{Sewing Tutorial} Loyalty Card Wallet

If you are like us, you probably have a stack of loyalty cards in your handbag. Some stores are becoming more tech savvy with the way they administer their loyalty programs, but many are still old school and require you to present a card. Long time readers of our blog, may remember the Scrappy Loyalty Card Wallet and Loyalty Card Wallet, blogged previously. These wallets have been lasting around three years and I was due for a new wallet. Sarah needed one as well to store her growing collection of cards. Our design has been modified and now features a  leather and felt tab with snap closure.

Loyalty Card Wallets are a great way to store loyalty cards ( they hold up to 12 cards) and are a fun sewing project to incorporate your favourite fabrics.

Sarah selected some pastel, low volume, screen printed charm squares from Karen Lewis Textiles for her loyalty card wallet. Modern, graphic designs have been screen printed by hand onto kona cotton – the fabric is right on trend with its lovely hand printed look. A small piece of black leather was stitched to a felt strip to make the closure tab. This is a more secure closure than our previous design which used a button and elastic.

The inside features four pockets, which hold up to 3 cards in each. Cotton and Steel fabric was used for the interior.

If you would like to make your own, you will need:

Materials:

• 3 small pieces of fabric ( measuring at least 4 x 4 inches) for the exterior (charm squares are a great size to use)
• 2 fat 1/8 th of co-ordinating cotton fabric
• small piece of leather
• small piece of felt
• 1 snap fastener
• iron on interfacing

Finished size: 7 3/4 inches x 3 1/2 inches (when open)

Method:

1. Cut fabrics

• Fabric 1: Cut rectangles measuring 4 x 2 1/2 inch; 4 x 1 1/2 inches (exterior)
• Fabric 2: Cut rectangle measuring 4 x 2 3/4 inches (exterior)
• Fabric 3: Cut rectangle measuring 4 x 2 inches: 4 x 1 3/4 inches (exterior)
• Fabric 4: Cut rectangle measuring 8 1/4 x 4 (lining)
• Fabric 5: Cut 2 rectangles measuring 8 1/4 x 4 inches (pockets)
• Leather: cut rectangle measuring 2 x 1 inch
• Felt: cut rectangle measuring 2 1/8 x 1 1/8 inch
• Interfacing: Cut 2 rectangles measuring 8 1/4 x 4 inches; square measuring 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches

2. Stitch exterior

Stitch the exterior fabrics together using 1/4 inch seam allowance so that you have a piece measuring 81/4 x 4 inches. Press the seams open. Top stitch 1/8 inch from each seam. Press interfacing to the back of the exterior panel. Press the extra square of interfacing to the back of the exterior, around the area that the snap will be positioned. (Refer to photo below). This will provide extra reinforcement to the area that has the snap.

Position the leather on top of the felt so that it is centred. Hold it in place with wonder clips or paper clip/bulldog clip. Using a leather needle in your sewing machine, stitch around the leather, close to the edge to secure it to the felt.

Using a snap press or snap setting tool, apply one half of the snap to the end of the leather tab. Position the other half of the snap to the midpoint of the right hand side of the exterior, approximately 2 inches down and 1 1/4 inches in from the edge (as shown in the photo below).

Stitch the leather/felt tab to the left end of the wallet exterior so that it is centred. Refer to the photo for placement.

3. Stitch interior

Fold the two pieces of fabric that will form the pockets, in half lengthwise so they measure 8 1/4 x 2 inches. Overlock (serge) the raw edges together.

Layer the top pocket so that it is one inch down from the top edge of the lining. Stitch it in place along the bottom edge. Position the bottom pocket along the bottom edge of the lining and stitch in place. (Refer to our previous tutorial for photos showing this step, and check out the photo above step 2).

4. Assemble Pouch

With right sides together, position the exterior of the wallet, on top of the lining. Stitch around the outside leaving a 2 inch gap along one long edge for turning. Clip corner and turn out the right way through the gap in the stitching.

Top stitch around the outside of the wallet, close to the edge. Fold the wallet in half and press. Stitch along the fold line to create separate divisions for the pockets.

The Loyalty Card Wallet is a fast project that can be easily completed in an hour or so. They would make great gifts for friends.

I made another Loyalty Card Wallet – this one features some screen printed fabric by Umbrella Prints.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Ava and Neve for supplying the Karen Lewis Textiles fabric that were used in this project.