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| One of Asaco's Craft Memo's minimalist wallets... |
Whenever I travel — particularly if it's out of country — I take a small wallet that holds just the essentials. It would fit the description of what is known as a minimalist wallet. I've had it for many, many years and with the coin pocket lining now torn (although glued for the time being), I've been thinking about making a replacement.
It needs to hold paper money, coins and no more than a couple of cards. My preference would be for a zippered pocket for the coins instead of a snap fastener. I'm not a cash carrying person at the best of times, so any wallet of mine would never need to hold a lot of bills. If the whole thing could fold up into a small package, that would be ideal.
Do an online search for minimalist wallets and you'll get results that are truly minimal. The majority of them would not have any capacity to carry coins and many of them incorporate some sort of elastic band in their design. Again, truly minimal. They also tend to be made out of leather, which requires little finishing and therefore no bulky seams.
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| This version is quite usable with three separate compartments for cash, cards and coins... |
While a wallet of this description doesn't have to appeal to any specific gender, most of the minimalist wallets I see online are obviously masculine in design.
Am I asking too much for a minimalist wallet that's not so utilitarian?
Once again, I turned to YouTube for inspiration and found three designs on a channel called Asaco's Craft Memo. The one shown here is from a tutorial uploaded March 22, 2019. I like that it's simply constructed, while still providing three separate places to store cash, coins and cards.
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| Meets my needs for a travel wallet... |
Not only that, it's super easy to make. I think I turned this around in half an hour (after watching the video a couple of times, of course).
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| Only requires three main pieces of fabric... |
If you don't count the small square for the optional tab piece, this mini wallet requires only three rectangular pieces of fabric, of which two are interfaced. You can make one with just half of a fat quarter.
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| Only part I don't really care for, but it's hidden inside... |
The "turning right side out" process ends with a couple of open edges visible on the inside of the main pocket. They're not unfinished, but one can clearly see that they're not sewn together. It's not a deal breaker if you're looking for an easy to construct minimalist wallet.
By the way, I was most impressed by what the crafter was using to sew up her project: this tiny little NEX portable sewing machine!
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| image courtesy of Asaco's Craft Memo channel on YouTube... |
It's worth checking out the video just to see this little machine go... and to see her use and make the tailor's sausage that was the inspiration for my tutorial a couple weeks ago!
This YouTube channel also features two other tutorials for tiny wallets.
This first one — which has an exterior zippered pocket that runs the width of the folded wallet — may be a possible future project if I can figure out a way to modify it slightly.
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| Image courtesy of Asaco's Craft Memo on YouTube... |
Don't know if you can see it clearly, but the inside card pocket is only sewn to the wallet at one end. I'd like it to be attached at both ends so that bills can be better secured underneath. Sort of like my key case.
This last one is likely something that you've seen before. (Seems like everyone has a version of it.) It opens up into a coin holder "tray" of sorts.
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| Image courtesy of Asaco's Craft Memo on YouTube... |
The YouTube link for this channel's videos is here. You should be able to scroll through and find the three projects easily.
'Til next week, be well, be smart, and above all, be kind.
So kind of you to do the "leg-work" in finding the best tutorials for a minimalist wallet! I like the same type of wallet when traveling...one that carries the essentials and can slip into my front pocket. The snap scares me a bit, as I've only used sewn-on snaps. Maybe I need to venture into learning that! Oh, that adorable mini sewing machine! How cute is that? Stay well and busy!
ReplyDeleteI have a minimalist coin purse I have tried to replicate in leather. My machine did not do well. Will check out your resource. Thanks for your research.
ReplyDelete[trying with google]
ReplyDeletekakingsbury at verizon dot net
My son's business is making leather mostly minimalist wallets and other items. https://leatherbound.ink/ I do like your wallet with the coin pocket Rochelle. The ones I have made as just for cards or folded cash, but then what do you do with those coins, so I like that you have a coin pocket.
ReplyDeleteHi Rochelle - just trying to comment using a different browser. Maybe it will post.
ReplyDeleteKathleen - kakingsbury at verizon dot net