Placemat Clutch

As I learn how to sew, I'm increasingly intimidated by patterns. You sew everything inside-out and it makes no sense until the end. But the great thing about the placemat clutch tutorial on Lil Blue Boo is that it's pretty simple. No lining, no inside-out sewing. Just fold, stitch, attach a button. 

I bought a cloth placemat at Target for $3.25.  (Online it seems they are only offered in sets of four, but in the store, you can buy them individually.) I had to adjust the fold of my placemat because I didn't the way the colors of stripes that showed after it was folded (I'm weird). I also thought my placemat was too wide when folded (it would have made a really long clutch), so I took what I learned in previous clutch projects (the very techniques I was complaining about above), and folded it right-sides-together and stitched the sides so that I could trim off the excess. And then I was a big show-off and sewed a gusset on the bottom so it would sit flat. Cue nerdy moment of pride for going off-script. 

Gusset: yeah! 

Anyway, I opened the seam along the top flap, inserted a tiny hair elastic, and sewed it shut.

Hair tie. Masterful... except that loose thread.

Then I attempted to sew on a plain wooden button in coordinating thread - humbling. I tried a few times with no strategy whatsoever, and finally had to watch a youtube video about it. But then I did it - success! 

Giraffe: "This is one sweet placemat clutch."

 Back when folded.

Front when folded.

As a clutch, it's not very sturdy, but it's cute and does the job and it's super cheap!