Fashion-Forward Combo Clutch A 2-in-1 convertible clutch is two cute bags in one! Unfolded, it's the perfect purse for daytime activities. Simply fold the top of the bag over, and in a snap, you have a chic clutch ideal for evening. Read on for step-by-step project instructions! Supplies Needed: **1/2 yard solid-colored sturdy fabric like denim, twill, or lightweight canvas (for front of bag - I used lightweight canvas) **1/2 yard sturdy print fabric (for back of bag - I used lightweight canvas) **1/2 yard print cotton fabric (for lining - I used lightweight canvas) **Two 14" wide by 18" high pieces of stiff fusible interfacing **Medium weight cutaway stabilizer Supplies Continued: **Temporary spray adhesive **Air-erase pen **Two sets of magnetic purse snaps (mine are 3/4" size) **Scotch tape
**Needle and thread for some hand sewing **Optional (for rosettes): **Small pieces of stiff interfacing or stiff felt **Small strips of cotton fabric **Hot glue and gun Special Project Notes: Finished Size: Purse: 8 1/2" wide by 11 3/4" high by 3" deep Folded clutch: 8 1/2" wide by 5 1/2" high by 3" deep Design Used: I used the small size of the Monarch Butterfly and Daffodils. With the rosettes added to the bag, designs smaller than 5" x 7" will look terrific. Without the rosettes, there is a little more space, and designs smaller than 7" x 8 1/2" will fit. To get started, click here to open a PDF file of the pattern pieces. There are four patterns that will print on four pieces of 8 1/2" by 11" pieces of paper. Cut out the pattern pieces and tape them together by following the instructions on the pieces. To make the front of the
bag, I laid the pattern piece on top of the solid-colored fabric, pinned in place, and traced the shape with an air-erase pen, leaving a couple of inches of excess fabric around the shape. I measured and marked 5" down from each top corner of the pattern shape along the right and left sides, and drew a line connecting the marks. Then I measured and marked 1 1/2" up from each bottom corner along the left and right sides, and connected those marks. The areas above and below the lines are where the fabric will be folded later on, and the spaces between the lines are the embroidery areas. To position my first design, I made a paper template with embroidery software. If you would like more information about creating templates, click here. I trimmed the template to make it easier to place, then positioned it within the embroidery area. Since the fabric will be folded on the lines, leave at least 1/2" space between the outer edges of the design and the lines. I centered the design side to side by measuring equal distances between the center point on the template and the side edges of the shape. I poked a hole in the center of the template and marked the fabric there, and I marked the horizontal and vertical axis points. I removed the template and
drew lines connecting the marks, to help line up the fabric in the embroidery hoop. I sprayed a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive, then smoothed the fabric on top. I hooped the fabric, aligning the lines on the fabric with the marks on the hoop. I attached the hoop to my machine, loaded the design, moved the needle over the center point of the fabric, and embroidered the design. Once the embroidery design was finished, I cut away the excess stabilizer from the back. Then I added a piece of fusible interfacing to the back of the bag's front piece, following the instructions on the interface packaging. I used a pressing cloth on top of the embroidery
to prevent scorching. After adding the interfacing, I cut out the shape. For the back of the bag, I used the pattern piece to trace the shape onto the print fabric. Then I added one piece of stiff fusible interfacing to the backside of that piece (just as I did for the front piece) and cut out the shape. To put together the outer shell of the bag, line up the front and back pieces together, right sides facing each other, and pin in place. Sew a 1/2" seam along the side and bottom edges only, leaving the entire top edge open for turning. Then trim the fabric all the way around the seam you just sewed, leaving about 1/8" of the seam allowance remaining. Next, to square off the bottom of the bag, I aligned the side and bottom seams together by looking inside the bag, and
pinning the pieces together. I measured and marked 1 1/2" in from the outermost point of the corner, and drew a line across the mark that is perpendicular to the seam. I sewed a seam across the line I just drew, and trimmed the corner, leaving about 1/4" excess out from the seam. Next, I turned the outer shell right side out and added the bottom part of one of the magnetic snaps about 1" up from the bottom center of the back side (print side) of the bag. Follow the instructions on the packaging to do this. The top section of the snap will be added to the handle later on. For the inner lining, cut two pieces of print cotton fabric (I used lightweight canvas) using the pattern piece. Align the pieces right sides together, pin in place, and sew a 1/2" seam along the side and bottom
edges only, leaving one entire side open for turning. Then square off the bottom just as you did for the outer shell. I put the outer shell inside the inner lining, right sides together, with the side seams and top edges together. I pinned in place and sewed a 1/2" seam along the top edge, leaving one entire side edge open for turning. I clipped the seam allowance about every 1/4" along the seam I just sewed. Then I turned the fabric right side out, put the inner lining inside the outer shell, and pressed the seams. Next I turned the fabric of the side opening in 1/2", pressed, and pinned in place. Finally, I top stitched a 1/8" seam along the entire top edge of the bag. To make the handles, cut one piece of the solid-colored fabric and one piece of the print fabric to 12 1/2" wide by 3" high. Line up the fabric pieces, right sides together,
pin in place, and sew a 1/2" seam along the short ends only, leaving the long top and bottom edges open. I pressed the seams open, folded the top and bottom edges in 1/2" to the wrong side, and pressed. Then I folded the fabric again, wrong sides together, with the long folded edges lined up, and pressed. I added the top section of the magnetic snap to the center of the outside edge of the solid-colored fabric. I centered the snap in between the top fold and the bottom folded edge of the fabric. And, I added a small piece of interfacing just behind the snap to make it more secure. I also added interfacing to the handle to make it sturdy. I cut two strips of interfacing to 9" wide by 3/4" high, and put it between the handle fabric layers, centered from side seam to side seam.
Then I added the second magnetic snap set to the inside center portion of the handle, through the fabric and the interfacing. To add the handle to the bag, I wrapped the handle fabric around the top edges of the bag, lining up the side seams of the handle with the side seams of the bag, and with the solid-colored handle fabric on the print side of the bag, and the print fabric side of the handle on the solid side of the bag. I pinned in place and sewed a 1/4" seam along the bottom edge of the handle where it wraps around the top edge of the bag (I will hand sew the part of the handle that goes through the top openings of the bag). Because the foot of my sewing machine would not pass by the snaps, I hand sewed the bottom folds of the handle portions that cross the openings at the top of the bag. If you like, you can add an extra flourish to the bag by
placing fabric rosettes in the the area between the handles and the embroidery. To do this, cut a circle shape out of a small piece of stiff interfacing or stiff felt. I sized mine about 2 1/2" and 1 1/2" in diameter. For the 2 1/2" diameter rosettes, I cut a piece of lightweight canvas to about 3" wide by 24" long. I folded the long edges of the fabric to meet in the center, then folded one short end over and hot glued it in place in the center of the circle. Next, I twisted the fabric and wrapped it around the center, working my way to the outer edge. I placed a drop of glue onto the circle about every 1/2" as I went, continuing to twist the fabric and pressing in place. When I reached the end, I added a drop of glue to the end of the fabric and pressed in place at the back. Trim away any excess interfacing that extends past the edge of the rosette. Add hot glue or fabric glue to the back of the rosette, and press it in place on the bag. And your 2-in-1 clutch is complete! A combo clutch gives you the best of both worlds, with two chic bags in one. And with your favorite fabrics and embroidery, it's as fashion-forward as it is practical.
Click here for a printable version of these project instructions.