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Sew a wristlet | DIY sewing pattern

06.10.2017 by Sabine Schmidt

Wristlet nähen | Schnittmuster zum Selbermachen

I often sew my favorite projects from fabric scraps. Like these wristlet bags. They are also called wristlets. I'll show you how to sew a wristlet - with a homemade pattern!

Sew a wristlet for your next event

Fun at Oktoberfest? Salsa night? Or a spontaneous stroll through town with your best friend? A wristlet is a cute companion for all occasions when you want to keep your hands free while looking ladylike.

It's best to sew several in different colors and then choose the cute loop bags to match your outfit! :)

You can easily make the pattern for the wristlets yourself and customize it to your own wishes.

For the pattern you need

  • A sheet of paper
  • Pen
  • Ruler
  • Glass or can

Cut the sheet to the size you want your wristlets to be later.

Add a 1-centimeter seam allowance all around.

Now take the can or glass and use it to round off the two bottom corners.

You can also do this directly on the fabric if you like.

Sewing a stroller muff

Basic dimensions I used for the bags

The seam allowances are calculated as 1 centimeter in the specifications and are already included.

For the smaller of the two patchwork bags, I used the basic dimension of 15.5 x 20 cm

Sewing a wristlet

For the larger patchwork bag, my basic area was 20 x 25 cm

Sewing a wristlet

The bag with the flamingo has a basic area of 19 x 24 cm

Sewing a wristlet

The mini bag with the fox is 14.5 x 19.5 cm.

Sewing a wristlet

Sewing a wristlet - required materials

Sewing a wristlet

For the outside

  • 2 cut pieces of cotton fleece*, each approx. 1 - 1.5 cm larger than the pattern all around
  • colorful fabric scraps

For the closure

  • Continuous zipper with zipper pull (the zipper should be approx. 3 cm shorter than the top edge of the bag; I used my favorite plastic zippers* again)
  • approx. 8 cm bias tape

For the lining

For the loop

Also

By the way, I simply printed the flamingo on the wristlet using a screen printing stencil after finishing it.

You can find my tutorial for this in this blog post!

Do you like my ideas for sewing with fabric scraps?

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P. S.: Do you already know our Top Ten of the best sewing helpers?

P. P. S.: Do you want to know more about sewing with fabric scraps ?

Links marked with * are affiliate links: If you make a purchase through them, we receive a small commission. The price remains the same for you.

Step-by-step instructions

Instructions 1 / 2

Sew a patchwork-style wristlet

This version uses the quilt-as-you-go technique: colourful fabric scraps are sewn overlapping onto cotton wadding, then the outer piece is cut out and finished with a zipper and a D-ring loop.

  1. Step

    Sew the patchwork outer side

    For the patchwork version, sew lots of small colourful fabric scraps onto the cotton wadding, overlapping them, until the fabric area is big enough for your prepared pattern.

    Press the seams open after adding each fabric strip.

    Sew the patchwork outer side
  2. Step

    Place the pattern and cut out

    Place the pattern on the finished patchwork area and cut out the outer piece.

    Place the pattern and cut out
  3. Step

    Prepare the zipper and D-ring loop

    Prepare the zipper by binding the short ends with bias binding. To do this, sew the teeth on both sides together with a short seam.

    Prepare the loop piece with the D-ring by folding it lengthwise towards the inside twice, as if you were making bias binding. Sew the long sides together with a straight stitch, fold the short ends over each other and insert the D-ring.

    Position the loop approx. 2 – 3 cm from the top edge, with the open ends pointing towards the fabric edge.

    Prepare the zipper and D-ring loop
  4. Step

    Finish the zipper ends with bias binding

    Sew a short section of the bias binding together, then slide in the zipper and sew the bias binding in place.

    Finish the zipper ends with bias binding
  5. Step

    Sew the zipper to the outer piece

    Once both zipper ends are finished, place the zipper right sides together on the outer piece and sew it on with a straight stitch.

    Sew the zipper to the outer piece
  6. Step

    Sew the lining to the zipper

    Place the wrong side of the zipper on the right side of one of the lining pieces and sew both together with a straight stitch, in the first seam.

    The zipper starts approx. 1.5 cm from the side edge.

    Repeat both steps for the second side of the zipper.

    Sew the lining to the zipper
  7. Step

    Press and topstitch

    Fold the pieces away from the zipper and press everything well.

    If you like, topstitch the edge next to the zipper. Only ever topstitch along the length of the zipper, not across the full width. This looks neater and makes sewing everything together easier later on.

    Press and topstitch
  8. Step

    Close the bag

    Open the zipper part of the way.

    Place the lining pieces and outer pieces exactly on top of each other and pin everything well. Make sure the seams between lining and outer side line up exactly.

    Leave a small turning gap in the lining.

    Close the bag
  9. Step

    Sew all the way round, trim the seam allowances, turn

    Sew all the way around the bag at presser-foot width.

    Trim the seam allowances: on the curves, notch them to just short of the seam; on the straight sides, trim them back to 1/2 centimetre. This is especially important at the transition between lining and outer bag so that no bulge forms.

    Turn the bag right side out through the turning gap and shape all corners and seams well.

    Sew all the way round, trim the seam allowances, turn
  10. Step

    Sew the wristlet strap

    Fold the long sides of the 9 x 45 cm piece of fabric to the centre. Fold the pressed sides to the centre once more so that the folds face each other.

    Unfold the piece again, insert the swivel clasp and sew the short ends of the strap right sides together. This closes the strap into a ring.

    Press the seam allowances open, fold the strap back up and topstitch the long edges.

    Next to the swivel clasp, stitch across the strap with a short seam so that it doesn't slide back and forth. Hook it into the D-ring and you're done!

    Sew the wristlet strap

Instructions 2 / 2

Sew a wristlet from bag fabric

The simpler version: two pattern pieces from bag fabric instead of a patchwork panel, with bias binding loops instead of a wide D-ring loop. The rest of the process is the same as in the patchwork tutorial.

  1. Step

    Cut the outer pieces from bag fabric

    Instead of the patchwork method, here you use two pattern pieces cut from bag fabric. Cut out the outer pieces according to your pattern.

    Otherwise, the workflow is the same as for the patchwork version.

    Cut the outer pieces from bag fabric
  2. Step

    Bias binding loops instead of the wide loop

    Instead of one wide loop, I used two pieces of bias binding here. They replace the wide loop piece.

    Bias binding loops instead of the wide loop
  3. Step

    Attach the zipper

    Prepare the zipper as for the patchwork version (finish the ends with bias binding, insert the D-ring loop).

    Sew the zipper right sides together to the first outer piece, then the first lining piece behind it, with a straight stitch, in the first seam.

    Attach the zipper
  4. Step

    Attach the second side and topstitch

    Repeat the zipper steps for the second side.

    Fold the pieces away from the zipper, press everything well and, as with the patchwork version, topstitch next to the seam along the length of the zipper.

    Attach the second side and topstitch
  5. Step

    Close, turn and shape the bag

    Open the zipper part of the way, place the lining and outer pieces exactly on top of each other and pin everything. Leave a turning gap in the lining.

    Sew all the way around the bag at presser-foot width, trim the seam allowances (notch the curves, trim straight sides back to 1/2 cm) and turn the bag right side out through the turning gap. Shape all corners and seams and you're done!

    Close, turn and shape the bag

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About the author

Sabine

I come from Siegen-Wittgenstein, where I spent my childhood breaking in cows, jumping off haystacks and scraping a D- in needlework class.

Today, being creative feels like indescribable happiness to me – and it grows even more when I can share it with others. Since 2016 I have been celebrating my passion for sewing on this blog, and I love that sewing connects so many people.