Something Up My Sleeve

Well, not technically up my sleeve yet because it’s still 100 degrees every afternoon and wearing long enough sleeves of that would be absolutely insane.

This idea came about when I was preparing for my Paris trip and trying to come up with a way to carry my wallet contents without actually having to deal with a wallet in such a tourist area. Because everyone knows pickpockets gather in tourist areas. Which is why I wear pants with buttoning pockets to Universal. Well, that and so I don’t lose my phone on a roller-coaster.

Anyway, back to the wallet. I didn’t actually get it finished in time for Paris because I got stuck on the closure. I had originally planned for snaps so it could be reversible. That didn’t work out so well because I kind of forgot how to put the snaps in, plus snapping it seemed like it might be a little difficult to put on one-handed.

I finally went with buttons and loops. Much easier to put on. I just made a long bias strip out of the remaining piece of the top fabric and cut 4 – 1-and-a-half-inch strips.

I made an opening with a zipper to keep everything safe inside. I took the zipper pull off and sewed the edge to each side first. Then I put the zipper pull back. Pretty easy to put it together this way.

The fabrics I used for the outside and the lining are the same pattern in two different color ways. Both are from Anthology Fabrics from a couple of years ago.

Outside:

Inside:

I like how this came together, but I think I am also going to make another one. Just to have a couple of options, especially so I can wash one and have another on hand. I think I will do the second one on the bias and just make it slip over my hand rather than using a closure. If it works out, I may just write that pattern up and share it.