A few years ago
Karla's Cottage posted a tutorial on a handy travel document folder made from a 12" x 12" page of pretty scrapbook paper. I have used this type of folder since then each time I travel. As I begin to think about attending Spellbound 2014 I decided to make a folder using fabric. I hope that you will find these little folders as useful as I have for organizing boarding passes, hotel and car reservations, etc. The folder does take a beating pulling it in/out of my purse and tying/untying numerous times during a trip. Therefore I've never gone big on embellishments. Here is Karla's original tutorial
Karla Travel Folder
I started off with a vintage napkin; it is larger than I need but I didn't want to cut it. Instead I folded, ironed, pinned until I had the size approximately 9.5 inches tall and 14 inches wide. You could go so many ways here with your choice of fabric, but it does need to be reversible so that the bottom pocket looks pretty. If this is your first attempt at this project, it will be useful to make a pattern from a 12x12 scrapbook paper and use it as a guide as you proceed.
I decided to add chipboard panels for sturdiness. My chipboard pieces are 2.5" x 9", 4.5" x 9" and 4" x 9" from left to right but this is all based on the size of fabric you work with. The middle panel is where I keep my travel day papers, which are folded in 3rds. The right most panel needs to be wide enough to hold the documents, too. This is where I move documents after I've used them but don't want to throw away just yet. The left most panel I've never used but could certainly hold travel receipts you collect along the way.
After measuring and pressing all of the folds, stitch on a piece of ribbon across the back of the folder about 1/3 of the way down from top. Do this before adding in the chipboard panels. Do not stitch all the way across; you need to be able to tie the folder closed. I stitched just over the fold line as seen above; reinforce your stitching at beginning and end.
My linen napkin looked plain on the inside of the folder so I cut a piece of contrasting fabric for lining. Then with the panels and the colorful lining in place, I stitched vertically along the 2 fold lines, plus both the side edges. You are creating the pockets and joining the napkin to the lining on the sides. Do be careful to not catch the ribbon in these vertical seams, like I did.
Here it is loaded with some preliminary papers...Spellbound here I come. It would be interesting to use cotton batting around the chipboard panels. It would be gorgeous and so AGL to layer some lace or organza before stitching. I know I don't have to tell you AGL gals how to have fabric fun.
