Day 1: Swoon Eloise Wallet Sewalong Printing, Cutting, and Stabilizing

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Welcome to Swoon's second sewalong.  We will be stitching Eloise Wallet.

If you have not purchased the pattern yet, do so HERE.

Materials:

1 fat quarter quilting weight exterior fabric

1 yard (44" wide) quilting weight lining fabric

1/4" yard two sided fusible Pellon Peltex (72f)

  1/2 yard Pellon Craft-fuse 808  interfacing

18" #5 zipper for main compartment zip aroun

8" zipper for interior pocket pouch

One magnetic snap: 3/4" diameter

1.  Print out the pattern.  Make sure your printer is set at "actual size" and "auto rotate".  Do NOT check the "fit" box.

2.  Cut out the pattern pieces and cut out your fabric based on what the pieces state.

3.  In addition to cutting the pieces, also cut

• Trifold Pleated Panels: 1 lining 37.5" x 7.5"
• Trifold Pleated Backing:  1 lining and 1 interfacing 7.5" x 3.75"
• Main compartment Pleated Panels: 1 lining 12"x18
• Main Compartment Pleated Backing: 2 lining, 2 interfacing 4"x9"
• Pocket Panels: 4 lining, 2 interfacing 4"x8"

For the cut list items, I like to write those names and measurements on a piece of paper

so I can remember what they are.

Lets fuse the Peltex first.
Take your 3 Trifold Flap Peltex pieces and your Trifold Flap.  Pin your Peltex pieces to the wrong side of your Trifold flap as the picture shows below.  Your Peltex pieces will be 1/2" away from the raw edges of your flap fabric.  It is helpful to pin the two outside pieces first and then center the center peltex piece on your flap.  You want a little bit of space between your peltex pieces.

Flip your piece so it's fabric side up.  Press and hold for 20-ish seconds. Just lying your iron on top works, but it will take longer.  If you press down on your iron, the Peltex will adhere faster.  Remember, this is double sided Peltex. We want the Peltex to adhere to the fabric but not to your ironing board.  Check.  Press longer if necessary.

Repeat Trifold Flap instructions for the Main Compartment Peltex. 

Pin two large outside pieces to the wrong side of your Main Compartment exterior fabric.

Then center the thin strip in between, making sure to leave a bit of space between each Peltex piece.

Ignore the wrinkles, this was pre-iroing.

 

Tips and tricks for fusing interfacing. 

I will say 'interfacing' from here on, but this can be used for Craftfuse and other stabilizers. 

Most important rule is to read the tissue paper instructions that come with your interfacing.  It's very easy to get annoyed with it and throw it away, but I HIGHLY recommend reading through it.  You might learn something.

First, press your fabric well.  Make sure there are no wrinkles.

Lay your fabric down wrong side up.  Place the interfacing shinny side down.  

Put a pressing cloth (or old cut up sheet) on top and spray it damp.

Place iron down and hold for 10-20 seconds depending on the weight of your interfacing. When your pressing cloth is dry, the interfacing is typically applied.

Thinner interfacing will take less time to adhere 10-ish seconds.  Thicker/heavier weight interfacing or stabilizers will take 20-30 seconds to adhere well.

Why use a damp pressing cloth rather than the fast and dirty dry heat?  Because dry heat won't thoroughly melt the glue on the interfacing, resulting in a weaker bond.

It takes more time, but I think well worth it.

After the interfacing is stuck, flip your piece over.  

You might have a few wrinkles as I do on the bottom.

Press this side, ironing out all the wrinkles. Use the tip of your iron to rub out stubborn wrinkles.

You now have wrinkle free and well bonded interfaced fabric.

Fuse interfacing to lining Main Compartment, two pocket panels, lining Trifold flap, and all three pleated backing panels.

Easy Peasy!  Come back tomorrow to start sewing!

If you have questions, please, please contact me at alicatcompany (at) gmail (dot) com, via the comments below, on the Ali Cat & Co. Facebook page, or on the famous Swoon Patterns Group.