Credit Card Pocket Tutorial for Wallets/Clutches

Thanks to everyone who has checked out My Very Own Wallet Clutch Thing. I promised to show how I added the credit card pockets to the Checkbook Cover pattern from Amy Butler's Styles & Stitches. This method can be used for sewing credit card slots into any wallet or clutch. My apologies for this being so late after the initial post! To be clear, I am no sewing expert, but this is how I did it and it worked for me. I also want to say I am sorry that I didn't take enough pictures. Please email me if you have questions at purplestpecalin [at] gmail [dot] com!

I used 3 different fabrics from Hometown by Sweetwater for Moda Fabrics: Hometown Sky Barbershop (gray polka dots on teal cotton), Hometown Mist Barbershop (white polka dots on gray canvas) and Hometown Stop Sign Town Square (words on flap, shown here). If you are using the Checkbook Cover pattern from Amy Butler's Styles & Stitches, like I did, then you can do this after Step 5d.

1. Cut pieces of fabric for the card slots. Base these on the measurement of whatever size of fabric you are adding the pockets to, in this case, I cut two pieces of fabric 6 x 8 inches. Each piece will be folded in half, making each one 3 x 8 inches, which is just smaller than the 3.5 x 8 inch pocket I sewed them onto.

Hopefully, the picture below of the final product illustrates what I mean by cutting them a little shorter (keeping the length the same, 8 inches in this case) than whatever you are sewing them onto, as seen where the gray pockets hit the teal one.

The pieces I cut are shown below in gray and white polka dot fabric. The blue and polka dot fabric is the piece the gray fabric will be sewn onto and was cut based on the Checkbook Cover pattern from Amy Butler's Styles & Stitches.

2. Iron all pockets in half lengthwise.

3. Sew across the top of each of your pockets, which is where your pressed crease should be. I sewed two lines approximately 1/4" from the top because I liked the way it looked. You could do a decorative stitch here if you like since that is the only purpose of these stitches.

4. Make one 1/4" seam baste stitch down each short side of your pockets, as shown in the picture below.

At this point, all three pieces (or however many pockets you are making) should have some sort of stitch across the top, folded part of the fabric, as well as along each sort side.

5. Now, line up where you would like your first top pocket (gray/white polka dot fabric) to sit on top of your base pocket (teal/gray polka dot fabric). I placed mine just under my top stitches on the teal/gray polka dot fabric, which was about an 1/8" below the bottom stitch. Pin in place.

6. Next, take a credit, library, ID, rewards, etc. card and slide it under the fabric as if there was a pocket. Wherever you want it to sit is where you will place a ruler to mark your next stitch. The white peeking out from the gray fabric is my card I measured the pocket with and the clear ruler is where I marked the line to sew in order to keep your cards easily accessible/visible. Use a fabric pencil or soluble marker to lightly mark where you want your stitch to be.

7. Sew a stitch along your mark, backstitching at each end.

8. Sew the short sides down along each side, leaving a 1/4" inch seam, as shown in the picture below step #4.

9. Now you can add your second pocket, lining it up just like you did the first one in step 5. Pin and sew across the bottom, then along the sides. You will have some over hang of fabric, which is fine and will just need to be trimmed off after sewing the pieces together. Always better to have too much, than too little.

10. Finally, you need to mark a line down the very middle of your pockets, where you will stitch to create the two sides for cards to be placed. Double stitch this line, backstitching on both ends.

11. Now your credit card pocket slots are ready to sew into the rest of your wallet/clutch. If you are using Amy Butler's Styles & Stitches Checkbook Cover pattern, continue with Step 6. Your final product will eventually look like this!

Whew! That was far longer than I thought it would be. Please, please, please ask if you have any questions. This is my first time trying to be super detailed in sharing how I made something other than a recipe, so I am happy to make any clarifications.


This post is linked up to some of the parties listed under my Show & Tell tab at the top of the page. Go check them out for more inspiration!