Wallets are deceptively simple to make if you have the right material and basic sewing skills. You can make a leather wallet if you have a needle for this type of sewing and you know how to sew by hand, or you can try making one in fabric if you want to sew it by machine. Here's how to do both types.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Leather Wallet
Step 1. Mark the dimensions
Use chalk or a pencil to mark the size of the leather before cutting the piece. You will need to trace a large piece of moose leather for the body or base of the wallet and other smaller pieces of embossed cowhide for the pockets for cards and coins.
- The moose hide should be approximately 28cm long by 19cm wide.
- Each paper pocket should measure approximately 10cm long by 5cm wide. Make one to three card pockets.
- The coin pocket should be approximately 7.5x7.5cm.
Step 2. Cut the skin of the body with a sharp knife
Place the skin on the cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut the pieces along the lines you marked. Cut the body of the wallet and all the pockets.
You also need to make two snap tabs on the leather used for the body of the wallet. The tabs should be approximately 5x5cm and both placed on the left side of the skin. Cut away about 1.25 cm from the top and bottom of the tabs and cut about 6.35 cm from the center
Step 3. Temporarily pin or tape the pockets to the body
Arrange the card pockets on top of each other so that the 1.25cm top of each is exposed. Central to the top right of the portfolio. Place the coin pocket on the upper left side of the wallet body.
Use duct tape or thick, pointed pins to hold pockets in place
Step 4. Pierce the skin
Use a punch wheel to punch holes in the card and coin pockets and on the skin directly under the pockets.
- Make holes in the leather while the pockets are taped or pinned to the body of the wallet. This ensures that the holes are well aligned.
- Place a large piece of leather under the wallet as you make the holes. It will make the drilling process easier for you.
- Do not pierce the top of the pocket.
Step 5. Sew the pockets to the base
Thread a large needle with waxed thread and sew each pocket to the body of the wallet. Sew the pockets by threading the thread in and out of the holes you made with the hole punch.
- Start on the inside to hide the knot. The inside of the wallet is the one with the pocket.
- Do not sew the top of the pockets.
- Sew each pocket onto the wallet twice to make it sturdier.
- If desired, use a lighter to gently and carefully burn the knot, melting the wax for a longer lasting hold.
- Remove the duct tape or pins when done.
Step 6. Decide where to put the snaps
Fold and close the wallet. Fold the tabs on the button and mark where they should go using Glover's needle.
- Fold the bottom of the wallet to cover the pockets. The two tabs should line up.
- Fold the wallet again, bringing the right side over the top of the left side.
- Fold the tabs over so they overlap the top of the wallet.
- Pierce the two tabs and the top of the wallet with the needle.
Step 7. Attach the snaps
Use the punch wheel to puncture both sides of the snap button with a hole through the points you marked with the needle. Attach the buttons to the wallet using a mallet press.
- Place the male on the inside of the tongue and the female on the body of the wallet.
- Note that both the male and female portion of the snap button are split into two parts that need to be hammered together, squeezing the skin in between.
- Pinch the two halves of the male part together with the concave part of a mallet press. One side should be on the outside of the snap tab and the other on the inside.
- Use a mallet or hammer to gently hammer the two pieces together.
- Repeat this procedure with the female part of the tongue.
Step 8. Pierce around the perimeter of the wallet
Fold the wallet so that it looks like the finished product. Pin or tape in place, then use the punch wheel to punch holes around the perimeter of the body.
Do not drill along the top of the wallet
Step 9. Sew the wallet
Sew around the perimeter of your wallet to finish it off.
- Start inside the wallet, with the pockets facing up, to hide the knot.
- Sew twice using waxed thread to make sure it's sturdy. Burn the knot to melt the wax.
- If you wish, you can also use a curtain to sew the outside of the wallet.
Method 2 of 2: Simple Cloth Wallet
Step 1. Cut out the fabric
You will need a total of four fabric rectangles. Make cutouts from one piece of patterned fabric and one plain color.
- Note that you could use two solid colors or the same patterned fabric for all four rectangles if you are not interested in creating contrast.
- Use burlap, cotton, or other sturdy fabric.
- Cut two rectangles from the patterned fabric of 10.2cm by 23.5cm. Label them as piece A1 and A2.
- Cut a rectangle from the patterned fabric that is 7cm by 23.5cm. Label it as piece C.
- Cut the final rectangle from the solid color fabric of 9.5cm by 23.5cm. Label it as piece B.
Step 2. Sew around the edges of the smaller rectangles
Sew around the edges of pieces B and C, separately.
- Do not sew the two pieces together.
- Use a zigzag stitch, sheet stitch, hem stitch, or any other edge stitch. The main function of your stitches should be to hold the ends in place and prevent them from fraying.
- You can sew by hand or with a sewing machine.
Step 3. Fold and stitch the top of these rectangles
Fold the top edges of both B and C. Press the fabric using an iron and sew it in place.
- Fold a little more than 1.25 cm from the top. As you fold, do it on the wrong side of the fabric.
- Stitch back across the top of each piece at 1.25cm from the fold.
- Stitch back across the top of each piece at 3.2cm from the fold.
Step 4. Put the two inner rectangles together
The smaller piece, C, should be placed on the larger piece, B, so that the bottom edge and sides are aligned.
- Arrange the pieces together so that both right sides are facing up.
- Attach them with pins.
Step 5. Mark the center
Use a tape measure or ruler to measure the center of the wallet. Draw a vertical line along the center using chalk and a washable marker.
- The line should be perpendicular to the bottom and about 12cm from either side.
- The line should only go up to the top edge of piece C. Don't run it all the way to the exposed part of piece B.
- Place pins along the mark to hold the fabric together in the center.
Step 6. Sew the inside
Back stitch or machine stitch along the center of the mark to sew B together with C.
- Sew only the top edge of C. Do not sew in the exposed part of B.
- This creates the part for the bills and the cards.
Step 7. Sandwich the inside between the larger pieces of fabric
Put A1 under B and A2 on the other three pieces. Pin the fabric.
- Arrange the fabric so that the bottom edges of all four pieces are aligned.
- Do not stop the left side of the fabric.
Step 8. Sew around most of the perimeter
Sew backwards or use a sewing machine to stitch along the top, bottom right edges of the wallet.
- Do not close the left side.
- Make sure all four layers are sewn together.
- Leave 3.2mm of selvedge.
- Trim the four corners of the piece you just sewed.
Step 9. Turn the wallet upside down
Pull the inner fabric through the opening on the left side of the wallet so that pieces B and C show up again and the stitched part is hidden.
Step 10. Fold the left side inward
Fold 3.2mm of the open side all the way around, creating a rounded edge on the left side.
Crush this edge with an iron
Step 11. Finish sewing the closed sides
Sew backwards or machine the right side 3.2mm from the edge to finish the wallet.
