New Year’s Needlepoint Clutch Making Tutorial

It’s an undeniably magical night, and fortunately, New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, the most glorious and glamorous night of the year! Sparkly shoes and shiny lips, we’re all going to say goodbye to 2011 for one Minute and the next we welcome 2012 forward. We will celebrate the successes of the last year and hope for what is to come.

I haven’t decided on my dress yet, but no matter what I wear, I will definitely keep my New Year’s pin clutch. He has such a whimsical sense of elegance, I know I will be gracefully prepared for whatever the night may bring! With a practical shape and a minimalist style, this bag is perfectly equipped with the beautiful, simple and robust Koigu Premium Merino. A subtly hand-dyed color and a refined Rotation create a surprising and magnificent radiance. A hint of black raspberry and bad black cherry brings a punch and a pinch of surprise, just like New Year’s Eve!

This year, I plan to dance the night away, cover in hand, ready for whatever adventure 2012 might bring. Happy Holidays and the best of this year!!! – Lauras

Material

To make a 6 inch high x 8 inch wide clutch:

1 skein koigu KPM (100% merino), color 0000
1 skein koigu KPM (100% merino), color 2390.5
1 skein koigu KPM (100% merino), color 2392
1 strand of thread needle on Koigu KPM (100% merino) color 1160
1 needle strand of Koigu thread on KPM (100% merino) color 1170
1/4 yard canvas with white 13-point Fleur de Paris needle. I used the colored eggshell.
1/4 yard of Rowan cotton. I used the Magenta color.
Cotton thread. 1 spool for your cotton weft yarn. I’m spooling to match your needlepoint canvas. I used 1040 and 5860.
Tapestry Needles Size 20

Cut a 16 x 9 inch rectangle out of the pin canvas.

From the pulled cotton wool, cut a rectangle measuring 15 3/4 x 8 3/4 inches. Put that aside for now.

HEM OF THE CANVAS

Cut a square about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch or slightly smaller in each of the four corners of your cut piece of canvas.

Fold one edge of the canvas 1/2 inch to align it with the Cut you made in the corner. Hand-sew the folded edge with the matching cotton thread to hold it in place, making a stitch every 1/4 inch or so. Be sure to align the mesh. After sewing through these two layers of canvas.

Repeat the previous step for the second, third and fourth edges of the canvas, always carefully aligning the mesh.

(FANTASY) SEWING THE CANVAS

The pattern I chose for this clutch is known as Fancy Stitch. If you are not familiar with this point, check out our tutorial here!

Please note that for the entire project, two strands of Koigu are used at once.

I usually modify my canvases from the upper right corner to the lower left corner using the needle. For this project, I wanted to make sure that this graphic pattern was centered, so I pointed to the center of the canvas and worked from there.

The diamond-shaped part of the effect stitch is mainly sewn in the darkest color of the three neutrals, color 2392, as well as an occasional diamond of contrasting thread, colors 1160 and 1170.

After working on the diamond-shaped shapes, I worked on the diagonal stitches. These are worked in about 80% of the color 0000, a creamy white and the rest in the neutral medium, color 2390.

Press the edges of the cotton pulled 1/4 inch from the wrong side of the fabric. Fold and press again. Your pressed fabric should now measure 7 3/4 inches by 14 3/4 inches.

Place your needle fabric on your work surface from the wrong side up. Place your pressed cotton on your canvas from the wrong side down. Center the fabric on the canvas and pin it in place. The fabric should be just a pinch smaller than your canvas.

Hand-sew the Lining fabric to the canvas using a blind stitch and a suitable thread.

FOLD THE CANVAS

Place the lined canvas on your work surface with the cotton fabric facing up and the recently finished border facing down. Fold the bottom of your rectangle up 5 inches. Pin along the left and right sides.

TIE THE EDGES

At the junction of the fold, use the whip stitch to attach the folded canvas. I used the darkest neutral thread which was the same color as most of the diamonds.

Drive along the side of the clutch, drive along the upper edge, then to the other side.

You did it! You’re ready to hit the town with your new needle bag! Happy New Years! – Lauras