Pear-Shaped Gamaguchi Coin Purse

Instructions

MORE DETAILS ON HOW TO SEW
MIC-O-PEAR COIN PURSE

PREPARATION

Download the Mic-O-Pear Purse sewing pattern in a pdf document and print it with your printer. Feed the letter-size paper into your printer and print the pattern without setting any scale on the printing. {the pdf download will either open in a new tab or open a small window asking you to save it as a file. If you can’t find the saved file in your computer, the default folder usually is in “/downloads”}
{If you can’t download the pdf pattern, probably you don’t have acrobat reader, download the latest version for free, here.}

Get ready all the materials as mentioned above. For purse making, normally I will make a pattern template using cardboard so it is easy to trace, add seam allowance and can be used repeatedly.

DRAW, SEW & CUT

Trace the pattern onto the wrong side of the fabric and add at least 7mm or 1/4″ seam allowance. Mark frame markings on the fabric too. For fabrics that have a directional print, the narrower side of the pattern is the top and the wider side is the bottom. For fabrics with no directional print, reverse the template in tracing to reduce fabric wastage.

Trace pattern on batting with a marker on the non-adhesive side. No seam allowance needed. Trace them close to each other and in reverse order to reduce wastage.

Cut the batting along the inside of the tracing lines to get the correct shape and size. Pin the batting onto the wrong side of the traced fabric with adhesive side down. Only 6 pcs of the fabrics need batting, lining fabrics don’t need batting.

Turn the pinned fabric to the right side and press with medium heat iron to adhere the batting. Increase the heat level if the batting cannot bond well on the fabric. Do not iron directly on the batting, the heat will melt the material.

Cut the pattern out from the fabric [with seam allowance] after attaching the batting. Note that, for this 3-color design, 2 of each color will have batting on them, the other 2 are without batting which acts as a lining. For 2-color design, 3 of each color will have batting on them and vice-versa.

Pin and sew to join 3 fabrics to make a half pear. Make 3 little snips at seam allowance on the narrow waist of the pear. Press seam allowance to the centerpiece, topstitch near the seam to set it in place.

Repeat the sewing to make a pair with batting [top] and a pair without batting/lining [bottom].

Place a batting piece on a lining piece with right side facing each other.
Align, pin and sew around. Leave a 1 1/2″ opening for turning the right side out.

Turn right side out, smooth and align seams. Sew to close the opening. Topstitch near the edge. Repeat to make another half pear.

Combine 2 half pears and slip stitch from frame marking to frame marking. Perform back-loop slip stitch a.k.a backstitch in hidden stitch will make the seam more durable.

Mark the centerline on the top edge. Aligned the metal frame centerline to the purse centerline. Aligned the kisslock frame endpoints to the frame marking on the purse. Backstitch with strong thread to install the metal frame to the purse. (This tutorial might be helpful for frame installation.) The purse’s top edge is slightly bigger than the metal frame, evenly spread the extra across the frame while sewing to achieve a nice curve for the pear’s neck. [You can use the normal glue & clamp type of frame if you cannot find the sewn type.]

Sew the pear stem onto the purse.

Sew the leaf fabrics together with right side facing each other.
Make a small cut of about 1/2″ on the non-batting side. Turn the leaf right side out from the small opening by using a pair of tweezers.

Smooth out seam and mend to close the opening.

Topstitch on the right side to decorate the leaf with veins.

Sew the leaf on the purse to complete the Mic-O-Pear pear-shaped coin purse.