DIY Idea: Remake a Plastic Document File into a Suede Document Clutch

Hiya there, I’m cleaning up my draft posts, so far got 4 ready to go. This one here has been on the list since the year 2012 ! I didn’t publish it cuz the photos weren’t that great and I wasn’t sure how to explain the process as I was winging it.

I bought an accordion style document folder to carry travel documents on a trip back then. I got the cheapest one :

with the cutest poem :

Who is “ause” ? He must be a wizard. Like, Wizard of Ause.

Then , through some “witch-craftery”, I turned it into a faux suede document clutch :

Actually, with a tube of fabric glue and my sewing machine …

First I sew a pocket to insert the opening flap of the plastic file …

I flipped the pocket right-side out and decided to line the inside with felt, so glue marks won’t show on the faux suede …

Then I glued the plastic file onto the piece of felt… very messy here, not shown.

This is where I realized that it is inevitable that I have to apply glue on the suede. How else is it going to stick ??

I glued the outer edges of the suede onto the file. Then I just stopped photographing the process from here on. I must have run out of fingers.

After the glue has dried up, I hand sew a leather strap as a closure. I don’t remember much, it was 2 years ago !