Design Challenge : Portfolio and Wallet - A Great Gift Tutorial!

My name is Jennifer from Ellison Lane Quilts.  Today I'm delighted to be guest posting at Sew Lux today. I've had my eye on this super fun Jennifer Paganelli zebra print bundle for a while now. They just kept calling my name, and I knew I wanted to do something fun with them.

I have a problem with loose papers trailing about all over my kitchen and sewing room. I desperately needed a way to keep them tidy and accessible so today I'm sharing my portfolio tutorial with you.

LOTS of pockets and even a bonus business card holder. Great for work, home or school, this portfolio would look smashing in a variety of prints!

So let's get started shall we?



Supplies:
6 Fat Quarters in coordinating prints
1 yard of medium to light weight fusible interfacing
cotton batting 19" x 21"
coordinating thread
sewing machine
iron, scissors, rotary cutter
wallet template
fabric glue stick (optional)

1.Cut your batting 19" x 21" or at least 1" bigger than your fat quarter.  Baste your batting to your fat quarter and quilt as desired. I chose to do wavy lines.

2. Trim your quilted panel down to 20" x 12.5."

3. Now, cut the fusible interfacing to 19" x 11.5" and follow the package directions to fuse the interfacing to the batting side of the quilted panel.

4. Now, press your lining and pocket fabrics.

• Cut the lining piece to 20" x 12.5"
• Cut the large pocket piece to 18" x 20" 
• Cut the middle pocket piece to 14" x 20" 
• Cut the small pocket piece to 10" x 20" 

Fold all of your pocket pieces in half length wise and top stitch along the top of the fold. 

5. Cut three pieces of interfacing: 

• (1) 19" x 8.5" 
• (1) 19" x 4.5" 
• (1) 19" x 6.5" 

Open up the folded pockets and fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of one side of the pocket piece. 

6. Layer your pockets on top of the lining piece, making sure the interfacing panel sides are on top. 

7. Pin. Place the quilted top, right sides together on top of the pocket panel and sew around all of the edges with a 1/2" seam, leaving a 3" opening  on the side for turning. Backstitch and the beginning and end of the opening. 

8. Remove pins, clip your corners and trim the bottom seam allowance to 1/4." Your seam will be very bulky across the bottom because of the layers. Press your fabric and use a little glue stick to fold under your hem from the gap.

9. Fold your portfolio in half to find the middle and stitch a line from the top to bottom to create to halves. Backstitch at the beginning and end. 

10. Top stitch all around. Go slowly over the bottom as it will be bulky but you can do it. 

Voila! Your portfolio is all done!

Now, you can make a coordinating business card holder that easily slips in the small pocket. 

First you need to print this template. 

Supplies: 

Batting 6" x 10.5" 

1 small piece of velcro

(2) pieces of coordinating fabric 5" x 9.5" 

fabric glue stick

template- printed and cut out

1. Quilt your outer fabric as desired.

*note the location of the velcro*

2. 1" from the bottom of your outer fabric, sew on a bumpy piece of velcro.

3. 1/2" from the top of the lining fabric, sew on the soft piece of velcro. 

(I use the glue stick to hold the velcro in place before sewing.)

4. Place your fabric right sides together and pin, Trace the curve pattern from the template on the batting, remove then sew around all sides with a 1/4" seam, leaving a 2" gap on the side for turning inside out. Backstitch at the beginning and the end.

Sew around the curve leaving a 1/4" seam.

5. Clip the corners, cut around the curve, and turn inside out, using a blunt tool to poke out the corners. Press and topstitch along all edges, making sure you close the gap.

6. Fold the bottom up 3", pin and stitch along the topstitching on both sides, backstitching at the beginning and end. 

That's it! All done! 

Now you have a stylish and useful portfolio and mini wallet to help organize your life. 

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Be sure to check out all my other tutorials and fun happenings on my blog Ellison Lane Quilts! 

Have a great day!