How to Make Purses Out of Men's Suits

You can create a nice fashionable purse by using men's suits as fabric.

Designing a purse is very resourceful when it comes to using old men's suits as the fabric. This is a simple way to express yourself and create a trendy purse that you can carry from day to day. These purses also make great gifts for different occasions.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Magnetic clasp
• Suit fabric
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Common pins
• Iron-on interfacing
• Craft paper
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Decide what design you want your purse to be. Figure out the height and width that you want it. You can do this by cutting craft paper and measuring the length you want it to be. When you fold the craft paper in half, you can see if this is your desired height and width for the purse. Use this craft paper as an outline in cutting your desired purse length, fabric inside the purse and straps.

2. Cut all the fabric and iron the fusible interfacing to each fabric piece. Fold the top edges of the purse. Then fold the purse in half. Do the same with the fabric that will be inside the purse.

3. With the right sides of the purse together, cut 2 inches diagonally out of the bottom corners of the outer bag. This creates the gusset of the bag. Sew around the entire edges except the top of the bag from the inside out. Iron the seams of the purse. Do the same with the fabric that will be inside the purse.

4. Iron two small pieces of the interface to the middle of the bag toward the top of where you want the magnetic clasp snap to be. Then use the seam ripper to create two holes through the fabric. Place the snap in the holes, making sure the snap is outside the bag and the back of the snap is inside. Fold down the snap with your hands or hammer them closed.

5. Create the snap flap by cutting a rectanglar piece of fabric. Fold it in half, turn it over from the inside out and sew the edges around, leaving the top of the snap flap open. Iron the snap flap from the right side out. Place the snap piece on one side of the piece on the outside of the flap and the back on the inside.

6. Fold the two pieces of straps in half so that each side meets the other and iron them down. Very carefully sew the pieces down.

7. Attach the straps, flap and inside fabric to the purse. Line up the seams with the fabric that will be inside the bag and pin the seams. Place the snap flap inside the bag under the inside fabric and pin it. Place the straps under the inside fabric toward the top of the bag and pin.

8. Take the sewing machine and sew the the straps, flap and inside fabric of the purse in a zigzag pattern. Sew over the straps several times to make sure they are secure.

References

• Creative Little Daisy; Basic Purse Tutorial; January 2006