Bi-Fold Wallet

Bi-fold Credit Card / Business Card Wallet

Hi there - my first tutorial!

I chose this project - not just because it is simple and useful, but because of the turning method toward the end. I love the way this project ends. It hides the "turning spot" so it blends in like it never even happened.

Materials Needed:

I used a houndstooth suiting material for the main fabric and a nice wool for the lining. If you use a lighter fabric for the lining, you may want to add some fusible fleece to give it some depth.

Main Fabric:

1 piece - 5" x 6 1/2 "

2 pieces - 5" x 5"

Lining:

1 piece - 5" x 6 1/2"

Fusible Interfacing:

1 piece - 5" x 6 1/2 "

2 pieces - 2" x 5"

Iron the 5" x 6 1/2" interfacing to the back of the 5" x 6 1/2" main fabric piece.

Iron the two 5" squares in half and then iron the small piece of interfacing to one side of each.

Tip: I iron the interfacing to the side of the pocket that I want facing up (the front of the pocket). My sewing machine tends to push this fabric a bit too much causing it to shift when I topstitch. If I am topstitching on the front of the pocket and the interfacing is ironed directly onto the underside, I find I run into no shifting and no problems.

If you are adding a label, add that to the bottom of the wool. For placement, I place a folded pocket onto the wool, lining up both the bottom edge of the pocket and the wool. I line up my label just under the top edge of the pocket and stitch the label there - so it's just behind the bottom pocket when the wallet is completed

Topstitch about 1/4" down along the top edge of both folded pocket pieces.

Line up raw edge of one pocket along the bottom of the wool with the front of the wool facing you, and the front of the pocket facing you as well.

Measure and make sure the pocket is straight. My measurement from the top of the pocket to the top of the wool was 3 3/4"

Tack/baste the pocket in place along both sides only.

Next - take the other pocket, line up raw edge of pocket with top edge of the wool. Measure the space between the tops of the pockets and make sure that is straight and even, and then tack/baste that pocket in place along the sides too.

You now have assembled your base piece.

Now, take the interfaced main fabric piece and place it right sides together with your assembled base piece. Line this up carefully and either pin or clip together. You will be sewing along three sides only . I always start my sewing with the interfaced side up, and on the bottom right side of the wallet - sew along the edge, pivot and sew along the top edge, and pivot and sew down along the left side. I use a 3/8 " seam width here.

Tip: As I am sewing, I go back and forth over the top edges of both pockets on both sides so that they are reinforced.

When you are done sewing all three sides, trim the edge down to about an 1/8", and trim the top corners a little on an angle to reduce the bulk in the corners when turned.

This is the piece sewn together

and the seam allowance trimmed.

The bottom, open end is the pocket

that has the label underneath.

You can see, if you look close,

that I've gone back and forth with

the sewing to reinforce the areas

where the top edges of the pockets are.

Now, turn the wallet inside out. Make sure to poke those corners out so that they look the same on both sides. Don't over poke! You don't want wonky looking corners - just make them nice and even on both sides.

Tip: My favorite "poking" tool is a chop stick my daughter brought home from a trip to China - I keep a few of them nearby.

When you have the wallet turned nicely and the way you like it, take it to the ironing board and press! Make sure it stays in good, even shape.

Now this is the part I like. After you have pressed the wallet. Take the bottom pocket and flip it to the other side. Just do it - it will make sense very quickly. Flip it to the other side, and then manipulate it so it is lying flat and iron it again. Here are pictures of how it will look on the outside and the inside:

Now sew straight across the bottom with a 3/8" seam. After you are done and have checked that everything looks straight and wonderful, trim the seam back to about an 1/8".

Now flip the pocket back around to the front.

Tip: By doing this, the need to leave an opening for turning right side out isn't necessary. I have a hard time getting those opening to blend in perfectly. By leaving the whole bottom open like we did just now, and turning the pocket back to the front, there is no visible spot where the project was left open for turning. It all gets hidden and stitched closed by machine. The next step hides the seam in the bottom of the pocket!

Poke the corners out carefully again. When you are happy with how it all looks, bring it back to the ironing board again and give it a good press.

This is the wallet with the pocket

turned back to where it should be,

the corners all match, and the

whole thing ironed.

Nearly done! Now take the wallet back to the sewing machine and stitch around the whole outside edge with a topstitch. I use a 1/4" seam width and start at the center edge - in the space between the two pockets.