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Tutorial: The Pixie Hexie Wallet

This is a great project that is fully sewn and assembled by hand! If you have never made hexagons before, I will briefly walk you through how I made mine.

OsloBoard2

The fabrics I used for my wallet are all from Laurie Wisbrun’s line for Robert Kaufman called ‘Olive the Ostrich’. Laurie’s signature animal prints (in this case, a super-cute duo of ostriches!) are combined with cute red and pink coordinating fabrics. I really love these…I have fabric from all of her lines and they are just so great for many things (I used Tufted Tweets for both a quilt and a dress, and I’m still hoarding a yard of each of them, lol!).

Finished size: 6-1/2″ x 3″

Supplies

– 40 squares measuring 3.5″ x 3.5″ (or a charm pack would work great!)
– 1/6 yard Pellon SF-101 Shape Flex fusible woven interfacing
– 16.5cm x 8cm metal purse full frame (I purchased mine here)
– hand sewing needle and thread
– fabric glue (I used Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue, and also UHU All-Purpose Glue)
– small paint brush
– paper clip

Making the Hexagons

1. Cut out your hexagons from the fabric squares using the template provided in the link above. I used the middle-sized hexagon on my Accuquilt die.

2. On your printer, print out copies of the hexagon template. Cut out each of the hexagons. You should have 40 hexagons (with 5 extra).

3. Take 1 fabric hexagon and 1 paper hexagon. Place the paper on the wrong side of the fabric, approximately centered. Fold down 1 edge of the fabric to the edge of the paper, toward the wrong side of the fabric, and paper clip in place.

4. Working counter-clockwise, fold down the next side of the fabric. With your needle and thread (the end should be knotted), baste through the first folded edge and come up on the second. Even though basting is a series of temporary stitches, you still want the thread to be taut and not loose, so your hexagon holds its shape around the paper. Fold down the third folded edge, then sew through the second/third. Repeat until all corners have been sewn through. Be careful not to sew through the paper! Tie off the end of the thread.

5. Press the hexagon well, then remove the paper.

6. Repeat Steps 3-5 for all remaining hexagons.

Sewing the Hexagons Together

1. Divide your hexagons into 2 separate piles. One pile will be for the front of the wallet, and the other for the back of the wallet.

2. Your layout for each side of the wallet will be as follows:

3. To sew the hexagons together, I just add 1 at a time. To start out, take 2 hexagons, right sides together. Choose the edge that you will be sewing them together, and place that edge facing you. Sew with small stitches, very close to the edge of the fabric (mine are approximately 1/16″ away; just make sure that your seam allowance is the same while attaching all the hexagons).

4. Add your next hexagon! It doesn’t matter what order you sew them together, but it can be helpful to add another one where your thread left off (so you can continue on sewing instead of tying off and starting a new thread). You will always be sewing the new hexagon right sides together with the edge of another. If you find that the new hexagon is intersecting the seam that you just made, be sure to flatten the hexagons against each other and especially pay attention to the corners to make sure you get a nice tight seam.

5. After all 20 hexagons are attached, press the unit flat. Repeat to assemble the other side of the wallet.

Finish the Wallet

1. Fold your interfacing in half. Take 1 of the hexagon units and place it on top. Trace around the unit on top of the interfacing, then cut out the interfacing. You should have 2 pieces of interfacing. Fuse 1 piece of interfacing to the wrong side of each hexagon unit using manufacturer instructions.

2. Take 1 hexagon unit and remove 1 of the shells from the wallet. Spread the fabric glue (I used Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue here) onto the shell using your paintbrush. Make sure that the entire shell is covered, but be careful not to use too much so that the glue doesn’t saturate the fabric.

3. Place the hexagon unit on top of the shell and apply light pressure. At this time, the hexagon unit should be overlapping the shell on all sides. There will be excess fabric at the corners; gently fold the corners over in a pleasing manner. Using a small amount of fabric glue, glue each of the folded corners down.

4. Using scissors or a rotary cutter, trim the excess fabric from all edges of the shell.

5. Place a small amount of fabric glue on the ridges of the metal frame (for this portion only, I used the UHU All-Purpose Glue – it’s slightly messy, but has a really strong hold). You don’t want to use too much because any excess will come up and onto your fabric.

6. Place the shell into the ridge and apply light pressure for a few seconds.

7. Repeat Steps 2-6 for the remaining hexagon unit and shell.

8. Leave the wallet open at least an hour to allow to dry.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this project! It’s a fun little bit of sewing to take on the go. You can also embellish the front of the wallet with fabric flowers or applique before you glue the hexagon unit onto the wallet shell (I appliqued a larger hexagon onto the front of mine!).

And now…how about that giveaway?!? One lucky winner will be chosen at random to be the recipient of this lovely fat quarter bundle of ‘Olive the Ostrich’, courtesy of Laurie Wisbrun and Robert Kaufman Fabrics!! Thank you Laurie!

To enter the giveaway, please click the link below to take you to the entry page. You have until August 31st at 7pm CT to enter!

This giveaway is now closed! The winner is #39 Anonymous (left an e-mail address).

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36 thoughts on “Tutorial: The Pixie Hexie Wallet

  1. Mrs Pixie says:

    This is lovely 🙂

  2. Lynne says:

    Wow, Sara, I didn’t even notice hexagons till I started reading. I don’t usually like hexagons but I am starting a hexagon project in the next couple of weeks while my machine goes in for a service. Anyway, that is brilliant. If I can figs.re out where to get the fittings, I might have a go!

    BTW, did you get your bag back?

  3. Ali says:

    Awesome! I’ve always wondered how to make those types of cases!!!

  4. Beth says:

    That pouch is so cute! I love the fussy cut ostriches on the front!

  5. Judith says:

    Sara, thanks for the tutorial! This is a lovely case. I love to sew hexies and have to make a hexie case with your tutorial. Simple to follow. Love the fussy cut Ostriches! Thank you for sharing…Judith, Texas

  6. Kay says:

    What a fab pair of ostriches on your bag, love the fussy cutting. Thank you for the tutorial.

  7. Oh wowee! I never considered or have even seen a paperclip being used to start a hexi! What a smart idea!! It’s little tips like these that make sewing so much easier!! Thanks!

  8. Toohey says:

    I really like the way the hexies wrap the purse. Cute, cute! Thank you!

  9. Patty says:

    I love this,now am going to go look at the purse frames. Thanks for the link.

  10. Anita says:

    Great tutorial! Love your little hexie clutch 🙂 Thanks!

  11. Katy Cameron says:

    Oh cool, I’ve never tried one of these, but it actually looks rather easier than frame purses! Love the ostrich :oD

  12. Cherie says:

    Such a fun idea! A great purse in such cute fabrics =D

  13. leanne says:

    such a gorgeous purse thanks for such a fabulous tutorial 🙂

  14. ritainalaska says:

    a great wallet from such pretty fabric. delightful! love the hexies!

  15. Love it!!! I need to try one of those hard cases, thanks for the tips x

  16. Carla says:

    Great idea for the lovely hexies!

  17. VickiT says:

    Wow. That is just beautiful. I always love all the things you make. They’re always so nice.

    Not sure if I’ve said it before, but I LOVE your new blog desgin colors and the header. So bright and cheery looking. Always makes me smile when I visit just to see the pretty colors.

  18. RachZ says:

    Hi Sara!
    Love the wallet I’ve already started making 2! But I was wondering what would you line the insides with?

  19. How cute!! I love the shape of that wallet – gorgeous!

  20. tartankiwi says:

    Oh my! These are gorgeous! I will have to get some supplies and give this a go! In the meantime, I’m pinning this (if that’s ok?)

  21. what a gorgeous clutch! good idea to use the clip to hold the hexagon in place. thanks for sharing the tutorial.
    Grace

  22. Martine says:

    From one sweetness to another, the clutch is adorable and i love the Ostrich line and the hexies.

  23. Stacey says:

    I thought I had already commented, but it must not have worked!! I think these fabrics would make a fabulous mini quilt!
    [email protected]

  24. Jennifer P. says:

    Hello Sara! Love the fabric and the hexagon piece-work. Jennifer

  25. kitty says:

    Love the Pixie Hexie Wallet! Thank you for a great tutorial!!

  26. Brenda says:

    What a sweet wallet! Thanks for showing us how!

  27. Jan says:

    What a fun wallet, thanks for the give away.

  28. I would create a hexi wall art piece for my new granddaughter Penny Layne’s nursery. The fabric line is just too cute. Plus a wallet for Mommy and me. 🙂

  29. magic says:

    You have brought up a very fantastic points , appreciate it for the post.

    Garnet Beads

  30. very very nice thank you so much ^^

  31. I’ve made two wallets loved them but now I want to put pockets in, how would you line them?

  32. Olá Sara, seu trabalho é lindo, parabéns!

  33. Kathy says:

    Sara, just discovered your blog, first time visitor, and I just subed by email, love your fantastic creativity! Could I ask you, where do you find a clutch wallet like the kind you used?

  34. Beth Purvis says:

    Hi. I just love this little wallet. I’m planning to make some as gifts for my daughter in laws. I have one question though. What are and where do I get the “shells” needed to make the wallet. I didn’t see it mentioned in the list of needed items. I can’t wait to make this. Thanks in advance.

    1. Sara Lawson says:

      Hi Beth! I checked the link for the frame in my original blog post and unfortunately, I did not see that product listed from where I had originally purchased it from (the blog post was from 2012). I apologize!

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