The DIY sunglasses case wallet was born from the need of both having to carry my sunglasses and finding my wallet in what my daughter calls the “black hole” (my handbag).
The truth is that it can take me from three minutes to never, to locate my debit card, keys and coins, but what is worse is that I end up dumping my sunglasses in the black hole only for them to surface scratched or twisted.
I figure I am not the only one so here is my solution to this very annoying problem.
The DIY sunglasses case wallet features a padded pocket to stash your sunglasses or reading glasses in safety.
The zipper is away from your glasses so it will not scratch them.
One outside zipper pocket for coins.
Five slots for cards and an ID window for easy access to your driver's license.
Materials
- Vinyl
- Upholstery, Canvas, Waxed or Jeans fabric
- Lining fabric such as nylon
- Glue for leather and fabric (Elmer's glue works well) or
- Double-sided tape
- 3″ X 3″ transparent vinyl square
- Metal zipper 13-15″ long (you will have to trim anyways)
Tools
- X-Acto Designer Series Craft Swivel Knife
- Sewing machine (Optional)
- Leather or Jeans Needle #16
- Zipper foot
Sewing Skill: Confident Intermediate
This project is for someone who has already made a bag from any of our patterns, such as the Colby Bag or Ultimate Wallet.
You will need to know how to apply a zipper pocket to any purse and how to sew card pockets in a wallet.
Fabric Suggestions From Amazon.com
How To Download Your DIY Sunglasses Case Wallet Pattern
We will continue using the new Payhip web store to distribute our patterns.
Our patterns are still free, but now you have the option of making a small contribution if you like our work! We'd appreciate it, and it will help us keep going with new and fun designs like this. Even a dollar or two goes a long way.
Thanks so much in advance for helping us out. You can use any credit card, and you don't need a Paypal account, although you can use one if you have one.
How To Put Together Your Pattern
This is a question I get asked all the time from new subscribers, please read through this handy tutorial on How to print and assemble a PDF pattern.
Pattern Layout
How To Sew The DIY Sunglasses Case Wallet
I have separated the sewing procedure into two sides so it becomes easier to follow into Fabric Side and Leather/Vinyl side.
Fabric Side
The fabric side is the outside layer and it is very simple with only one outside Zipper pocket.
Step One: Sewing The Outside Zipper
Please use the following step by step tutorial on how to add a zipper pocket to a bag.
Place the zipper with the head on the left side.
Sew the lining to the top of the tape then on the sides. Cut the bottom so we can turn the wallet through the zipper pocket once we have sewn the zipper.
Leather/Vinyl Side
This side consists of three layers. An inner lining layer, pocket layer, and cards layer.
The card layer needs to be cut with the Exacto knife. Use the patter to transfer all the lines.
Step Two: Inner lining
Glue the lining to the leather/vinyl. I have added placements line on your pattern so you can know where exactly the strip of leather goes.
Leave it to dry at least 30 minutes. Sew at 1/8″ to attach the lining. Put aside.
Step Two: Left Pocket
Apply glue to the wrong side of the lining, align the bottom of the lining with the bottom of the pocket and press. Let it dry.
Apply glue to the wrong side of the leather. Fold the top of the pocket to the wrong side. Keep folded with quilting clips.
Sew at 1/8″.
Step Three: Right Pocket
The right pocket is made of a piece of lining end a strip of leather and it lyes under the cardholder layer.
Glue the lining to the strip of leather.
Apply glue the top of the leather and fold. Holding the edge with quilting clips, put aside to let dry.
Once dry sew at 1/8″ top and bottom of the leather strip. Put aside.
Step Four: Assembling the Card Holder
You will need to retrace the clear vinyl piece and the lining.
Turn the cardholder right side down, Place the clear vinyl piece on top of the viewing window. Sew the clear vinyl around the viewing window. I forgot to take a picture.
I ended sewing it by hand because my machine was not cooperating. As you can see my hand stitching needs some more practice.
Now we need to glue the small piece of lining behind the clear plastic.
Regardless of what you see below not glue one side of the lining ( follow the instructions in your pattern), I discovered this hard way 🙁
Glue the pockets to the right sides of the slits starting with the slit closest to the clear vinyl pocket.
Glue the other side of the pocket to the left side of the slit.
This is how it should look from the side.
This is the view from the top.
Apply glue to the wrong side of the cardholder and fold the edge place the lining on top and fold the edge over the lining.
Pin with the quilting clips until is dry.
Sew at 1/8″.
Assembling The Sunglasses Case Wallet
Lay the lining layer first then apply glue around the edges no more than 1/4″ thick.
Place the left pocket on the left side. Press.
Place the right pocket on the right. Press
Finally, apply more glue over the right pocket and place the cardholder over the right pocket. Pin with clips and allow the glue to dry.
Sewing the Zipper
Open a 5.8″ slit using your Exacto knife.
Head of the zipper side down fold the tape under
and slide it into the slit.
Pin the zipper around the edge of the leather layer using the quilting pins.
Use your pattern to see where you need to stop sewing, to bend the zipper 90 degrees make a pleat. Then trim the zipper.
Use a small zigzag to secure the zipper around the wallet. I have used white thread so you can see it, but later I have to rip it out because it nearly destroyed my wallet. Please match the thread to the zipper tape.
Trim the zipper to the edge of the wallet.
We now are going to sew the fabric and the leather layer together, for this you MUST open the zipper pocket in the fabric layer first.
Then, lay the leather/vinyl layer right side facing up, lay the fabric layer print side down.
Pin all around with the clips.
If your machine has a hard time with the thickness of the wallet, I recommend to zigzag all layers together first, then sew at 1/8″.
Sew again this time with the leather side up a little more than 1/8″, sew a third time at 1/4″.
Trim the corners so you can turn the wallet and have a nice smooth corner.
Turn the wallet through the zipper pocket.
With your hand still inside the wallet smooth out the corners.
Cover the wallet with a cloth and team for just a few seconds. Close the zipper, if you find the zipper hard to close, apply wax from a candlestick on the teeth of the zipper.
And you are done.
I am very happy with this sunglasses case wallet because I can carry some coins, bills, and cards and I just discovered my iPhone (small with no protective case) fits in one of the inside pockets.
If you need an easy-to-make iPhone wallet don't forget to check the pattern and tutorial below with a video to guide you.
I hope this makes a Christmas gift you can make in a couple of hours with scraps of fabric you have laying in the house. Try to use your scraps, I am sure you can come up with a beautiful sunglasses case wallet.
If you would like to share with me and the rest of the readers send me your photos and I will add them to the post. Or, you can use #soseweasy on Instagram and all the people who follow this # will be able to see your creations.
Do let me know in the comments below, how you are doing with your Christmas sewing and what project you would like to see to help you get your gifts list done.
Happy sewing and many blessings to all!
This looks like it will be really handy! Thanks for sharing it
Will you be making a video? please!
hi do you have a tutorial for this patter sunglasses and wallet?
I downloaded the pattern and added a Payhip but the pattern pieces are cut off and not complete. Is there another way to download it?
Hi Barbara thanks for pointing this out, we’ll re-upload a corrected version as soon as possible. For some reason the page order is mixed up, with the version you downloaded the order should be: page 5,7,6,8,10,9
Thanks! I will look for a new upload.
I don’t understand how to put the zipper on
Hi Julie, I am sad to say you will have to wait for me to make a video because if you don’t understand from the photos there is very little I could add in words to show. Thanks for your feedback.
Awesome, I stuff my glasses in my bag and it becomes a mess. I think this would be a lot better with some type of wrist strap if you want it and this would be great for carrying your reading glasses when shopping.
Nifty idea! Question: Your outside material has gold “dots.” Did it come that way or are there small metal dots available for purchase somewhere?
They are rivets you can buy in a box as tis one https://www.amazon.com/Leather-Alritz-Tubular-Clothes-Decoration/dp/B07F71FXYT/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=metal+rivets+for+bag+making&qid=1576205078&sr=8-1
Do you think the new cork fabric would work instead of leather just wondering?
yes that would be fantastic! Kraftex would also work.
Love this idea. Going to add a snap hook & wrist strap so I don’t even need to think about carrying my purse. Thanks so much for sharing!
Great Idea! do share, please love to see the final product!
I love this sunglasses/wallet case! I’ve had 2 back surgeries so I hate carrying my big purse through stores especially if I’m just running in and out. I’ve been playing around with making bags and such for the past year or so (when I have time). I was making a cell phone/wallet cross body bag (about the size of my iPhone XS Plus) but by the time I got to the finishing it was so thick I was having a terrible time sewing through the layers. Does this one get bulky where it’s hard to sew through?
Hi Mandy, great question it will depend on the fabric and leather combo you end up using, I suggest you use a thick fabric and lightweight leather, I would try Kraftex and see how that would look like. This case can be sewn by hand if the machine does not cooperate.
Great idea! Can’t wait to try it! Thank you.
Hope you do let me know how it comes out, thank you!