I made this wristlet for an upcoming wedding and to advertise my May 2025 bag-making class at Modern Domestic in Portland, Oregon. The construction is straightforward and the bag comes together quickly—it took me longer to cut and interface all the pieces than it did to sew them. The wristlet has two card slots and a small interior zip pouch. I’d recommend adding additional card slots or an internal (passport-sized?) slip pocket to the other lining piece to add functionality. It’s the perfect size for your phone, AirPods, a mask, and some lip balm; it’s even large enough to fit a Ray-Ban sunglasses case without looking overstuffed (see my IG reel here).

Pattern

Yarrow Wristlet (the pattern also includes a smaller wallet/pouch view—see one I made at the end of this post)

Need support? Watch the Yarrow Sew-Along on YouTube.

Fabric & Supplies

Robert Kaufman Essex from Anna Graham’s Riverbend collection: Seeds in Black for the exterior and Dry Florals in Oyster for the interior (190 gsm / 5.6 oz)
12” YKK #4.5 nylon handbag zipper in black for main closure
4” YKK #4.5 metal zipper in brass/black for interior zip pocket
1/2” wide swivel snap and d-ring in brass
Pellon SF101 Shape Flex Fusible Interfacing
Pellon 809 Decor Bond Firm Fusible Stabilizer
Schmetz Jeans/Denim 90/14 needle

Optional Leather Accents

Scrap pieces from leather strap (5–7 oz) in black cut to size
1/4” alphabet stamps for customizing leather
Small and large double-cap rivets in brass
1/8” drive punch
Double-cap rivet setter and dot anvil
Granite slab, poly punching board, and bakelite mallet

Modifications

I made the wristlet view with the optional leather strap (there are instructions for a fabric strap too). I reduced the suggested length of the strap by 1” because it felt too big for me.
I stamped “follow the flowers” on the wrist strap before setting the rivet. Remember to case (translation: wet/rehydrate) your leather before stamping to get a good impression. I use water in a spray bottle.
I omitted the front pocket because I wanted a more minimalist look.

Sewing Notes

I highly recommend using the included labels to keep track of all of the different pattern pieces you need to cut out!
When making bags, I like to use a regular presser foot with my needle adjusted all the way to the left. This keeps the presser foot out of the way of the zipper teeth but provides more traction with the feed dogs to advance heavier fabrics through the machine.
My one quibble with the instructions is that I don’t think they provide sufficient guidance about how and when to move the zipper pull out of the way so the zipper tape doesn’t distort. I know how to do this thanks to Klum House patterns, but someone new to sewing zippers might not!
Inserting the zipper for the main enclosure:

I aligned the zipper from the bottom and worked my way to the top to ensure there was no excess zipper tape around the curve for a smooth finish.
I used the recommended 1/8” seam allowance (following the guideline on my stitch plate) when sewing the exterior fabric and went slowly to ensure the zipper tape stayed aligned with the raw edge of the fabric and didn’t bunch anywhere under the needle.
When attaching the lining fabric, I sewed with the exterior fabric up so I could use the previous stitch line as a reference. I found it helpful to draw in the 1/4” seam line around the curve.

Sewing the perimeter of the exterior fabric can feel tricky because there are bulky seams at either end that get in the way of the presser foot. I started further down from the top edge than normal so that my presser foot was flat and level. Once I sewed the seam, I turned the piece around and sewed from my starting point in the opposite direction to the fabric edge. This way the bulky seam is always in front of the presser foot, not underneath it.
Tapering the seam allowance of the lining from 1/2” to 5/8” makes a big difference with such a small bag. Don’t skip this!
I followed the recommendation and closed the gaps in the lining and the zipper end tab using a ladder stitch—it’s worth the effort for such a small bag.

Notes for Next Time

I wish my wristlet had more structure! If I made this again with similar weight fabric, I would use 2 layers of Pellon 809 on the exterior fabric or substitute an interfacing with even more structure, such as Peltex. I think a single layer of Pellon 809 would be sufficient if you made the wristlet using a 7–9 oz canvas or similar.
Add more card slots or a large slip pocket (passport sized?) onto the other lining piece to add functionality!

Bonus: Yarrow Pouch

I made the smaller Yarrow Pouch for my kid sister last year as part of a matching back-to-school set (wallet, pencil pouch, and artist roll) when she started second grade 🥹

For the main fabric, I used Robert Kaufman Big Sur Canvas in Blue Grey. For the lining, I used Coral Reef quilting cotton (145 gsm) from the Aquatic Paradise collection by Louise Cunningham for Dashwood Studio.
I sewed the pouch size but added the fabric wrist strap from the wristlet view. I secured the swivel clasp to the strap with a double-cap rivet.
I decreased the length of the wrist strap 1” since I was making it for a kiddo.
I stamped her name on a leather tab and attached it to the exterior fabric with rivets before closing up the gap in the lining.

Keep In Touch

Thanks very much for reading! If you’d like in-person support and instruction, please sign up for my classes at Modern Domestic or reach out to schedule a private lesson. If you have any questions, feedback, or corrections regarding this post, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

yarrow wristlet