May: Perfectly Pleated Clutch

I know some of you who are really excited about this month's project, the Perfectly Pleated Clutch, and I've got to say, I am too! This is one of the ones I wasn't looking forward to as much as some of the others, but when I got looking at the pattern this week & thinking about what fabrics I'll use, I actually got really excited to start working on it.

Speaking of fabric for the clutch, don't freak out when you see the requirements! I did at first - almost two yards of exterior fabric for a clutch?! Yikes! My goal is to make everything in the book from my stash, unless I want something specific for a gift, and I know I don't have any two-yard cuts just laying around! But, when I got to looking at the actual measurements for the pleated pieces (two pieces 8"x54" for the small clutch), I realized I can put together three fat quarters (approx 18x20) and have plenty of fabric for both exterior pieces of my clutch. And once I realized that, I knew exactly what fabric I wanted to use!

I picked up this fat quarter set at JoAnn's sometime last spring or summer for just a couple of the prints & have a fair amount of it left over. I'm using three fat quarters for the exterior, one for the band & handle, and another two for the interior & pockets - and still have a decent amount of fabric left over! So seriously, don't freak out about the amount of fabric this calls for.

This month's giveaway is sponsored by Bree at B Sew Crafty. Bree is one of the first people I "met" in the blogging world, and has become a great friend of mine. She makes beautiful purses, just had to sew 87 java sleeves (yes, 87!), and is starting to list a ton of fun kids stuff in her Etsy shop. Bree is making a Sweetheart Shopper & matching key fob for this month's winner.

Needless to say, I'll be pretty jealous of this month's winner, again! Yes, I know I've said that pretty much every month, but it's the truth!

Be sure to check out the Flickr group to share your photos of fabric you'll be using, your progress, or completed clutch & don't be afraid to ask if you've got any questions! Everybody has been so nice & helpful so far.

Remember, it's still not too late to enter your Beautiful Balance Checkbook Cover to win the April prize. Head over to link up for your chance to win!

Until next time...