Clearly Cute Card Keeper Tutorial - clear vinyl pockets with fabric slip-cover

As promised this is the second of my tutorials for card keepers featuring vinyl pockets.

I love this card keeper because it is in my opinion

unique!

The dual pocket single fold wallet sewn from vinyl keeps your cards in top-notch condition while allowing them to be visible.

Perfect for your I.D. or your beautifully creative business cards.

And, the fabric sleeve gives you the chance to show a little more of your personality and individuality while also protecting and containing your cards.

Plus

The sleeve easily can be adjusted to carry just cards on their own or a small notebook, or you could even slip a travel size facial tissue inside to keep those pesky purse crumbs out!

(Measurements to make the slip-cover/sleeve to use on it's own with cards will be given at the end of the tutorial.)

Alright, enough yapping! Let's get started.

Supplies:

• vinyl (cut 1: 5 1/4" x 4",  cut 2: 2 1/2" x 4")
• fabric scraps (Outside Fabric: cut 1: 6 1/2" x 4 3/4", Lining Fabric: cut 1: 6 1/2" x 5 1/4")
• Rotary cutter and/or scissors
• Pins
• Thread
• Scotch Tape

Part 1 - the vinyl pockets

With your vinyl rectangles cut to 5 1/4" x 4",  and 2 at 2 1/2" x 4"

Lay them out as pictured above matching corners and keeping sides even.

Use the tape technique I explained in this tutorial, make sure to lengthen your stitches just a little and to move your needle all the way to the left if you're using a blind hem pressure foot,

sew around the perimeter of the vinyl. (Don't forget to back stitch at the beginning and the end.)

That's it!

Simple isn't it?

Part 2 - Fabric Slip-Cover/Sleeve:

You should have two pieces of fabric cut as follows:

Outside Fabric: cut 1: 6 1/2" x 4 3/4", 

Lining Fabric: cut 1: 6 1/2" x 5 1/4"

Lay out your fabric right sides together having the 6 1/2" sides together and pin.

You will notice that the lining is 1/2" longer than the outside fabric.

That's just the way we want it.

Sew along your pinned, 6 1/2" edge using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Open up the pieces you just sewed.

With the right side of the fabric down press the seam allowance toward the lining fabric.

Fold the fabric in half with the right side of the fabric out, matching all unfinished edges.

And press.

There should be 1/4 of the lining fabric showing on the side with your outside fabric.

If you'd like to you can now top stitch close to the folded over top edge of your fabric.

Fold your rectangle in half, sandwiching in the middle your outside fabric.

Match the unfinished 4 3/4" sides, corners and unfinished bottom.

Pin and sew again using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Trim your bottom corners.

You can now serge or zig-zag the seam allowances.

Trim excess threads and turn right side out.

Use a blunt pencil or a chopstick to push out the corners.

And you're done.

Easy as can be!

Measurements for Card Sleeve on its own:

Outside fabric: 6" x 4 3/4"

Lining fabric: 6" x 5 1/4"

 Note: 

VickiT, a reader commented on my previous tutorial that if you don't want to put tape on your pressure foot you can use tissue paper or heirloom stabilizer to reduce the drag of the vinyl on your machine and pressure foot. After sewing you simply tear away the tissue paper.

Thank you Vicki for the fantastic suggestion.

I've tried tissue paper but I've never tried heirloom stabilizer. I'll have to try it out.

If you choose to try out the tissue paper when sewing with vinyl I'd suggest you use the thinnest tissue paper you can so it tears away easily and so you can see through/around it so your sewing is still straight. If anyone tries the heirloom stabilizer please let me know how it goes for you.

Also, If you are worried about a sticky residue being left on your pressure foot here's a tip.

After removing the tape rub some olive oil on the bottom of the pressure foot, you can even add a little bit of salt to help scrub the sticky off then wash with liquid dish soap. (This works great to get price tag residue off of the glass in picture frames too.)

But just so you know I haven't had the scotch tape leave any sticky residue on my pressure foot.

There was a question about where to purchase the vinyl.

I found mine at Wal-mart but I know it's available at most fabric stores like JoAnn's and Hancock Fabric. It was on a long roll close to the cut counter and was pretty inexpensive. The clear vinyl comes in different thicknesses. I chose a medium thickness. Different thicknesses have different color printing on the paper with them. You can see in the picture the color of mine but I'm not sure what it's called exactly.

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask!