Brandt's Boulevard Wallet - With a Stripe Tutorial!

I really do love the Brandt's Boulevard Wallet by ChrisW Designs, it's so fast but the finish is very professional!  I had a request to make a special one for a co-worker's new wife and I jumped at the chance to make it again!  He wanted it to be super special since it was their first Christmas as a married couple, and even asked for their names to be embroidered together inside. (Awww!)

The fabric is a Tula Pink one, and while it is a bold pattern, the small size of the wallet keeps it from being too overwhelming.  Unfortunately none of the coordinates I had were really what we wanted for the closure, so I raided my stash of fat quarters and found 2 that were close enough to the colors in the fabric to match.  Of course with such exciting fabric, a plain single color looked TOO plain so I decided to try a stripe for a little more interest!

I really like adding a pop of the outside fabric on the ID window!

Inside is more Tula Pink fabric - Tudor Windows.

The zipper pocket is perfect for embroidery!

Adding a stripe:

Cut your inner stripe piece to 2"x length of the fabric closure piece.  Using chalk or fading marker, draw a line on the back of your stripe fabric to mark the center of the fabric (1" in from the sides).

This is what the back of the stripe looks like (before ironing so I had to hold it)

Fold the edges in to meet the chalk line and iron well to keep the crease.  Lay one of your closure pieces right side up, and center the stripe on top of it with the raw edges down.  Pin in place, or use a tiny line of fabri-tac glue or double sided wonder tape, and topstitch the stripe in place along both long edges.  Don't worry about the short edges, as you make the closure piece they will be contained.  Finish up as the pattern directs, it's really that easy to add a stripe!

Use a quilting ruler to easily see if the stripe is centered

After top stitching and attaching the strap on the body piece

I think there is another Brandt's Boulevard in my near future, and maybe a sew along!