Coupon Holder – Outback Style

Today's post is another of my favorite projects for March is National Craft Month!  This first appeared as a Cindi's Simple Solutions project for When Creativity Knocks. This custom made coupon holder was created with a bit of Australian style in mind.    When visiting San Francisco with Ana Araujo, we visited Britex Fabrics – It was a world of inspiration and I was overwhelmed at all the fabric choices.  I just couldn’t resist purchasing some of their faux alligator material – it has a fabulous alligator texture and a beautiful, subtle gold luster over the green.    I have a few more projects in mind for this fabric, but this is the first creation!  As with many of my projects, it also has a touch of “repurposing.”  An old fabric napkin is used as the lining.   I am lucky enough to have a few Echidna quills I received from a fellow designer who lives in Australia as part of a circle journal project several years ago.  I’ve used one as a finishing touch on the front of this “Outback Style” coupon holder. 

Materials: 

• Faux alligator fabric – Britex Fabrics 
• Decorative ribbon trim – Britex Fabrics 
• Fabric napkin in coordinating color
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• Scissors 
• Small button with shank (Blumenthal Lansing)
• Australian Echidna Quill 

Instructions:

• Measure and cut faux alligator fabric to  11 1/2” x 7 1/2”.
• Place alligator rectangle onto fabric napkin, with top edge on stitched edge of napkin.  Trace and cut napkin.
• Place napkin rectangle onto back side of faux alligator and machine stitch approximately ¼” from all edges around all sides.
• Measure and cut two pieces of decorative ribbon trim, approximately 7” long – one to fit along bottom edge of flap and one to fit along top inside edge of pocket.  
• Determine placement of quill or other decorative embellishment.  Cut two small holes approximately ¼” apart, measure over approximately 1 ½” and cut 2 small holes approximately ¼” apart. 
• Place ribbon with holes onto top bottom edge of flap, stitch to first set of holes on left.  Stitch from right edge to 2^nd set of holes (leave space between holes unstitched). 
• Stitch 2^nd piece of trim along bottom edge of leather.  
• Fold bottom edge up 3“ and stitch sides to close.  
• Use scissors to randomly cut along edges of faux leather to create a ragged edge.  
• Cut strip of faux alligator 6 ½” x ¾”.  Use scissors to randomly cut along edges of strip. 
• Place one edge on back of pouch approximately 1”from top edge and hand stitch in place using overlapping X stitch. 
• Bring strip over flap and push beneath ribbon strip on edge. 
• Bring strip down and over bottom edge up to back of pouch.  Mark place where strip ends for button placement. 
• Hand stitch button in place.
• Carefully cut slit in faux alligator strip for button to pass through to hold pouch shut.
• Pass quill through first hole, then out through 2^nd hold, across front and repeat on right side. 
• Add coupons!   To keep organized, create custom tabs for your coupon categories using index cards or card stock.  Jazz them up a bit with patterned paper to coordinate with your coupon holder fabric.