DIY tri-fold man wallet with license holder

Finished tri-fold wallet

Inside of the finished wallet

I made this wallet for my husband's Christmas gift. He told me a while ago that he had his wallet since his high school year and it was too childish for him. (It had a long velcro that's making a loud noise whenever he opened his wallet). In general he likes the wallet. So, I decided to use his old-wallet as a general template for his new one.

Materials

Material:

• Outer fabric cut:
• one 9 1/4" x 4 1/2"
• one 9 1/4" x 4 1/4"
• one 6" x 5 1/2"
• Inner fabric cut:
• one 9 1/4" x 4 1/2"
• one 9 1/4" x 4 1/4"
• one 6" x 6 1/2"
• 1/2" bias tape cut:
• one 9 3/4"
• one 9 1/4"
• one 4 1/4"
• one 20"
• 4 1/4" x 3" Plastic (preferably plastic sheet protector)
• 1" 1/2"-wide velcro

For the outer fabric, I used a thick fabric. I didn't know what kind of fabric it was. I got it from my friend a long time ago. She told me that she was planning to use the fabric for her house drapes. It had a smooth and leathery surface. Because of the thickness of the fabric, I didn't use interfacing fabric for this wallet. If I used other kind of thin fabric like cotton, I will cut interface/stabilizer fabric:

• one 9 1/4" x 4 1/2"
• one 9 1/4" x 4 1/4"

Steps:

1. Take 4 1/4" bias tape and the plastic. Sew the bias tape on one of the long edge of the plastic. Set aside.

Finished plastic with bias tape

2. Take 6" x 6 1/2" inner fabric. Bring the right side of short edge (6 ") together to fold it into half and sew the left side and bottom side with 1/4" seam allowance. (Pocket 1)

Pocket 1

3. Cut the excess fabric on the corner (be careful not to cut the thread). Turn it inside out and set aside. NOTE: use a ruler to help form the corner.

4. Take 6" x 5 1/2" outer fabric. Bring the right side of long edge (6 ") together to fold it into half and sew the left side with 1/4" seam allowance. Turn it inside out. NOTE: use a ruler to help form the corner. (Pocket 2)

Pocket 2

5. Take the velcro loop and sew it 3/4" from the open side along the folded edge. Sew the velcro hook to largest outer fabric (9 1/4" x 4 1/2") 1 1/4" from the right edge and 1 3/4" from the top edge.

Velcro sewing position

6. Take 9 1/4" x 4 1/4" outer fabric and lay it right side up. Take the pocket 1. Line the open edge to the right edge of the outer fabric and 1/2" from the top edge. Sew the pocket 1 to the outer fabric along the left edge and bottom edge with 1/8" seam allowance.

Sew the pocket 1 to the outer fabric

7. Take pocket 2 and line the bottom edge of the piece with the bottom edge of the outer fabric. Line the the left edge of pocket 2 along left edge of pocket 1. Sew the left edge of the pocket 2 to the outer fabric with 1/8" seam allowance (some part of pocket 2 will overlap with pocket 1 stitches). Measure 2 3/4" from the left edge of pocket 1 (or pocket 2). This will be the centre line of the pockets. Sew along the centre line, stitching only the pockets (pocket 1 and pocket 2). Sew another 1/8" away on either side of the centre line to make three lines of stitches.

Cards pockets are finished

8. Take the plastic and line up all three edges (top, left and bottom edges). Sew the top edge and left edge with 1/4" seam allowance.

The license holder is in place

9. Take 9 1/4" x 4 1/4" inner fabric and line the edges with the finished piece from step 3. Baste with 1/4" seam allowance. Sew the 9 1/4" bias tape along the top edge. Set aside.

Finished inner side of the wallet

10. Take the remaining outer and inner fabric (9 1/4" x 4 1/2"). Baste with 1/4" seam allowance. Take the 9 3/4" bias tape. Fold in 1/4" on both sides then sew it along the top edge. Beware of the orientation of the velcro. The velcro should be on the right side.

Finished outer side of the wallet

11. Take the piece from step 8 and line the right, bottom, and left edge with the right, bottom, and left edge of the piece from step 9. Baste with 1/4" seam allowance and sew the last bias tape along the right, bottom, and left edge of the wallet.

12. Admire your wallet.

Happy DIYing,

Sherls