Liberty Love - Clover Clamshell Accessory Case

Clover Clamshell Case - Liberty Fabric

There have been a flurry of new Followers of the Fabadashery blog in recent weeks - welcome.  I have been  busy visiting your blogs to see what you are all up to, and have noticed a couple bloggers have been working on projects using Liberty Fabrics.  Blue Moth has made a cute  Mini Hexagon Pincushion in some Liberty fabrics, like the one I made a few weeks ago, and there are also lots of Liberty goings-on over at Knotted Cotton. Do go and visit.


Liberty Tana Lawn Fabrics

Anyway, all this Liberty loveliness made me pull out my Liberty Tana Lawn stash, to ponder over the potential for a little Liberty project.  In the end I opted for another Clover Clamshell Accessories Case, like I made a few weeks ago. 

Many years ago when I used to travel up and down the country on the train, my essentials pack included my Walkman, a few audio tapes, and spare batteries.  To hold all these bits I made a zipped bag out of the Liberty "Ianthe" design, which I had hand quilted.  Well, times have moved on, and I decided to make a clamshell case to hold my iPhone earphones, this time covered in the Liberty "Wiltshire" fabric design, with the inside fabric from the Ella, Red Rooster Range.


Clover Clamshell Accessory Case - Padded Forms, Inner and Outer fabrics

Second time around, the Clamshell Case was easier to make, and the Tana Lawn cotton meant that I was able to get a lovely sharp finish.  Once I cut out all the pieces, it was packed up for a 'found' moment.  In the end the 'found' moment was whilst watching the first episode of the new series of Downton Abbey on Sunday evening.


Clover Clamshell Case - Earphone Storage

A neat storage solution, and a quick and easy project - I can see a few more of these being made.
Joining up with WIP Wednesday!
 

Clover Clamshell Accessories Case

Clover Clamshell Accessories Case

I am still enjoying doing a few small projects, for a quick quilting thrill.  Today I am sharing my Clover Clamshell Accessory Case.  This is a neat little purse which opens and shuts by squeezing the ends.  It shuts quite firmly, so it is ideal for carrying small pieces of jewellery when you are away. When I was fabric shopping in the USA at Cottonwood Quilts, Hutchinson, Kansas, there was a sample on the counter of one of these, which looked so cute that I had to throw one of the kits in to my purchases that day.

Clover Clamshell Accessories Case - Small, Medium, Large

The template kits for these little cases are sold by Clover.  They come in three sizes: small, medium and large.  In the kit are the instructions, three heavier weight plastic outer templates, and three lighter plastic inner templates.  I have to admit, that when I bought it I expected it to be a template which you could copy and use again, but they are sold as the actual templates, or forms.  With a bit of research I have discovered that plastic covers from notebooks, and various weights of acetate sold at stationers will do a similar job.  Like a clamshell, the case snaps shut with the flex in the plastic, so getting the right weight is quite important.


Cutting Fabric for Clover Clamshell Forms

The fabric needs to be cut around the templates with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, as the seam is gathered taut around the form template, and the inner which is slightly smaller.

Sticking wadding to plastic templates - Clover Clamshell Case

To add softness to both the inner and outer plastic forms, you stick on some wadding.  Luckily, I had just trimmed a quilt, and these little bits were just the job.  Being patient, I left them overnight to dry, and then trimmed them exactly the next day.


Lacing fabric around Clover Clamshell Plastic Templates

Next, you stitch a running stitch around the edge of each piece of fabric, with a long, strong thread, which will allow you to put in the template (wadding facing down on the back of the fabric) and gather the seam allowance around it.  Without cutting the thread, you then need to lace the seams together to make the fabric taut around the form. It is a bit fiddly at the points, but don't fret too much, as it won't be seen.

Stitching the outer and inner templates together, with the help of Clover Wonder Clips

With the inners and outers covered, pair them up, wrong sides together.  With the wadding, gathers and plastic, they are quite bulky, so using these little Clover Clips is a neat way to keep them in place whilst you sew them together.  Match up your thread, and using your neatest ladder stitching, fix the inner to the outer, so they become a single side.


Squeeze Opening - Clam Shell Accessories Case

The final shape is like a three-sided rugby ball, so the three flat sides need to be manipulated and sewn to become three-dimensional.  The first two sides are easy enough, but the third, in particular,needs good stitching as it is being done under tension and will have to sustain that tension during its lifetime.The fabric I have chosen for the outside is a jade Ginkgo Tonals by Kona Bay Fabrics, and the inside is a matching colour with a subtle metallic dot.


Clover Clamshell Accessories Case for Jewellery

Joining up with Whoop Whoop Friday! and Crazy Mom Quilts.