Applying Bosal In-R-Form and hardware to the Date Night Clutch

Yesterday we made the strap anchors and the strap for this modern and professional-looking Date Night Clutch made with the Bosal In-R-Form Double Sided Fusible  Stabilizer, refer to yesterday’s post if you’re just joining us today.

Now it’s time to make the faced zipper I promised. What’s really nice about this zipper is it’s neat and tidy and hides a pocket where all the private stuff needed in a bag can be hidden. I find a zippered pocket always handy as it is a secure place to put things so they cannot slip out of the bag and get lost.

How to make a faced zipper pocket

First iron the 8½”W x 20½”W fusible woven interfacing to the wrong side of the lining fabric and iron the smaller 2″W x 8½”L piece of interfacing to the same sized lining fabric you have cut.

Draw and top stitch lines on the lining piece (interfaced side), 7½” from the bottom and then draw and top stitch another line 15″ from the bottom across the width of your lining. This is an impression sewing line to help the fabric to fold when the clutch is done.

Fold the zipper facing piece in half to find the center top as shown (interfaced side), mark with a UNIQUE QUILTING Wash-out blue marker.

Draw on a zipper box by measuring ¾” down from the top, place the 3½” mark on the ruler matching the center mark and drawing a line 7″ long as shown.

Once you have found the 3½” mark centered with the top and drawn the 7″ line, draw another line ⅜” below the 7″ line and close in the box at the ends. Draw a line down the middle leaving ½” triangles at the end as shown.

Flip your interfaced lining piece to the right side, find the center of the lining at the 15″ top stitched sewing line by folding and marking as shown.

Place your zipper box piece (right side down) with the top edge of the box 1¼” down from the marked center as shown and pin in place, making sure to keep it straight.

Sew around the perimeter of the box as shown making sure to back stitch at the start and end of your stitching.

Using a seam ripper and small scissors carefully cut through all layers on the line in the middle of the zipper facing box and on the triangle line just to the sewing but not through the stitching.

Tuck the zipper facing fabric through the slit that has been cut rolling and finger pressing it towards the backside of the lining and press well with a hot steam iron. This tucking and pressing will create a clean pocket edge on the right side of the lining as shown.

The zipper is ready to be inserted. Lay it carefully centered in the zipper pocket opening.

Helpful tip: fuse HeatnBond Quilter’s Edge Lite Iron-on Adhesive Tape to the edge of your zipper at this point to hold the zipper in place for sewing or pin.

Pin carefully and sew with a zipper foot, close to the edge of the zipper pocket, open the zipper as you go to avoid wobbles in stitching.

*I chose a black zipper because I love to be bold, you may wish to match your fabric*

The zipper facing is ready for the pocket to be attached. To do this flip your lining to the interfacing side. Line up the bottom edge of the zipper pocket piece with the bottom edge of the zipper facing edge  (the zipper pocket piece is slightly larger but not to worry simply center it).

Pick up the zipper pocket and zipper facing edge together, pin and sew very close to the zipper seam on the back as shown. Use a zipper foot to get close to the zipper seam.

Fold up the top edge of the pocket to the top edge of the zipper facing and pin, flip and sew the same as was done to the bottom edge of the pocket, it’s also recommended to trim the seams down to reduce bulk. Make sure to secure stitches with back stitching at start and ending points.

Sew the sides of your zipper pocket closed making sure to back stitch at start and stop points. I used a zipper foot and a scant ¼” seam allowance on the side seams.

How to add the anchor straps

With the lining right side facing, measure 1″ down just below the 15″ sewing line on the right and left side. Center the strap anchors with the raw edge against the raw edge of the lining, pin and sew with a ⅛” seam allowance as shown.

It’s time to add the magnetic snap to the lining as a final step in preparing the lining for assembly of the bag. This procedure is the same as Tuesday’s post where I inserted a UNIQUE SEWING Magnetic Snap on The library Tote.

The male part of the magnetic snap will be added to the lining this time by measuring 1½” from the top center front (right side) of the lining, the washer is used on the right side as a stencil to mark the center and the prong holes as shown.

The prong holes are cut carefully with a seam ripper and the prongs for the magnetic clasp (male part) are inserted into the prong holes. It’s recommended to fuse a small piece of Bosal  (1″ x 1″) to the back of the clasp area to work as both an interfacing and stabilizer for the snap.

Place the washer on top of the prongs and bend the prongs towards the center with a screwdriver as shown.

The lining is now completed.

Follow along tomorrow as I prepare the outer fabric with the awesome Bosal In-R-Form Double Sided Fusible Stabilizer and make some very interesting shaped sides. The Date Night Clutch will be completed then.