Pattern Hack – Creative Maker Supply Case

This is a pattern hack of the Sew Sweetness Creative Maker Supply Case. The modification is to make this case into a wallet! While this tutorial is free, you’ll need to pick up the Creative Maker Supply Case sewing pattern in order to complete the rest of the case.

DEFINITION – Pattern Hack [pat-ern hack]: to modify or write a sewing pattern in a skillful or clever way.

This post is part of an ongoing series from my Pattern Hack Posse, and was written by Wendy of W.D. Handbags.  You can find her at on Etsy and on Facebook.

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share with you my pattern hack for Sara’s Creative Maker Case pattern! I love a good zip around wallet and I especially love one that has the option to carry my device, and everything I need as a small clutch style; my absolute favourite part about this wallet? You can customize it any way you like… These are merely suggestions and a little help to get you started!

Materials: I used 4 fat quarters of Tula Pink’s Slow & Steady fabric, and had a bit left over.
You’ll need the following:

• Exterior CMC pieces (The Hare fabric) + Foam interfacing x2
• Interior CMC pieces (Tortoise Shell fabric) + Woven fusible interfacing x2
• Card slots- (Track Flags fabric) Cut 2 pieces 8.5″ x 15″ + Woven fusible interfacing
• Card slot backing-(Track Flags fabric) Cut 2 pieces 8.5″ x 4.5″ + Woven fusible interfacing
• Zippered pockets- (Winner’s Circle fabric) Cut 2 pieces 8.5″ x 5″ +Woven fusible interfacing
• Zippered pocket lining-Cut 2 pieces 8.5″x5″
• Zipper tab (The Hare fabric + Tortoise shell fabric/lining + Foam interfacing) 1.5″x 6″
• Pocket binding (Tortoise Shell fabric)-8.5″ x 2″
• Zipper tabs for main exterior pocket (Tortoise Shell fabric) Cut 4 pieces-1.5″x 1.25″
• Zipper tabs for interior pocket
• 9″ zipper for interior pocket
• 8″ zipper for exterior pocket
• 24″ handbag zipper (double pull is really great for this)
• Clear vinyl for outside pocket (12 guage) Cut 1 piece 4.75”x 8.5” and round the corners of one side using your CMC pattern piece as a guide.
• Pocket top piece (Tortoise Shell fabric + woven interfacing)-Cut 11.5”x 8.5” and round the corners of one side using your CMC pattern piece as a guide.
• 2 Double capped rivets (optional)
• 1/2″ D-ring for wrist strap (optional)
• Swivel clasp for wrist strap (optional)
• 2” piece of Fold over elastic (optional)

Phew! I know it seems like a lot but it’s worth it I promise! 😉 Let’s get started shall we?

The first thing we’re going to make is the front vinyl pocket. Cut the end tab off your zipper, those are nasty little things to accidentally sew over! Attach your 1.5”x 1.25” zipper tabs, at 3/8” seam allowance. Then fold back your tabs, and top stitch at 1/8” seam allowance.  Repeat to other end of zipper, the tab will be attached at 6.75” and sewn with a 3/8” seam allowance. Your completed zipper with tabs should be 8.5” long.

We’re then going to attach the top of our zipper pocket to the zipper at a ¼” seam allowance. Fold back and iron, but don’t top stitch yet! Set aside for the moment.

Next we’re going to attach our binding to the vinyl pocket piece.  Fold your binding piece in half then both raw edges to the centre and press well.  I hold mine on to the clear vinyl with clips as they won’t leave holes like pins will; top stitch along the edge with a 1/8” seam allowance. We’re then going to attach the vinyl with binding piece to the zipper and top stitch the edge closest to the zipper with a 1/8” seam allowance again.  (We’re still not top stitching the other side yet!)

Your completed vinyl pocket piece should look like the first picture below… now line up this piece with one of your cut exterior pieces; we’re going to top stitch the other side of the zipper pocket to the exterior interfaced piece.  Holding the entire pocket piece with clips helps it not to shift. Now, we’ll baste stitch around the pocket piece to hold everything in place.  Set that piece aside for now.

Now we’re going to move on to the inside card slots. Take your interfaced 8.5” x 15” rectangle pieces and on the back along each long side, mark the following measurements: 2.5”, 1.75”, 2.25”, 1.75”, 2.25”, and 1.75”. Now we’re going to fold at those marks. Your 2.5” measurement will be the front of the card slots. Iron your creases then top stitch along the top of each card slot.

Now square up your card slots to make sure the sides are even and everything is nice and straight. You can pin, clip or baste stitch to hold the pockets in place. Now we’re going to measure 4.25” from a short side on top and bottom and draw a line up the middle of your slots to divide them (using a disappearing marker obviously 😉 ). Top stitch along the line you just made. Your completed card slot should measure 8.5” wide and 4.25” high.

Next we attach with a 3/8” seam allowance the card back to the completed card slot piece.  Sew down each long edge. I like to press my seams open so when I turn it right side out I get a nice crisp edge; once it’s turned and you have your edges where they need to be, top stitch 1/8” from the top edge. Repeat with second card slot piece.

Take your interior lining pieces and line up your card slot pieces. It’s going to be personal preference where you want these to sit exactly; I eyeballed it so they were more or less centred.

One little thing I thought of after I top stitched one of my card slots down was adding a piece of fold over elastic for a pen/lip gloss holder. I cut a piece that was 2” long and folded it in half, then centred it and top stitched along the bottom edge of my card slots. When I came to the FOE, I double stitched to make sure it was secure then finished top stitching the edge.

Next is zipper installation! You’re going to want to refer to your CMC pattern instructions (Steps 13-24).
Another small after thought I had was to add a wrist strap to my wallet (being an afterthought I totally forgot to take a picture! I’m sorry!).  I cut a piece of fabric 2” x 2” and folded it in half then in half again (using the folding method like we did for the binding piece) and top stitched each long edge, then slid on a ½”D-ring and folded it to meet the short edges together. When I attached the exterior zipper to the zipper tab per the instructions, I sandwiched the piece of fabric with the D-ring between the tab and the zipper.

After turning and pressing and all that good stuff, we’re going to move on to the interior zip pocket. Attach your zipper tabs like we did for the outside vinyl pocket, we want our final zipper to be 7.5” long.  Baste your zipper at 1/8” seam allowance with your zipper right side up on the lining of your zippered pocket. Then sew your exterior zipper pocket piece to your basted zipper/interior piece at ¼” seam allowance. Press pieces away from the zipper and top stitch at 1/8” seam allowance. Now, make sure your zipper is open, and pin your exterior pieces together as well with your lining pieces, we’re going to sew all the way around with a 3/8” seam allowance to make your pocket, make sure to leave a spot to turn on your lining piece. Turn through the opening and press well.

I couldn’t decide on how I wanted my pocket to attach, sometimes in some patterns they sort of float in the middle but I liked the idea of the wallet opening fully and flat so I decided to use rivets. Now if you don’t like using rivets or the idea freaks you out, you can totally skip them and stitch your pocket on instead. I just liked the idea of not having stitches show on the outside of the wallet. I lined up my completed pocket corners so they would fit into the curve of the wallet and made marks of where I thought my rivets should go. Once I punched holes into the pocket corners I used those to mark the where the holes would go on the main wallet body.

If you decided to make the wrist strap option, take a piece of fabric and fold it together like we did for the binding (use whatever length is comfortable for you) attach your clip and top stitch around the edges.

Voila! Your Creative Maker Case Wallet is complete! I really hope you enjoyed this tutorial and you get lots of use out of your new wallet!

-Wendy