Crafting in my Closet!: Summer Fun With Kids: Sew Easy Boys Wallet.

I'm Super excited to have the lovely Delia From Delia Creates here to share a fun sewing with kids tutorial today. She has an amazing blog that I check frequently and you should too!

I am so happy to be here for Teresa's Summer Fun with Kids Series.

One thing that I am trying to get better at is teaching my children how to sew. My daughter who is four months will have to wait her turn. But her two older brothers who are 3 and 7 can learn now. If you find yourself with similar desires, my project today can help!

I've come up with a VERY simple pattern for a boy's wallet. Of course, you can make it as girly as you please. For now, I'll keep it all boy since there never seems to be enough boy projects out there.

It is designed for a child between age 7 and 10 give or take. You can certainly have younger children depending on their personality and interest. It is ideal that they can use scissors with some precision.

I still was very hands on with my son Owen who is 7. He isn't as familiar with my sewing machine as he could be.

He enjoyed being my pattern tester though and he helped me work out quite a few kinks.

To get the pattern, go here and retrieve it from my google docs account.

Before you begin...

Print off the pattern.

- You may notice that the pattern I provide you is different than the pattern pictured here. This is the pattern Owen tested for me. All the differences from this pattern to yours are improvements.

- There are directions on the pattern. Referring to this picture tutorial may help your young sewer a little better though.

Step 1. Gather what you'll need for the project:

Materials:

1 sheet of craft felt *

matching thread

Tools:

colored pencil or washable sewing marker

scissors

sewing machine

sewing pins

*I found our craft felt at Hobby Lobby. They have plain felt as well as cool prints, and textures. Owen really liked the faux alligator skin in black. They also had snake skin, other animal prints, and a fun checkered flag print. My three year old, Reid, likes Cars a lot, so he decided to get the racing flag pattern.

2. Cut out your wallet pattern pieces on the black solid lines.

3. Using the first two pattern pieces, trace around them on the craft felt. Then cut them out.

You should have two large rectangles and one small one when you're done.

4. Take one of the large rectangles and the small pocket rectangle. Lay the small pocket rectangle on top of the large one right sides facing up. Line the small one up with one side of the large one.

5. Now, it's time to sew!

Using Sewing Pattern #1, lay it on top of the stack of felt rectangles you just made. Add pins if you want. (I did this for Owen)

6. Sew down the middle twice following the red dotted lines (you only see one line here, this is one of the areas I improved later).

Pull off the paper sewing pattern. As you rip it away, the paper will tear and the stitches will stay.

7. Lay your sewn stack of felt rectangles pocket side down. Now lay the second large rectangle on top, right side facing up.

8. Lay sewing pattern #2 on top. Following the red dotted lines again, sew around three sides of the rectangles.

Leave the fourth side open for putting in money.

You're done!

Now fill it with money, or Ninjago cards if that's what suits you.:)

One word of caution on the faux snake skin wallet. The material is more oil cloth like than felt like.

You'll need a smooth surface on the top and the bottom for sewing. Wrapping it in tissue paper can help. You just might need to do more trimming later as the wallet pieces may shift. I also DO NOT recommend using the snake skin with kids. It's fussy and tricky even for me as an adult.

And...here is a peek at what the current pattern will make for you. There are two rows of stitching in the middle of the liner piece of felt. This helps the wallet close better.