TUTORIAL: Date Night Ring Handled Clutch

This weekend Mr. Smashed Peas and I are going on a hot date! Yup, me and my man...just the two of us :-)  With four kids and no family in town or nearby we hardly ever get a chance to do a date night out, often times we make up for it with a date night in once the kids are asleep.  Usually that consists of a bottle of wine and a Red Box movie sometimes I even make an over the top dessert...just for us. But what am I talking about? Let's get back to our hot date out ;-)

I wanted to make a sweet little clutch to use on our date, something fun and flirty. Something cute and eye-catching that speaks of the warmer spring weather we should be having. And with enough room for my phone, wallet, and a few different lipgloss, you know, just the essentials, lol!

I was sent the perfect fabric for this project thanks to Joann Fabrics!  It's from HGTV HOME and it's really nice, durable home decor fabric, not too thick but just right.  The Urban Blossoms print on the outside of the clutch just screams warmer weather, doesn't it?!  The inside lining fabric is called Checkered Past Berry...and it's so, so pretty and colorful!!

Let's make a clutch, shall we?

Date Night Ring Handled Clutch

1/2 yard of home decor fabric for outside

1/2 yard of coordinating fabric for the inside lining

1 set of ring handles (mine 5" x 5")

sewing machine and coordinating thread

Clutch pattern (found below)

Isn't this fabric just fabulous?  The colors 'pop' so much, I'm in LOVE!!

Oh, and I bought my handles at Joann's.  They have lots of shapes and sizes so you can get what suits you best!

This is the pattern I created for the clutch. You can try printing it if you like but it's not in PDF format so I don't know how well it will print to size.  The measurements are listed on it so you can free-hand it as that's what I did!  The long 8.5 inch side is meant to be cut on the fold, I just realized I forgot to write that on there.

You will need to cut two of each pattern (on the fold!) from both the outer fabric and the lining fabric.

Sew right sides together along the right and left sides and the bottom only (see picture above) for each outer and lining fabrics using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Turn the lining fabric right side out like the picture above.

And place the lining fabric (still right side out) inside the outer fabric that is still wrong side out so that right sides are facing.

Then sew along the top two L-shapes (see picture above) using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, making sure to leave the very top of the handle unsewn.

Next flip the clutch right side out via the unsewn handle section. Just pull, ever-so-carefully, the outer fabric and lining so that the outer fabric is sitting on the outside of the clutch.

Next turn the top edge of the handle section in 1/4 inch and press with an iron.  Topstitch using a 1/8 inch seam allowance all the way around the top edge of the clutch including the handle portion!

Then take one ring handle and place it on the inside of the clutch and pin the handle portion over it (see picture above). Leave enough wiggle room so that your sewing machine can stitch it in place, it can be a tight fit! Do this with the other handle as well.

And Ta-Daa!  You are done!!

One pretty Date Night Ring Handled Clutch all ready for a hot date!

Thanks for stopping by today! 

And if you want to run over to Jo-Ann's and pick up some of their delicious new HGTV HOME fabric here is a coupon you can print at home for 10% off....Hooray!!! Plus From April 7-May 4 the HGTV HOME line is 50% off at Jo-Ann!!  You can even use this coupon in conjunction with the sale :-)

XOXO,

** I have been compensated for this post. However, all opinions are truthful and my own.