From the Blog

How to Make a Purse Wallet

BySewverycrafty July 15, 2020

Times.  If you would like to see the video for this project head down to the bottom of this post.  There are quite a few steps in this project but they are simple steps that only require basic sewing skills.  Believe me that you can put your basic sewing skills together to get this terrific purse wallet if you just take your time and follow each step. This wallet has several compartments to put everything you need.  There are credit card slots and two zipper pockets along with the slip pockets for money and a phone.  This is a fun little project. 

I chose three different fabrics for this project to make it perfect for me.  My fabrics were purchased my fabrics from JOANN Fabric & Craft Stores but I also recommend Hobby Lobby, Fabric.com and Onlinefabricstore.net for a wide variety of cotton fabrics that would be perfect for this project.  I also used #5 zippers for this project that you can get by the yard.  I purchased Mine through independent sellers on Etsy and my zipper sliders from Amazon.  This post contains affiliate links that if you click on them and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  

What You will Need: How to Make a Purse Wallet

• Pattern you can get by clicking on this link
• 1/4 yd main outer fabric
• 1/2 yd contrast fabric
• 1/2 yd lining fabric
• 1/4 yd fusible fleece like Pellon 971F
• 1/4 yd Pellon 808 Interfacing
• 2 8″ zippers that you will shorten to  7 1/8″ I used #5 continuous zippers but you could use regular zippers if you like. 
• 1 large snap

Step 1: Cut your fabrics as follows:

Outer Fabric

• 1 piece that measures 8¾″ × 5 3/8″
• 1 piece that measures 8¾″×12 5/8″
• 2 pieces that measure 2¾″×4⅛″
• 2 pieces that measure 6¼″×4⅛

Contrast Fabric

• 1 Piece that measures 8¾″×19″
• 1 piece that measures 8 3/4″ x 7 3/4″
• 4 pieces that measure 1 5/8″ x 1 1/8″ for the zipper tabs
• 1 Piece that measures 8″×6¾″

Lining fabric

• 1 Piece that measures 8¾″×6¼″
• 1 piece that measures 8″×6¾″
• 4 pieces that measure 1 5/8″ x 1 1/8″ for the zipper tabs

Fusible Fleece

• 1 piece that measures 8″ x 4 1/2″
• 1 Piece that measures 8″ x 6 3/4″ and 1 that measures 8″ x 6″

Pellon 808

• 1 piece that measures 8″ x 2 3/4″ — Cut using the pattern piece
• 2 pieces that measure 8″ x 3 1/2″
• 2 pieces that measure 8″ x 3/8″
• 1 piece that measures 8″ x 2 1/8″
• 1 piece that measures 8″ x 2 3/4″

Step 2: Fuse the fleece

Using the pattern piece cut the 8″ x 4 1/2″ piece of fleece with the curve at the very top.  Fuse it following the manufacturers instructions to the 8 3/4″× 5 3/8″ piece of outer fabric.  Keeping the 3/8″ seam allowance cut outer fabric piece to match the top of the fleece as shown.  Fuse the 8″ x 6 3/4″ to the 8 3/4″ x 7 3/4″ piece of contrast fabric.  

Step 3: Add the Zipper tabs 

Sandwich each end of one of the 7 1/8″ zippers between the contrast tab and the lining tab.  Stitch using a 3/8″ seam allowance.  Turn right sides out.  

Step 4: Add the first zipper to the Wallet

Place the 8¾″×6¼″ lining piece right sides up on your work surface.  Place the zipper with tabs right sides up on the lining piece.  Lay the outer piece with the fleece right sides down onto the zipper making a zipper sandwich. Pin or clip the zipper.  Stitch the zipper through all layers.  Turn right sides out. Fold the lining piece so that the bottom raw edge is matches the other edge of the zipper.  Place the 8 3/4″ x 7 3/4″ contrast piece with the fleece right sides down onto the other side of the zipper again making a zipper sandwich. Stitch the zipper in place.  Turn the piece right sides out.    

Step 5: Add the Pellon 808

Take the 8¾″×12 5/8″ piece of outer fabric and place it wrong sides up on your work surface.  Fuse an 8″ x 3 1/2″ piece of Pellon 808 3/8″ from the bottom of the piece.  Measure up from the top of the interfacing .7″ or 2cm and place the second 8″ x 3 1/2″ piece of 808 and fuse.  Measure up 1 1/8″ from the top of the second piece of interfacing and place the third piece that you cut using the pattern piece and fuse.  

Step 6: Create the Card Slots for the wallet

Take the 8¾″×19″ of contrast fabric and place it on your work surface. Using a Frixion heat erasable pen or other erasable pen divide the piece as follows:  Measure down 2 1/8″ from the top and draw a line. From that line measure down 4″ and draw another line.  Measure down another 4″ and draw a third line.  From there measure down 3″ and draw a 4th line.  Fuse a 8″ x 3/8″ piece of 808 just beneath the first and second lines. Fuse the 8″ x 2 1/8″ under the third line and finally fuse the 8″ x 2 3/4″ just below the 4th line. 

From the top of the first 8″ x 3/8″ piece of 808 measure down 2 1/8″ and draw a line.  Repeat for the second 8″ x 3/8″ piece of 808. Fold the top of the piece over the first piece of 808 and press.  Go to the next line you drew and fold the piece backward and press. Fold forward on the next piece of 808 and backward on the following line creating an accordion shape.  Fold the bottom up even with the 808 and press.  Turn the piece over.  You will see the card slots.  

 

Step 7: add the Card Slots to the wallet

Take the outer piece that you added the 808 to and place it right sides up on your work station.  Measure up from the bottom 1 1/8″ and mark. Place the card slots so that the bottom is level with  the mark. Holding the card slots in place, flip them to the wrong side and stitch the bottom edge down using a 3/8″ seam allowance. Refold the card slots. Measure up from the bottom 2 3/4″ and draw a line. Stitch along the line.  Find the center of the piece and draw a line down the three card slots until you reach the bottom of the third card slot.  Stitch the line.  

Step 8: Create the sides

Using the second pattern piece cut it along the dotted line.  Place each piece on the fold of the contrast fabric and draw an additional 3/8″ seam allowance. Cut two pieces each from the contrast fabric on the fold.  Stitch each piece together at the top and bottom using a 3/8″ seam allowance.  Turn right sides out.  

Step 9: add the sides

Place the small side to the bottom side of the card slot piece with raw edges matching.  Place the large side piece on the top side of the card slot piece matching the raw edges with the outer top edge matching the second card slot. Repeat for the other side. Stitch all four pieces using a 1/4″ seam allowance. 

 

Step 10: add the zipper piece

Place the outer zipper piece to the card slot piece right sides together.  Stitch all the way around the piece leaving an opening at the bottom for turning.  Clip the corners and snip the curved edges. Turn right sides out.  Top stitch all the way around the piece.  Measure up from the bottom of the card slots 3 1/2″ and draw a line.  Measure up from the top of the card slots 3/8″ and draw another line.  Stitch along both lines.

Step 11: Stitch the sides

Take the small side pattern piece and place it on the large side piece next to the card slots and draw a line following the edge.  Repeat for the other side.  Fold the large edge piece along the line you just drew and clip.  Stitch using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Turn the piece to the outside.  Match the small side piece to the large side piece and clip.  Repeat for the other side. Stitch using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Turn back the right way.     

 

Step 12: Create the inside zipper pouch for the wallet

Take the 8″×6¾″ outer piece and the matching lining piece and place them on your work surface. Fuse the 8″ x 6″ piece of fleece to the outer fabric following the manufacturers instructions. Add the zipper tabs in the same way you did the zipper tabs in the first zipper. Place the lining piece right sides up on your work surface with the zipper right sides up ion the lining and the outer piece right sides down.  Stitch the zipper.  Top stitch along the zipper. Fold the lining up to meet the other side of the zipper and the outer piece to meet the other side of the zipper in a zipper sandwich and stitch the zipper in place. Turn right sides out. Top stitch along the zipper.  Clip off the excess zipper tabs. Stitch along each side using a 1/4″ seam allowance.   

Step 13: add the inside zipper pouch

Place the inside zipper pouch you just created into the center of the card slots. Clip the pouch to the sides of the card slot.  Stitch the pouch to the sides.  

Step 14: Add the Snap

Add the female side of the snap to the curved top of the wallet in the center of the curve.  Fold down the wallet and measure the location of the male side of the snap and insert it.  Once you have inserted the snap you have finished the purse wallet.  

I hope you enjoyed this project.  If you would like more sewing and crafting projects sign up for our newsletter and receive your free eBook of 15 handbag patterns and tutorials taken from the blog.  

If you would like video tutorials of some of Sew Very Crafty’s most popular posts subscribe to our free YouTube Channel here.