Make 3 Pretty Purses from Things Around the House

I found a once-favorite wool skirt in my closet and decided it should be my next crafty sacrifice. It was satin-lined, houndstooth wool, a stylish skirt I intended to wear again some day. In my heart I knew my hips would never cooperate, so I turned my skirt into a stylish handbag instead. That's called upcycling, turning something old into something new.

With a sewing machine and about an hour's effort, even the most un-crafty lady can transform a beloved skirt into a me-designed bag. Trim it your way and you'll have big crafty fun. When you're done, you might even want to do what I did: make a clutch from a Chinese placemat or a little purse from an African fabric remnant. You don't have to get multicultural crafty like me. Use the skirt, placemat or fabric of your choice; and you'll still end up with three pretty purses just like mine.

Handbag from a skirt

Materials

• 1 skirt
• Thread
• Trim of your choice

Make your bag

• Cut off the top 15 inches of your skirt.
• Leave the waistband and zipper for trim.
• Turn inside out.
• Double stitch a 1/2 inch seam across the bottom.
• Stitch across the inside bottom corners to give your bag bottom a square look.

Finish your bag

• Create a decorative flap by cutting and sewing a triangle of lined skirt fabric.
  
• One triangle side should be the same width as the top of your purse.
• Turn the piece right side out, iron seams and sew right side to right side to the top back of your purse,
• To make a strap, cut and sew a long strip of fabric into a tube.
• Iron the seam, turn right side out, then iron again.
• Sew your strap ends to the inside sides of your bag.
• See below for easy purse trim ideas.

Colorful little purse

Materials

• Colorful fabric remnant
• Lining fabric
• 3 feet of satin cord

Make your little purse

• Cut fabric and lining into 15 and 1/2 by 5 and1/2 inch pieces
• For a pointed flap, fold fabric/lining in half and trim the top 4 inches into a point.
• Sew right sides of lining and fabric together with a 1/2 inch seam.
• Leave a 3 inch opening.
• Iron seams and turn right side out through opening, then iron again.
• Lay finished piece right side up
• Mark 4 inches from the top with straight pins.
• Fold the bottom up to the 4 inch marks.
• Sew together with a1/4 inch seam
• Turn right side out.
• Stitch satin cord strap to top of inside seams

Placemat Clutch

Materials

• 1 place-mat: If your place-mat is lined, you won't need lining fabric
• 1 piece of lining fabric cut to place-mat size.
• 1 piece of thin quilt batting, cut each side 1/2 inch narrower than place-mats

Make your clutch

• Cut lining and batting
• Sew top 2 sides of place-mat and lining together with right sides facing each other.
• Iron seams and trim corners
• Turn right side out
• Slip batting layer inside. If it doesn't fit, trim a little more from each side
• Stitch the open edge of place-mat/lining piece together.
• Measure 4 inches from the top and sew a row of stitches across the place-mat to hold the batting in place.
• Lay place-mat piece right side up
• Fold the bottom edge up and pin into place at your stitched line.
• Sew sides of the purse with a 1/4 inch seam.
• Turn right side out and iron.

• For a fuller clutch, stitch across the bottom corners before turning your purse right side out.
• Add a Velcro strip to the flap for easy closing.
• For a sturdier clutch, slip a piece of flexible plastic inside except for the flap. (Try cutting up a plastic file envelope.)
  

Now that you've finished your purses, personalize your designs. Use some of the simple trim ideas below or think up a few of your own.

• Grommets/eyelets: A kit costs about four dollars at a fabric store.
• Add grommets at the waist band and use split rings to hang your purse straps.
• Add a colorful red tassel.
• Make a fabric bow or flower.
• Add colorful buttons, snaps or ribbon.
• Add metal findings from an old purse or fabric store.

Source: My personal craft projects