fold-over clutch, metal zipper

I'm hot for fold-over clutches. I love Clare Vivier's gorgeous leather ones (aside: what I wouldn't I do for a stack of leather and a belt driven Juki?) and I'm spying them all over the (interwebs) place. I have a personal policy of not spending more than $50 on a bag. I ruin them. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is my role model. She will invest wisely in a purse that she uses, sometimes for years, and it always stays lovely. Me? I'm throwing it on my back, attaching straps where none are meant to be, I'm throwing it in my bike box, it sits in corners of bars at concerts... I also (have you seen this site?) like to make something myself, if I think I can. So, with some lovely navy linen and a lining of tan waterproof nylon for structure I made myself a fold-over clutch. Full tutorial and thrilling illustrations after the jump!

Supplies:

• Metal zipper, at least 12"
• Exterior and lining fabric, at least 13.5" x 24" and a bit more for zipper binding
• Fabric for binding

FABRIC

Cut both your interior (lining) and exterior fabric to 13.5" x 24".

ZIPPER

You'll need to cut your zipper (with it zipped) to 11.5". This is fun with a metal zipper. Do it carefully and with your worst scissors.

Next, you'll make the binding for the ends of the zipper.

Cut two pieces of fabric 2" x 3.5" or so, I like to have it a little long while I'm working. Create the binding by folding each piece in half lengthwise, pressing, and then unfolding. Fold each edge towards the middle crease you've just created, just shy of the crease and press. You'll end up with the v-like pieces in the left picture, below.

Open the strip back up and line up one long-side raw edge of the binding with the raw edge of the zipper, right sides together. Pin in place and stitch along the first crease (c). After this you'll see the binding nicely wraps around the edge of the zipper. Slip stitch the reverse edge (a) to the zipper. When you've finished both ends it will look like the wide, middle image below.

Next, attach the zipper to the fabric. On one of the short sides, you'll make a sandwich of the fabrics, right sides facing, and the zipper, in the middle, facing the right side of the exterior fabric. If your right sides and wrong sides are all the same - win!

Use a zipper foot to stitch closely to the zipper. Tip: Open the zipper a third of the way and stitch almost to it. Remove the fabric, close the zipper, and finish stitching. This lets you avoid the bulk from the zipper pull.

Zippers can be trick with an interior and exterior fabric. Below is a graphic that hopefully helps make it a little clearer. 

THE BODY

When you've completed both sides of the fabric, lay your piece flat with the zipper at the top and inside out. Pin the layers in place and stitch along the opens sides just on the outside of where the zipper ends. Then clean up your raw edges, leaving a generous a 1/4 of an inch beyond the stitching.

Next, bind these two raw sides. Out of haste I used what pre-made binding I had but ended up really liking the pop of melon on the inside of the bag.

THE TADA

Finally, flip it inside out and press it all nice. You're done! Throw it in your bike box!