Order of Grace Frette Pouches

I finished these two pouches a couple of weeks ago. They are the sort of project that doesn't look that involved but which actually takes a lot of time.

These are token pouches for my Barony's Order of Grace. The silver frette is what takes the time. Because recipients  wear them with pride to events, they need to be very durable. And anyone who has worn garb trimmed with gimp braid will tell you that it is often not terribly durable.

The pouches are made from wool and velveteen. The lining is cotton or linen. The pattern is just a simple rectangle with seam allowances added. To make the pouches more likely to stand up to wear and tear, I hand sewed the trim into place down the centre of the ribbon. Then I went along both sides and sewed down all the little loops.

Once the trim was secured, I sewed the side seams of the pouches and linings and trimmed the corners. Simple tassels were created and then sewn along the bottom of the pouch.

Next the lining was inserted into the pouch, so that all seams were hidden. A whip stitch along the top edge secured them together.

I use five eyelets per side for pouches of this side. I use pins to mark their position and then make a hole with an awl. (I have an eyelet tool that I made from a wooden knitting needle that I use to enlarge the hole.) I do a double running stitch around each hole to secure it, and then reinforce with a thick satin stitch.

The pouch ties are threaded through the holes in opposite directions so that when they are pulled, they draw the mouth of the pouch shut. I used commercially produced cord for this project to save time.

The last thing to do is to add ties onto the pouch so that it can be hung from a belt. I usually aim to have it sit at around mid-thigh height, although this is only a guess because I have no idea who these pouches will be awarded to.

 

My little friend offering moral support while working those tedious frettes.