Etsy India : Sharing and Autumn Sewing

Sharing

I've been pretty busy last week as I was asked by the Etsy India team to share my experience as an Etsy seller. Radhika from Etsy India has been a great help during the full week preparation. I had to send photos and video clips for the social media promo, etc. It was a great learning experience for me and also great fun. I truly hope more Indian crafters would take a leap and start their own business. If you want to catch up on the event it's on Etsy Facebook Page. 

Virtual Selfie with Etsy India Team

Open your Etsy Shop & get 40 Free Listing

Thank you to those who personally message me and told me that they learned a lot from the session. I hope I can share more in the future. Maybe on this blog if you like or a video on my Youtube Channel, Insha Allah.

Sewing

On the sewing front, I was busy making these Mini Travel Wallets for a custom order.  I do love how they turned out esp the Panda! I had the fabric for quite sometimes. It's Linen I bought from my trip to Indonesia and wondering what should I make. I actually cut one for a zipper pouch and it's still waiting to be finished. Insha Allah by next week.

This time I tried to batch sewing the wallet and finish hand sewing the binding in one sitting and a few episodes of Kdrama :D. I really do enjoy the hand sewing part of my wallet. I took a couple of photos and will put them up on my Etsy Shop for a custom order. I am preparing for ready to ship items more now, so if you're looking for one of a kind gift, be sure to favorite the shop! Well, maybe not so many, as I am working solo, but I'll try to add a few products at a time. Wish me luck!!

Also, I do upgrade to express shipping via FedEx for certain products! 

Mini Wallet Pattern | Handmade Travel Wallets

Autumn

Although we don't have the color-changing tree moments during Autumn, it still is my favorite season. The sun shines brightly but milder. The humidity is going down which makes the afternoon more pleasant. Here are a few shots from our compound. 

Olive tree

Thank you for reading my blog, I hope you enjoy your visit :)

Until next time,

Stay safe!

- Elvira_

Pattern Update: New Video for Family Passport Wallet Pattern

Get the Pattern on Etsy

The Family Passport Wallet is my first Pattern that I release a few years ago. Although I write blogs and tutorials, but pattern is totally a different experience. I will try to keep sharing the updates through this blog. I'm thinking of re-writing the pattern but it will be difficult to resend the pattern to those who already purchase it. So, I thought sharing an update in this blog and my Youtube Channel is the best solution for all. 

The question I got the most is about assembling the passport slot and the zipper pocket. So, here's the updated version on how to make the passport slot and the mini zipper pocket. The method is  slightly different from the pattern: 

Mini Zipper Pocket (Easy Method)

Passport Slot (Easy Method)

I hope you find the videos helpful!

 Please subscribe to my blog and Youtube Channel so that you won't miss an update. 

Thank you for stopping by,

Happy Sewing

- Elvira- 

 ****
Resources: 

Family Passport Holder Pattern
How to do Zip Around Closure Wallet

Travel Wallet for Family

Get the Pattern on Etsy

I finished this family passport wallet few days ago! I just got a new sublimation heat press machine which works amazingly for attaching interfacing. Thanks Namrata for the recommendation! Naturally I have to try it immediately.

The machine is quite big and for now I set it up in my kitchen! I can finish attaching interfacing for 5 projects in less than 5 minutes! How cool is that!! Hmm, I think I can iron my scraps there too, that will be faster, right!

Zip Around Passport Holder

The heat transfer machine is definitely a game changer. The interfacing is attached evenly and firmly! I got it from Amazon India for INR 16K. Not a bad deal since it's free delivery too.

The second good thing I got is the pegboard! I always wanted to have Ikea Pegboard and after my visit to Ikea in Jakarta last summer, it's been on my mind. A good friend Wulan, who lives in Hyderabad offered me to get it for me and of course I said YES ! Thanks dear <3 . Though the shipping cost quite a bit but it was worth it!  I hope they will open a branch in Northeast India soon :D. 

What do you think? 

Thank you for stopping by,

Have a nice day!

~ Elvira~

***

Personalized Family Passport Wallet

"Denim is a love that never fades - Elio Fiorucci"

Denim Travel Wallet

Well, I guess the quote is right! I always love working with denim and collected quite a few of blue and black denim from my local fabric shop. I've been meaning to make Denim Passport Holder and finally I did it. 

I thought it will be difficult to hand stitch the binding, but surprisingly it was not the case. I used a light denim of course. I have a thicker one which I use to make this Cross Body Bag and this tote bag.

Choosing the combo fabrics took a bit of time since denim will look good with anything! I decided to use the linen London theme fabric and red lining. Red is always a good idea! 

London Denim Passport Wallet

At the same time I was working on a custom order of the same style of passport holder. The one with passport slots and card holder. She wanted to gift the wallet and wanted me to add personalization. Nowadays personalization using leather or faux leather is popular but personally I prefer hand embroidered one. 

I used running stitch since the label is pretty small. I printed the names from my computer including the border lines and later trace it on linen.  It's about 3/4 inch wide and just perfect to add to the passport slot.

Personalized Travel Wallet

The buyer messaged me that she loved it and that made my day!! 

If you'd like a personalized wallet with hand embroidered letters, simply go to my Etsy Shop. I'd be happy to assist you!

By the way, Insha Allah, I will be away for holiday in the first week of July,  however the shop will remain open but I will process the orders after I come back.

Thank your from dropping by! 

Have a nice day!

- Elvira-

Snoopy Family Passport Wallet

"Increase your good deeds, so you won't have time for the bad ones - Ramadan Quote - Mufti Menk "

Ramadan is half way through now. How time flies. I've been busy catching up with prayers, reading the Quran, cooking and a little bit of sewing. 

Nowadays, we can listen to Islamic lectures from scholars around the globe. Alhamdulillah for the internet! We can learn so many things!

I made a few Indonesian snacks I learn from YouTube too. My fave channel for Indonesian food is Dapur Dina. I tried many recipes from her and always successful. Well, Ramadan is the time when you really miss your hometown and your food, right? 

Back to sewing, I finished this Snoopy zip around family passport wallet as custom order last week. She wanted the snoopy print. I got quite a few snoopy prints from my trip to Japan and Indonesia last year so I'm very happy to finally use them. 

The travel wallet has one long zipper pocket and one slip pocket. In the beginning I thought it would be too bulky on the seam but I already said yes to the customer. I did this quite often X_X. 

I tend to be too excited for the challenge but Alhamdulillah it turned out fine. In sewing, sometimes what you imagined is not always applicable but then you can always find a way to make it work for you. 

If you haven't already, you can check the zip around tutorial on my previous post. If you have any questions regarding the pattern, you can always email me and I will try to help you as much as I can. 

And here's what I made last week! I was watching YouTube about different typl of dumplings across Asia and here's my Indonesian version of Chicken Dumplings with Grated Carrot on Top. You can find the recipe HERE. 

Indonesian Chicken Dumplings

So, that's a little story this week. I hope I can write more often. I still have a few pending stories from my Japan Trip this year! Well, it was all on Instagram but I'd still love to write them down for future reference. Thank you for stopping by!

Have a nice day

~ Elvira ~

Zip Around Wallet with Binding Tutorial

As promised here is the tutorial for the zip around wallet. This method is finished with binding. We are going to use bias binding here and you can check how to make bias binding in this Post. 

What you need:

- Family Passport Wallet Pattern or Travel Wallet Pattern

- Bias binding 1.75" wide 

- #5 zipper - 24" long
- ZIpper Foot (Optional)

Let's start :

1. Assembled the passport wallet as per the pattern instructions, minus the FLAP making part. Mark the centre top and bottom of the wallet with erasable pen. Then mark approx 3/8" to 1/2" on each side of the centre mark, like shown the in the picture below. 

2. Prepare the zipper : 

On the open end, fold the zipper tape diagonally like the above picture

Then fold it down and hold it with a clip or pin

sew along the edge like the above picture.

Sew across the close end of the zipper to prevent the zip puller from slipping off

3.  Attaching the zipper.

We will attach the zipper from the interior part of the wallet. Open the zipper and start at the top, align one folded end of the zipper , right side up,  on the right side mark. 

 Using wonder clips, clip the zipper tape all around and start sewing from the top with 1/8" seam allowance and stop when you reach the right side mark at the bottom. 

Go slow around the corners. Sew one stitch at a time as you maneuver the wallet. 

Now close the zipper and draw a line on the zipper tape from where the stitch end, like in the picture below. 

Now open the zipper again and place the marked zipper tape  in line with the left side mark at the bottom. Clip all around and start sewing from the marked line all the way to the top of the wallet with 1/8" seam allowance and stop on the left side mark. 

When finished, it will look like the pictures below: 

4. Attaching the binding. 

Fold end of the bias binding  diagonally and place it on one side of the wallet, covering the zipper tape. Sew with scant 1/4" seam allowance. 

  

Be careful while maneuvering around the corners. Remember to always push the zipper teeth away. Setting the machine speed lower will help. 

when you reach the bottom, just pull the zipper tail inward and continue sewing. 

Before turning the bias binding, slightly cut /round the corners and make small clips on the zipper and binding fabric in the corners.  

Now, put on your fave movie and start hand sew the binding :D

Last step, trim the zipper end by about 2" and encase the end of the zipper tape with a matching fabric. 

et Voila!! Pat yourself on the back for completing your beautiful wallet with all around zipper! 

I hope the tutorial is clear enough. I will try to make a video tutorial when I make my next passport wallet! It was kind of difficult to take photos and video at the same time ^_^ 

here is the wallet in action on my YouTube Channel

Do tag me in Instagram if you make one based on this tutorial. 

Thank you for your patience reading this long post :)

Happy Sewing!

- Elvira -

More Family Passport Holders

Hello again,

I finally finished this Disney theme Family passport holder for 4. I started the wallet last Sunday. I am currently taking medicine for my chronic allergy which make me very drowsy especially during the morning hours.

This Paris theme is another family passport holder I finished last Sunday. It went out for delivery on Monday but turned out there was a Bharat Bandh. That is a national strike called by the opposition party. 

This one is for 6 passport. I found the fabric during my konmari cleaning session and so happy to find it. I thought I didn't have more of the fabric. 

I think even fabric, every piece of them has their own destiny! I made similar passport holder earlier but I this time I used a different fabric combo. I always try to make every wallet different, so everyone will get special one!

Both the passport holder using the same pattern. I wrote a Tutorial on how to adjust the pattern to make 4 passport holder. 

I hope the recipient will be happy and love the passport holder! 

Thank you for stopping by!

Happy Crafting

~Elvira~

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