L's Wallets

Son L had a project last year for Fourth Grade Social Studies to participate in a trade fair.  They were studying basic economic principals and this was a good way for them to learn about supply and demand and negotiations.

The directions were pretty simple - make something that was inexpensive.  Many people baked, and there were things like bookmarks and Pipe Cleaner animals.  L decided he wanted to make wallets.  I was having a hard time picturing it at first, until he made a prototype-  two rectangles of fabric, sewn around three sides.  I ended up modifying his pattern a little - a large rectangle, with the two ends folded into the middle and sewn right sides together (I pinned, he sewed), then turned right-sides out and a piece of heat-fusible stabilizer inserted between the layers (he did most of that step).  Then we folded it in half, I pinned, and he top-stitched around the sides and bottom.  They turned out really nice, and two of them we put loops and buttons on.  He was quite successful at the trade fair, as he only had a total of about 14 so he was able to create some demand

I was impressed by the variety of fabrics he picked out - though a couple almost went straight into my stash because I like them so much!