your buttons and put them on a tray and 'button experts' come along and judge your button collection. Here is a winning tray page.
Anyway this post really isn't all about buttons, just that I need to start using my buttons, which I did when I made this clutch. Granted, it was only one button, but it is a start.
Do you like how I positioned my globe?
This book is awesome. The Crafty Minx by Kelly Doust. Lots of little projects for creative recycling and handmade treasures. Dang easy to follow and the actual book is beautiful! Hopefully she won't mind if I share the instructions for this pouch. If you are crafty, you should buy this book, there are loads of fun things to make.
43cm by 32cm fabric for outer bag (I used a cotton fabric, but a nice design of upholstery fabric would be awesome for the outside)
43 by 32cm contrast fabric for the inside lining
An awesome button...CHECK
Measuring tape
Needle and thread
Sewing machine and thread
Dressmakers scissors
Iron
Press stud (which is a snap fastener)
- Put your two rectangles of fabric together, right sides facing each other. Use a dinner plate to trace a curved edge into the top two corners (this is the shorter length part of the rectangle). This will be the flap
- Take the outer bag piece, and with the right side facing you, measure 5cm in from the centre top edge of the flap and sew on your awesome button with needle and thread.
- Lay your bag pieces together again, with the right sides facing each other and edges aligned.
- Allow a 1cm seam, sew around the outer edges, leaving a 10cm opening in the middle of the shorter straight edge.
- Trim away the seam allowance at 1-2cm intervals around the curves.
- Turn the bag right side out and press with your iron. Turn under the raw edge on each side of the opening and press again.
- Topstich right across the short end of the bag, enar the edge. This will close your opening at the same time.
- Lay the bag on a flat surface with the lining facing upwards and the flap at the top. Measure 15cm from the bottom straight edge on each side of the bag and mark with a pin on each side. Fold up the bottom edge of the bag at this mark, bringing wrong sides together, and pin at the sides, it should look like an envelope with the button on the outside of the flap.
- Topstitch the side edges of the bag together, start at one bottom edge and sew up the side, about 3mm from the edge, reverse a couple of times for reinforcement when you get to the opening edge, then continue around the flap till you get to the opening edge on the other side. Reinforce as before, then finish sewing the second side.
- Sew the top part of your press stud to the indise of the flap, directly under the button. Fold down the flap to see where you should place the other half of the stud, then sew it in place on the outside of the bag. Wahoo! Fill the clutch with goodies, clutch it and walk away to party town.
Posted by: Kelly 
