Papillon

Instruction booklet

Sew the Monarch

Twelve steps from the test square to the key ring. Confident beginner, about an afternoon, one fat quarter of each fabric.

Print first

Fabric & notions

  • Exterior fabric

    1 fat quarter (50 × 55 cm)

    Linen, canvas, or quilting cotton. Midweight holds the wings.

  • Lining fabric

    1 fat quarter

    Quilting cotton. Contrast makes the slots easier to read.

  • Fusible interfacing

    30 × 30 cm midweight

    Woven fusible preferred. Skip craft-weight — the wings will flop.

  • Nylon zipper

    1 × 7 cm (or a longer zip trimmed)

    For the coin pouch. A #3 dress zip is plenty.

  • Magnetic snap

    1 pair, 14 mm

    Sew-in magnets work if you dislike prong snaps.

  • Split key ring

    1 × 20–25 mm

    Slides onto the fabric loop after the wallet is turned.

  • Thread

    Polyester, matching or charcoal

    Topstitch the optional wing veins in a contrast shade.

Tools

  • Rotary cutter or sharp shears
  • 6 mm (¼") presser-foot guide
  • Point turner
  • Fabric marking pen
  • Zipper foot
  • Awl or snap tool

Finished closed size is 116 × 158 mm. Cards stand in four landscape slots. Bills fold in half. The zipper takes loose coin. Keys hang from the head loop.

  1. Step 01

    Print at actual size

    Open the Print studio and print every sheet at 100% / Actual Size — never “Fit to page.” Measure the 50 mm test square on sheet A1. If it is short, reprint with scaling off.

    Letter and A4 both work. Tape tiled pages on the overlapping trim lines.

  2. Step 02

    Cut the set

    Cut A from exterior, B from lining, and C from interfacing on the finished (inner) line. Cut four D card slots, one E cash sleeve, F and G for the coin pouch, one H key loop, and two I snap patches.

  3. Step 03

    Fuse the outer

    Center interfacing C on the wrong side of outer A and fuse. The interfacing stops at the finished line so the seam allowance stays thin enough to turn the swallowtails.

  4. Step 04

    Build the card slots

    On each D, press the top long edge under 4 mm then 4 mm and stitch the hem. Stack the four hems 16 mm apart so a card stands in each slot. Stitch the stack down both sides and across the base.

    A real credit card is 86 × 54 mm. Test-fit before you sew the stack to the lining.

  5. Step 05

    Make the cash sleeve

    Hem the top of E. Bills fold in half to sit in this pocket. Later you will stitch the three raw sides onto the lining, centered on the spine, opening toward the head.

  6. Step 06

    Zip the coin pouch

    Sandwich the 7 cm zipper between F and G along the top edge. Stitch the remaining three sides, clip corners, and turn. Optional: box the two bottom corners 8 mm for a little volume.

  7. Step 07

    Fold the key loop

    Fold H in half the long way, wrong sides out, stitch the long edge, turn, and press to a 10 mm strap. Fold in half into a 40 mm loop. A key ring will slide on after the wallet is finished.

  8. Step 08

    Build onto the lining

    Transfer the placement marks onto lining B. Baste the cash sleeve first (it sits behind), then the card stack on the left wing, then the coin pouch on the right. Baste the key loop at the head, raw edges matching the cut edge.

  9. Step 09

    Sandwich and stitch

    Lay outer A on lining B, right sides together. Pin densely around the curves. Stitch the finished line, leaving a 70 mm gap on a gentler hindwing edge for turning. Backstitch at both sides of the gap.

  10. Step 10

    Turn, press, close

    Clip curves and notch the swallowtails. Turn through the gap, push out every lobe with a point turner, and press. Edge-stitch 2 mm from the outline, closing the gap as you go. Optional: topstitch the vein marks.

  11. Step 11

    Set the snaps

    Fuse the I patches behind each snap mark on the lining. Install the magnetic snap so the two wings kiss when the wallet is folded along the thorax.

  12. Step 12

    Add the keys

    Open the fabric loop and slide on the split ring. Load three or four cards, fold a bill in half into the cash sleeve, drop coin in the zip pouch, and fold the butterfly closed.