Lace Front Zipper Clutch (In-the-Hoop)

Craft the perfect blend of casual and chic with this in-the-hoop design! A curved lace flap, an optional wrist strap, and a pretty button of your choice add unique flair to a rectangular zipper clutch. We'll show you step-by-step how to stitch this stylish design!

First embroider the flap for your zipper clutch (this will be file "a" from your download). If the flap is lace, follow this step. If the flap is sheer fabric (such as organza) follow the next step.

For the lace flap, use 30wt. cotton thread. Begin by winding a bobbin with the same thread used in the top needle and embroider the lace piece onto hooped heavy water-soluble stabilizer.

Once the lace is finished being embroidered, trim away the excess stabilizer. Then soak the piece to remove the rest of the stabilizer, and allow the piece to air dry before pressing them flat with an iron.

If your design has a fabric flap (such as organza, suede, etc.); this would be file 'a' from your download), begin by winding a bobbin with the same thread used in the top needle. Hoop the fabric and a heavy water-soluble stabilizer together. Adhere the two layers together with spray adhesive to help them shift less. Then, embroider the flap.

Once the design is finished being embroidered, trim away the excess stabilizer and fabric from around the outside edges of the flap. Soak the pieces to remove the excess stabilizer and allow the piece to air dry before pressing it flat with an iron. (If you are using sheer fabric like organza, here's more information on embroidering on sheer fabric.)

Next, print the dieline files that come with your design. This file will always have "DL" in the name. (Click here for instructions on how to print or stitch dieline templates.)

To begin preparing the fabric pieces, cut two rectangles out of the main fabric that are twice as big as the front top and bottom pieces.

Fold both fabric pieces in half with wrong sides together. Press the folded edge and spray the wrong side of the fabric with temporary adhesive to hold the folded fabric together. Adhering the two folded sides together will help prevent shifting, and make the pieces easier to cut.

Then spray the back side of the two front piece paper dielines with temporary adhesive. Smooth them onto the right side of the fabric, matching one edge up with the folded side.

Cut the two front pieces out on the fold, and remove the paper dieline.

For the back piece dieline, simply spray the paper dieline with temporary adhesive, and smooth it onto the right side of the flat, unfolded fabric. Then cut out the shape and remove the paper.

Now that the fabric pieces are ready, hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer tightly. Madeira E-Zee Tear 1.5 oz. or Floriani Tearaway Medium are good choices. Those brands are more fibrous, less paper-like, and will tear more cleanly.

Load the back embroidery file (file "b") onto the machine, and begin to embroider the design.

The first thing to sew will be the "zipper dieline". This marks the place where the zipper will be placed on the stabilizer.

The zipper dieline sews a box with a centerline through the middle.

 To place the zipper correctly, close the zipper, and match up the center of the zipper with the sewn centerline.

Make sure the wrong side of the zipper is against the stabilizer, and tape it in place. The zipper should hang over the hoop on both sides, and will be trimmed away later.

Once the zipper is taped down, place the hoop back on the machine, and embroider the "zipper tackdown" step.

This will adhere the zipper to the stabilizer, and hold it in place for the remainder of the design. Don't worry if it sews over the tape, it can be easily torn away from around the stitches. 

Remove the tape, and embroider the "front top piece dieline" step. This will sew out an outline where the top back fabric piece will go.

Spray the back side of the folded top fabric piece with temporary adhesive.

With the folded edge against the zipper, smooth the fabric piece inside the sewn dieline shape.

Continue to embroider the "front top piece tackdown" step.

Repeat the previous steps to embroider the "front bottom piece dieline", place the fabric piece, and embroider the "front bottom piece tackdown".

 Again make sure the folded edge is against the zipper. Stop the machine before the "back piece tackdown" step.

On the back piece (file "a"), it is very important to move the slider (also called the pull tab) of the zipper to the center of the design.

This will leave the zipper about half open and will allow the slider to be a part of the zipper clutch, so it can be opened and closed. If you do not move the slider, the clutch will be permanently stuck closed, so do not forget!

To add a wrist strap, cut a piece of ribbon, cord, or sewn fabric strip that is 12"-15" long. Fold it in half and place the looped end on the inside of the clutch (so the raw edges hang over the edge). Tape it in place over zipper, and make sure the loop will not get caught in the back piece tackdown.

To add a purse strap, cut two pieces of strap or cord that are 2" long and thread them each through a D-ring. Fold the strap in half so the D-ring is sitting in the fold. Place one D-ring about 1/2" in from each side seam, so the raw edge of the strap goes over the top edge. The D-ring should be pointed down toward the zipper. Tape them securely in place.

Then lay the back fabric piece on top of the hooped front piece with right sides together. Match up the outer edges, and tape the back piece in place around all four sides of the design.

Place the hoop back onto the machine, and embroider the final "back piece tackdown" step. This will bind all the layers together, and create the final shape of the clutch.

Once the design is finished sewing, tear away the excess stabilizer from around the design.

Then, carefully remove the stabilizer from the back of the zipper and fabric to give it more flexibility. Using the point of a seam ripper can help to pull up the pieces of stabilizer.

After all the tear-away stabilizer is removed, trim away the excess fabric by cutting around the finishing seam. Only leave about a 1/4" of seam allowance around the shape for best results.

Also cut both sides of the zipper off about 1/2" away from the finishing seam. Then carefully cut notches or slits into the seam allowance to help the curves turn out better once the clutch is turned right side out.

Then turn the clutch right side out through the open zipper. Remove any tape, and press the edge if using a fabric that doesn’t melt.

Take the lace flap that was embroidered earlier, and match the center of the top straight border up with the top seam on the zipper clutch.

Carefully hand sew the top edge of the lace flap to the top seam of the clutch. For best results use the same cotton thread that the lace was embroidered out of.

Finally, place a button in the opening of the bottom most scallop of the lace. This scallop will act as the button hole. Use it for placement, and sew the button onto the front fabric of the clutch.

For designs that do not have a button hole, hand sew on a large snap or a piece of sturdy Velcro instead. Use thread that matches the fabric or embroidery to hide the hand sewing.

To add a purse handle or crossbody strap, simply cut a strap to the length desired. Then sew a swivel clasp onto each end, and clip the swivel clasps onto the D-rings.