How to make a simple clutch bag

A fold-over clutch was the make our hen parties asked for most. It looks like something out of a boutique, it carries a phone, a card and a lipstick, and it sews up in an afternoon from half a metre of nice fabric. This is a lined version with a flap that folds over and fastens with a popper, no zip, no piping, nothing scary.

What you’ll need

• Outer fabric: 25cm × 50cm. A firmer fabric (cotton drill, a heavy quilting cotton, or a remnant of upholstery weight) holds its shape best.
• Lining fabric: 25cm × 50cm.
• Fusible fleece or interfacing: 25cm × 50cm, for body and a little padding.
• One sew-in popper or magnetic snap, plus thread, scissors and pins.

Step 1: Interface and round the flap

Iron the fusible fleece to the wrong side of the outer fabric. Lay the two short ends in front of you: one will be the flap. To round the flap corners, draw round a small glass or a cotton reel at the two corners of one short end and trim the curve through both the outer and the lining so they match. Rounded corners turn out far more neatly than sharp ones on a flap.

Step 2: Add the popper

Mark where the flap will land when folded over (fold the piece into rough thirds to find it). Sew or fix one half of the popper to the right side of the flap and the matching half to the front of the bag where they meet. Doing this now, while everything is flat, is far easier than fiddling it in at the end.

Step 3: Sew outer to lining

Place the outer and lining right sides together and pin around the edge. Sew all the way round with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a 10cm gap along one long side for turning. Clip the curved flap corners (little snips into the seam allowance) so they sit smooth when turned.

Step 4: Turn and press

Turn the whole piece right side out through the gap. Push the curves and corners out gently and press the whole thing flat, folding the gap’s raw edges inward so they’re ready to be caught in the next step. A good press now is what makes a clutch look bought rather than made.

Step 5: Fold and sew the sides

Lay the piece lining-side up. Fold the plain (non-flap) end up by about a third to form the pocket of the bag, so the flap folds down over it. Pin the two folded sides. Topstitch up each side, close to the edge, securing the body of the bag. This same line of stitching catches and closes the turning gap. Fold the flap down and press.

Make it your own

• Add a wrist strap by catching a loop of fabric or ribbon in one side seam.
• Topstitch the flap edge in a contrasting thread for a designer detail.
• Use a bold print for the lining so there’s a little surprise every time it opens.

Worth the evening

A clutch looks advanced and sews up simple: interface, round the flap, fit the popper, bag out the lining, fold and topstitch the sides. The rounded flap and a firm press are what tip it from homemade to handmade. Make one in an evening, then make three more once you see how quick they are.