Grab and Go Cross Body Wallet

Hello, hello sewers!

Let me introduce the Grab and Go pattern by Quilts Illustrated.

If you're looking for a graduation gift

or birthday gift for a young girl or young woman,

this would be a terrific choice.

The tab closure has a magnetic snap,

there is a large outside pocket on the back,

there are three small inner pockets,

and the strap adjusts to fit many needs.

Here are some of my tips and suggestions.

If you don't have the time or desire to stitch this up for yourself,

then I also offer the finished wallet in my shop.

So let's get started:

First, be certain you understand which piece is which.

Examine the photos here to see which piece is the

outer bag and which piece is the outer pocket.

The outer pocket is on the backside of the bag.

On my bag, it is the pink piece with the gray

faux top binding made from the lining.

The outer pocket folds down around the bottom of the bag,

and up the front of the bag a small distance.

The pattern instructions give measurements to cut the fabric pieces

by width and height.

The width measurement goes along the crosswise grain,

and the height measurement follows the lengthwise grain.

That's especially important to remember when you are using

a directional fabric.

Also important with directional fabrics is that you attach that

outer pocket in the right direction:

(This panel with the outer pocket attached will be folded to form the wallet.

The front of the wallet is the lower half in this picture.

So when you fold the wallet, the lower half needs to finish upright,

as it will in the second example.)

The inner pocket is divided by vertical seams.

I used the fly stitch on my sewing machine

to give the top of those seams some extra strength:

The cutting instructions call this closure a flap,

but the sewing instructions refer to it as a tab.

They are one in the same.

Step 9 instructions are for attaching the lining and the bag together.

It instructs you to mark a chalk line up from the bottom of the bag, then:

Cut a 6" slit about 1/4" below the chalk line, this will be for turning the bag.

It goes on to instruct you to glue the slit closed.

I'm sorry, but that just seems a bit sloppy to me.

This is how I stitched my lining and bag together:

I left an opening in the side for turning.

See that unsewn flaps that sticks out near the bottom left?

After I turned it right side out,

I pressed the those 'flaps' to the inside and

topstitched with a triple straight stitch around the entire bag.

To flatten the strap and give it extra strength,

I used a triple coverhem stitch on my serger:

This is a pretty quick pattern to sew

and it is the perfect size to take with you on quick errands,

to the kids' ball games,

or for a young girl or woman as an everyday wallet.

If you are sewing this pattern and have any questions

or tips and ideas,

please contact me via my blog.

I'm considering adding a zipper to my next Grab and Go.