Clutch

Beauty!

I've been invited to many weddings in my life and over the years, I've learned what are necessities to bring to, as well as a list of what I want to bring to these events. Now, my mental checklist of necessities has created a bulking, hulking mess of my little clutch WITH NO ROOM TO SPARE for the things that I'd like to have as well.  Seeing as this year I've been invited to three weddings, I made it a mission to find a clutch that will accommodate my list of MUSTS and WANTS. Here's my list (if you don't care, please feel free to skip)


MUSTS
1) keys
2) wallet (which inevitably gets cut down into what can fit into a small change purse - this is always drivers license, health card, credit card, debit card)
3) change
4) chapstick
5) tampons
6) lip gloss (I don't wear lipstick)
7) cellphone
8) husband's wallet (hey dear, you have a bag, so surely you can just throw my Costanza sized wallet in there too, right???)


As you can imagine, my tiny clutch has now become a Mary Poppins bag of ridiculousness


WANTS
1) candy. I always need candy of some fashion (usually the sour variety). There's usually a long break in between ceremony and reception, so it's always nice to have a sweet pick-me-up before you get to the real food
2) snacks (wait a minute...didn't I just say candy? Isn't that a snack???) No, a snack in my mind is salty. I'm the world's most picky vegetarian (one who HATES mushrooms - a staple of most vegetarian meals), so if I have a snack, then I get sometimes get through an evening where the meal isn't up to snuff.
3) flip flops (now, this has long been on my list and has been trying to make a surge to the MUSTS lists, because I'm not an everyday heel wearing gal. And I really, really, really can't deal with a whole afternoon/evening with my Fred Flintstone feet squeezed into a pair of pretty, thin, meant for bound feet heels. If I can squeeze a pair of flip flops into my clutch, then I can breath a sweet sigh of relief when my tootsies can unbuckle the belt (so to speak) and feel freedom again. It also makes for a more enjoyable dancing experience for me (and my husband))


As you can imagine, no clutch on earth could ever accommodate this list. And as I can attest, I haven't found one yet. So, now you might be saying, JUST BRING A BIGGER PURSE, YOU MORON. Yes, I totally get it, but I have some weird hang up with wearing a classy-ish outfit (classy in my mind anyway) and then ruining it with a thick, strappy, luggage purse (this is one of many hang-ups, I can assure you). So what are my options? Again, every time I go out, I search for a clutch that is massive, but as of yet, no luck. And then I came across this pin. (photo above)


Looks lovely, and now of course, that I'm a rock-star sewer (LOL!), I can modify this tutorial to fit all of my needs (say what????) I'm a ridiculous human being, I realize that...but who the heck do I think I am? I don't know a thing about sewing. Like I said, I've made two sets of curtains and three beach bags. I don't know anything about seam allowances or even how to cut straight for that matter. And now I'm looking to use a material (vinyl) that I've never used before, sew a lining onto a fabric, and create pockets with zippers? WHAT?????


Anyway, off I went to Fabricland to grab all of my materials (and trust me, I got a lot of vinyl because I knew I'd screw up - the ladies at the store must've thought I was making a gimp outfit...) and was on a mission to make this clutch. The tutorial itself was extremely clear and easy to follow. I just changed the measurements of each of the vinyl and lining pieces to accommodate the biggest of my items (my man-sized flip flops) and I was off to the races. I made the zippered pocket, cellphone pocket, key clip and credit card slots out of my lining material without much issue and then started to focus on sewing it to my vinyl pieces. THIS IS WHERE THE TROUBLE HAPPENED. First off, it's been my experience that sewing through cotton is fairly easy. VINYL, on the other hand is NOT. It's thick, REAL THICK, and the sewing machine's teeth have a hard time pulling it through. AND if you screw up (which I did on a multitude of occasions) this material is extremely unforgiving and you will see the needle marks. UGH. In addition to that, I just couldn't , for the life of me, get all the pieces (front, back and flap) to match up.

SO I STARTED THE PROCESS OVER AGAIN....

WHAT?? Didn't I learn my lesson. This project ISN'T for me!!! Nope, I would NOT let it beat me. I was going to make this effin' clutch if it killed me!!!


Rather than make separate pieces, I created one large piece that, after the lining was sewn on, I would fold and sew. Seemed to work a little better, but my sewing just isn't great (or even good for that matter). I'm also a super huge rusher (something you should never be when you're sewing - a skill that takes time and patience - both of which I have none of!). Needless to say, after a lot of persistence and a bit of laziness (or perhaps, the other way around...?) I now have a clutch that will fit my stinkin' flip-flops, and it looks super great if you look at it on a slant. LOL. All in all, this project wasn't so much an epic fail, but one that I might revisit once my sewing skills are a little more advanced.


Don't laugh now....but here's the reveal:

It's a hot mess, but maybe when it's filled it won't be so obviously a travesty. I might add a bow or rose to the flap to distract the eye from it's terribleness....

Zipper and credit card slots (not bad for my first time with a zipper, right?)

Key and cell phone holders (mental note - trim the inside folds? HELLO???)

La piece de resistance - FLIP FLOPS! Woo hoo!

Shout out:
Amazing tutorial provided by: All wrapped up. She makes some amazing stuff, with super tutorials. Please check them out!