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Saturday 5 August 2023

Quick Craft Mondays: Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet

Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet by eSheep Designs
A quick and scrappy project...
The Monday afternoon TV marathon that used to provide the background motivation for my quick craft Mondays is long gone, TV schedules being subject to change and all that.

For that reason, my Monday afternoons have not involved any specific sewing activities for a couple of years.

But if I were still doing it, this particular project would qualify as something that can easily be done in an afternoon. It's also small and scrap friendly, so you can dip into those leftover pieces of fabric and interfacing and make something pretty and useful.

I got the inspiration from YouTube on Candy Tomato's channel, from a video uploaded September 25, 2020 (called "Quilt No.100 key & card ring, quilt key ring"). It was originally offered as a free pattern, but Candy Tomato/Tomato Candy is one of those unfortunate crafters whose work is constantly being ripped off by unscrupulous entities.

She and I managed to exchange some brief correspondence back when I was having my difficulties with Dyanneo. She told me that these sites "repeatedly steal from me, run factories, and steal my photos, videos and patterns." In response, she's pulled some of her previously free patterns and put them into her Etsy shop, where she charges a mostly modest price for them. (However — and I've said this to fellow designers — if someone is determined to steal from you, it won't make a difference if you charge for the pattern and stamp it with the purchaser's name. These unscrupulous sorts will quite easily reproduce it and sell it as their own anyway.)
 
Candy Tomato
image courtesy of Candy Tomato (Youtube)...

But enough of that. When you have a moment, check out her YouTube channel and see some of her amazing creativity for yourself. I can't get over what she manages to accomplish just by hand sewing.




Tomato Candy's project is quite a bit more elaborate than mine. Hers actually opens up like a clamshell (secured with a zipper) to store the other keys on that large key ring. The pockets have a curvy edge to them and the flaps (on both sides) are angled.

I simplified everything to the point of only having a couple of pockets and a single flap. That said, I will give you access to my pattern templates. (NOTE TO SCAMMERS: This doesn't mean that you can turn around and sell them along with my instructions for some insane, stupid price.)

Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet by eSheep Designs
Simplified version of the "inspiration" project...

Anyway, as the name suggests, this is something that can be easily sewn using some of your fabric and interfacing scraps. The SF101 adds a little body to the pieces without adding bulk, but it's not absolutely necessary; or, you could use some other type of interfacing. (The fusible fleece is applied to the exterior body piece. The SF101 — if you're using it — is applied to the lining body piece and the two exterior pocket pieces.)

Keychain Card Wallet templates by eSheep Designs
Templates for the Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet...

You'll also need about 18" (45cm) of bias binding, which you can make yourself with a "spare square" of fabric. (In fact, if you decide to make your own, make it 1.5" wide — just under 4cm — instead of 2"; this is a small item and doesn't need such wide binding.)

In terms of hardware, you'll need a snap fastener set, a 1/4" (6mm) eyelet set, and a split key ring with optional lobster clasp.

Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet by eSheep Designs
Fuse, sew and baste...

I used the same fabric for the exterior and lining of the body and another selection for the pocket exteriors and linings. (They were all remnants of a Craftsy purchase from years ago.)

Once the pieces are cut and interfaced, the two pocket linings are matched to the two pocket exteriors and sewn with a 1/4" (6mm) seam allowance. The finished pocket assemblies are then turned right side out, pressed and topstitched.


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Baste the pocket meant for the back of the wallet to the exterior body piece.

Next, position the front pocket on the lining body piece and use some clips to hold it together with the exterior body piece (the one that was just basted with the back pocket). Because these edges will be finished with bias binding, everything should be right side out when you do this.

Put a card in the front pocket and fold the flap down on top of it to gauge the best placement for the snap fastener. (The one I made had a very tight fit, so I added a bit of length to the template afterwards.)

Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet by eSheep Designs
Determine placement of snap fastener...

When you do this, be aware that installing the bias binding later will do two things: 1) reduce the depth of the pocket and 2) take up space along the edge of the flap.

Once you're satisfied with where the snap should go, install the bottom half of it on the pocket piece. Then baste around the entire assembly to secure everything before binding.

Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet by eSheep Designs
Bind the edge...

I'm not going to discuss how to sew bias binding here. If you've never done it before or need to have a refresher, check out this post for some ideas. (Like I said above, however, if you're going to make binding specifically for this project, go with a narrower width than the usual 2" option.)

After the whole thing is bound, install the top half of the snap fastener set, after reconfirming that the location will allow it to close properly with a card in the pocket. (Tip for marking: push a pin up through the bottom half of fastener and let it go through the flap at the desired location.)


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I had a heck of a time getting a hole punched through the layers of fabric, interfacing and binding to install the eyelet. To make this job easier, I recommend punching a hole into the body piece before sewing on the binding.

Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet by eSheep Designs
Finished front view, opened...

You can then feel around for the opening afterwards and cut through the binding at that same spot to complete the hole.

I'm not going to say anything further about how to install snap fasteners or eyelet/grommets since they come with instructions when you buy them. Maybe one tip is to hammer on something truly solid for best results. (You may have to go outdoors for that.)

Scrappy Keychain Card Wallet by eSheep Designs
Finished back view...

I made this little wallet for a friend visiting from Vancouver Island last month. Always good to test out one's creativity and be able to give the result away.

'Til next...

5 comments:

  1. Very nice gift! I love Candy tomato's projects....made the sewing basket for my sister as a bread bun holder for camping, and those umbrella holders and the 4 bags that can hang flat against the wall (forgot the name?)...those are on my to-do list...some day soon🥴This one has just jumped onto the same list😁

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    Replies
    1. Wow, so you've already been inspired by the talented Ms. Candy Tomato. I usually admire her creations and then tell myself, I don't have the need for this or the right fabric to make it. (Luckily I've managed to give away both of the last two items as gifts.)

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  2. I am too old to have much use of anything, but gifting gives me an excuse to make it😁😁

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right — not about the "too old" part, because I cannot and must not comment on that (!) — if I can gift it, it's easier to justify making something.

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