How to Make a Plastic Canvas Purse Form for Knitted Handbags

Inserting a rigid form helps knitted purses hold their shape.

Hand-knitted purses may require a firm foundation, as liner forms made from plastic canvas keep knitted bags in shape. Use your finished purse pieces as patterns for the liner before you assemble them. If you don't care for the look of uncovered plastic mesh, cover it with pieces of colorful fabric before assembling the liner. Match bold prints or conservative solid linings to your knitted purses.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Plastic canvas
• Scissors
• Safety pins
• Monofilament thread
• Blunt-nose needle
• Liner fabric

Instructions

Canvas Plastic Form

1. Cut 2 pieces of plastic canvas 13 inches by 10 inches for the liner sides. Cut one strip of plastic canvas 36 inches long by 3 inches wide for the side gussets and bottom. The strip will run down both 10-inch sides and across the bottom side.

2. Sew a side piece and the strip together, beginning at the top of the 13-inch side. Line up the holes in the top corners. Pin the edges with safety pins to hold them while you sew using a blunt-nosed needle with heavy monofilament or nylon thread to sew the pieces together. Whipstitch in the first or second holes along the edge until you reach the bottom corner.

3. Fold the strip at the corner to cross the bottom. Continue sewing the other bottom corner. Fold the strip, match up the next edge and sew. One piece of the purse liner should now be attached to the sides and bottom with excess side strip on one corner. Do not cut the excess yet.

4. Attach the other side of the liner and trim off the excess side strip. Insert the plastic canvas liner into the knit bag and align the edges. Sew the edge of the bag to the top edge of the liner.

Add a Lining

1. Cover the plastic canvas with fabric before sewing together. Fold fabric with wrong sides together and place the top edges of the plastic canvas along the fold.

2. Cut the fabric and leave 5/8-inch seam allowances along the unfolded sides. Place the plastic canvas inside the fabric. Pin the seam allowances and sew close to the plastic form.

3. Match up the bag pieces to the sides and bottom strip. Pin and sew along the seam allowances to join the pieces. Slide the finished liner inside the knitted bag. Sew the edge of the bag and the edge of the liner together.

Tips & Warnings

• If turning the corners on the liner is difficult, cut the side and bottom strip into three pieces and sew them together at right angles before attaching to the liner sides. Reinforce all corner stress points, including the top of the bad with extra stitching.

• For bags with round corners, slightly trim and round the corners of the two sides before attaching the narrow strip.

• Do not put canvas plastic in washer or dryer; hand wash and lie flat to dry.

References

• "Plastic Canvas Purses Plus"; E W Shepard; 1982
• FreePatterns.com: Gardener's Basket