This bracelet clutch is for those times when you need a really small purse.

I recently informed my cousin on a shopping trip that there’s no such thing as too many purses. Sometimes you need a large one. Sometimes you need a small one. Sometimes you need a really small one. And you have to have them in various colors, too.

This bracelet clutch is for those times when you need a really small purse. It will fit some cards, some cash and some lip gloss. The bracelet keeps it close at hand, but it doesn’t have to be in your hand like a regular clutch. It would be ideal for the upcoming Downtown Lawrence Sidewalk Sale — it keeps your hands free for sifting through mountains of deals!

The basics of this bag I learned from “Sew What! Bags” by Lexie Barnes. It’s a good resource, especially if you’re afraid of sewing zippers. But fear not — it’s actually pretty simple, at least for this project.

Supplies: outer fabric, 7 inches by 10 inches; lining fabric, 7 inches by 10 inches; 7-inch zipper; pins; sewing machine with zipper foot; thread; bracelet; 2-3 inches of ribbon, 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch wide.

1. Cut the outer fabric into two rectangles, 7 inches by 5 inches each. Repeat for the lining fabric.
2. Deep breath — here comes the zipper. Lay one outer fabric rectangle face up. Lay the zipper on top, face down, aligning the edge with the top edge of the rectangle. Then lay one lining fabric rectangle, face down, on top of the zipper and outer fabric, aligning the edges. Pin all three layers in place.
3. Stitch using a zipper foot along the edge. You want the stitching to be close to the zipper but not so close that the fabric catches in it when the zipper is opened and closed. Once it’s stitched, turn the fabric pieces away from the zipper and press.
4. For the other side, lay the other outer fabric rectangle face up. Align the unsewn edge of the zipper with the top edge of the rectangle, with the other outer piece facing down. The sewn lining piece will be facing up. Lay the second lining rectangle on top, face down, aligning the edge with the zipper. Pin the layers together.
5. Repeat step 3 on the other side.
6. Open the zipper a little to make turning easier later. Then fold the pieces so that the outer rectangles face right sides together and the lining rectangles face right sides together. Pin.
7. Take the ribbon and fold it around the bracelet. Cut to a length that allows about 3/4-inch overhang. Slip the bracelet between the outer fabric layers, with the ribbon sticking into the seam allowance about 1.25 inches down from the zipper. Pin the ribbon in place.
8. Sew around three sides of the bag with a 1/2-inch seam, leaving the bottom of the lining open. Trim the seam allowance and zippers down to about 1/4 inch.
9. Reach in through the unsewn end and open the zipper. Pull the exterior right sides out, and pull the lining out. Fold the unsewn edge of the lining in about 1/4 inch and stitch all the way across with a 1/8-inch seam. Tuck the lining back inside.

Now slip the bracelet on your wrist, and you’re ready to head out.