How to Sew a Cuffed Girly-Girl Church Purse for Spring Using a Vintage Quilt

After eying the bright spring colors on a vintage quilt that I use as a cutter quilt, the perfect birthday gift came to mind for my goddaughter's birthday. She's a girly-girl who loves purses. This purse has a cuff around the top edge and uses jumbo rick-rack for the handles. It is finished off with a fabric yo yo and vintage button. What little girl wouldn't love that?

I only use cutter quilts for crafts and sewing projects I make from quilts. My criteria for a cutter quilt is one that has irreparable damage, worn spots and stains that can not be removed. These quilts are no longer usable for their original purpose, but portions of them make beautiful accessories and home decor items.

Things You Will Need:

Vintage cutter quilt
Lining fabric
Measuring tape
Scissors
Straight pins
Sewing machine
Iron
Jumbo rick-rack
Standard-size rick-rack
Compass
Hand-sewing needle
Decorative vintage button

Step 1
Cut two rectangles 7 inches wide by 9 inches long from the cutter quilt. Cut two rectangles 7 inches wide by 11 inches long from your lining fabric.

Step 2
Place the two quilt rectangles together with the right sides facing. Pin together the two long sides and one short edge for the purse's bottom. Sew the pinned edges using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Pin the lining rectangles together and sew in the same way.

Step 3
Clip the bottom corners of the quilt purse to eliminate bulk and turn the purse right side out. Do not turn the lining right side out.

Step 4
Slip the lining in the purse and line up the seams. Allow the excess at the top of the lining to extend past the top edge of the purse. Fold 1 inch on the top edge of the lining to the outside and press. Fold another 1-inch over the edge of the quilt purse and press. This creates the cuff on the top edge of the purse.

Step 5
Cut two 14-inch lengths from jumbo rick-rack. These are the handles. Insert both ends of one handle under the cuff and centered on one side of the purse. Separate the handle ends by 1 inch. Pin the cuff and the handle ends on this side of the purse. Turn the purse over, pin the remaining handle and the cuff on this side of the purse. Sew around the purse along the bottom pinned edge of the cuff.

Note: I found my jumbo rick-rack in a box of vintage sewing supplies I purchased at an estate auction. I really am not sure if it is still sold today. If you can not locate jumbo rick-rack, ribbon can be substituted.

Step 6
Cut a 14-inch length from standard-size rick-rack. Starting on one side seam, top stitch the rick-rack over the stitching around the cuff. Overlap the ends of the rick-rack where they meet.

Step 7
Cut a 4-inch circle from the leftover lining fabric. I used a coaster for the circle pattern, but you can also use a compass. Hand-sew a running stitch around the circle, 1/4 inch from the edge. Pull the thread to gather the circle and close the opening. Knot and cut the thread. This is a yo yo. Squish the yo yo flat with the gathered opening centered on one side. The finished yo yo will measure approximately 2-inches in diameter.

Step 8
Choose which side will be the front of the purse. Place the yo yo where desired on the front of the purse and pin. Place a decorative vintage button over the center of the yo yo and stitch them both to the purse.