A few years ago, I created this Seersucker and Leather Fold-Over Clutch to tote around to summer parties and events. Today I’m sharing a free sewing pattern to make the clutch for it with you.

DIY Seersucker and Leather Fold Over Summer Clutch Sewing Pattern & Free Tutorial on polkadotchair.com

Living in the South, nothing says summer like seersucker! It’s always been one of my all-time favorite fabrics. Usually, I sew clothing from seersucker fabric, but I thought it would be fun to try making a clutch out of it. To add a bit of extra detail, I’ve added scraps of leather to reinforce the corners.

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Tips for Sewing with Leather

Don’t be intimidated by sewing with leather. You can sew with leather on your home sewing machine, provided you make a few adjustments.

Use the right needle: Use a leather or denim needle (size 90/14 or 100/16). Leather needles feature a chisel tip for clean, precise piercing. The needle will “punch” a hole in the leather, making it easier for the thread to pass through.
Choose the right thread: Use strong polyester or nylon thread, not cotton. It’s more durable and less likely to break.
Adjust the stitch length: Set it to a longer length (around 3–4 mm). Short stitches can perforate the leather, causing it to tear.
Use a walking foot or Teflon/non-stick foot: These help the leather glide smoothly without sticking or dragging under the presser foot.
Don’t pin, use binding clips instead: Avoid using pins (they leave permanent holes). Use Wonder Clips, binder clips, or paperclips instead.
Test tension and stitches first: Always test on a scrap piece of leather to adjust your tension and stitch length before sewing the real project.
Go slow and steady: Sew slowly, leather is less forgiving, and mistakes leave visible holes.
Avoid backstitching at the start: Instead of backstitching (which can weaken the leather), leave long thread tails and tie them off by hand.

Sewing Pattern for Foldover Clutch with Leather Details

Melissa Mortenson

Learn how to make a fold-over zippered clutch from seersucker with leather details with our free sewing pattern.

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Equipment

Glue Stick
Leather Needle
Zipper foot for Sewing Machine
Sewing Machine (I recommend BERNINA or Bernette)
Basic Sewing Tools
Rotary Cutter
Cutting Mat

supplies

2 pieces of seersucker fabric cut to 9” x 12″
1 piece of seersucker cut to 3” x 16”
2 pieces of Shape Flex interfacing cut to 9” x 12”
2 pieces of fabric for the lining cut to 9” x 12”
2 pieces of fusible fleece interfacing
2 pieces of leather cut to 4” x 4”
2 pieces of leather cut to 1” x 1 1/2”
Extra Strong Thread
Regular Thread
9" Metal Zipper

Instructions

Begin by cutting your 4” x 4” leather squares in half diagonally. To cut leather, I use a rotary cutter specifically designed for cutting leather.
Press the shape flex to the wrong side of the seersucker fabric
Press the fusible fleece to the wrong side of the lining fabrics
Using a glue stick, apply a bit of glue to the wrong side of the leather triangles. Attach one triangle to each bottom corner of the clutch. Use binding clips to hold the leather in place.
Put the leather needle in your machine.
Thread the top thread with extra strong thread (you can leave the bobbin thread as is)
Set your stitch length to 4
Going slowly, sew the leather across the diagonal.
Repeat for the other side of the clutch.
Apply a bit of glue to the back of the 2 1″ x 1 1/2” pieces of leather. Using binding clips, clip to the ends of the zipper. Stitch the leather to the ends of the zipper, as close to the zipper as possible.
Put the regular needle back in your machine and switch the thread back out.
Fold the 3” x 16” piece of fabric in half lengthwise with the right sides together. Sew. Turn the fabric right-side out and press with the seam in the center of the tube.
Fold the fabric in half again.
Topstitch down each side of the fabric.
Cut the finished piece to 13″ long.
Pin to the left side of the clutch front, 3 1/2” down from the top.
Trim the leather ends of your zipper down to 1” long.
Center the zipper on the front piece of the clutch. Pin the zipper to the clutch front piece with the RIGHT side of the zipper facing the RIGHT side of the clutch.
Pin the RIGHT side of the lining to the WRONG side of the zipper.
Attach a zipper foot to your sewing machine. Stitch this seam.
Repeat for the other side of the zipper.
After you’ve sewn the clutch front and back to the zipper, press the seams well away from the zipper. Top stitch along both sides of the zipper.
UNZIP the zipper.
Pin the two clutch outside pieces together, right sides facing each other. Pin the two lining pieces right sides together. Stitch around the perimeter of the clutch, using a 1/2” seam allowance. Leave a 4” opening in the lining piece to turn the clutch right-side out.
Turn right-side out. Press well. Hand-stitch the opening in the lining closed.