Tag Wallet Tutorial

Handmade Wallet Free Sewing Tutorial

What you need:
-4 pieces of 8-1/2 x 11 handmade paper
(the handmade paper looks like paper fiber pressed together, it's stronger and has more flexibility than card stock).

-lots of clothing tags in preferred colors ( I used about 40, but it will vary depending on their size)

- colored ribbon- optional (I didn't have enough tags and wanted to add more green so I used three strips of green ribbon)

-fray check

-a glue stick

-thread (I used 4 different shades)

-a piece of poster board

- a Dritz snap and pliers

- one button

Step 1: cutting the main parts

I cut three pieces of paper into the wallet shape. I used a black sheet for the outside (it was covered with the tags) and a green sheet for the inside. I used an extra blue sheet for the middle to add support.

Using my paper cutter I cut the black and green sheets down to a 7 -1/2" x 10" and the blue sheet to 7- 1/4" x 9- 3/4". You want the blue sheet to be a little smaller so it doesn't stick out of the sides during construction.

Next I made the curve at the top. With the green paper on it's back side I made two marks. First I marked the middle of the paper and then 2-3/4 " down the side. I then drew a curve between the two marks.

I cut the curve out. So that at this point only half of the top has a curved edge. Then I traced the curve onto the black paper and cut it out. Then I flipped the green paper over and traced the curve onto the other half of the black paper. After cutting out the curve on the black paper I traced the other half back onto the green paper. Now both pieces have a curved top. Since the blue peice won't be seen I cut it's curve by holding it up to the others.

Step 2: Constructing the front

I took my sheet of black paper and layed out all the tags in a random order, so that the entire surface was covered with tags. It's like a puzzle and will take some time to find the perfect fit for all the tags. I used fray check on the tags I trimmed and cut to fit.

Once I had them laid out I used a glue stick to hold them in place while I sewed around all the edges.

I sewed all the tag edges down by hand. You could use a sewing machine but I liked the look of big messy stitches. I used a few different types of stitches and four different colors of thread. This is the most time consuming part of the project. I stitched while watching TV, so it wasn't bad. I didn't stitch around the outside, I stitched it later when I sewed all three layers together.

Step 3: Constructing the Inside

First I cut five squares of paper each 3" x 3-1/4". I used three different papers. The lighter green and black were cut from the scraps. I sewed a seam 1/4 " down on four of the five squares. This keeps the paper from ripping when pulling cards in and out of the pockets.

Next I sewed the pockets onto the main green piece one at a time. Starting with the square with no seam at the top. I placed the square so that the left side of the pocket was 4 " from the bottom of the wallet and the top of the square lined up with the side of the wallet. Once it was lined up I sewed a seam at the bottom of the square to hold it in place. ( this square isn't an operating pocket it's just put here to add consistency and strength. The top of it will be sewn closed when I sew around the edges.

Then I took the next pocket square and lined it up with the first. I placed this one 3/4" down from the top of the first square and sewed it into place by sewing a seam at the bottom. This seam keeps your cards from falling down into the wallet and keeps the pocket in place with out sewing it closed.

For the next two pockets I lined them up same way but placed them 1-1/8 " down from the top of the previous pocket.

I didn't sew the bottom of the last pocket, as it was sewn at the end when I sewed around the entire wallet.

Now I sewed a 1/4 " seam down both sides of the pockets.

If you aren't comfortable just holding the bottom pocket in place you can use a little glue. Remember to glue it at the bottom, you don't want to glue it closed.

The last part of the inside is a pocket for cash or your check book. I cut a 3 " x 7-1/2" strip of paper and sewed a 1/4 " seam down the top. I also sewed one more tag onto the pocket for a little whimsy. I didn't sew this pocket on at this point, but saved it for the end after I added the snap and sewed around the edges.

Step 4: Constructing the Middle

First I cut three strips of poster board two of them are 3" x 7-1/2" and the other is 2-1/2" x 7-1/2".

I glued these onto the blue paper. The first of the larger pieces was glued at the bottom and the second 4" from the bottom. The last piece was glued to the top and then trimmed to match the curve.

First I lined up the three parts the front, middle and inside of the wallet

Next I marked where I would put the female snap. I made my mark on the inside, in the middle and up 1-3/4 "

Then going through all three layers I attached the female snap using the Dritz instructions. The inside will be covered by the larger pocket.

Now I added the male snap to the top curve. I placed it in between the top layer and middle layer. So it only goes trough the middle and inside layers. I found the middle and measured down 3/4" and attached it using the dritz instructions.