How to Make a Purse Out of a Hooded Sweatshirt

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Hooded sweatshirts are cheap and ubiquitous; any cold-weather wardrobe is likely to have at least a few more than necessary. You could just toss the extras, but why not turn a piece of that surplus into a functional and unique purse? This easy DIY bag will turn that old hoodie into a new and funky piece that you can use all year round.

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Turn this basic into something unique.

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Things You'll Need

  • Straight Pins

  • Needle And Thread

  • Hooded Sweatshirt Without Zipper

Step 1

Turn your sweatshirt inside out and lay it out flat on a table. Line up the waistband so that the front and back are even. The seams in the sides of the sweatshirt should be at the very ends.

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Step 2

Sew the front of the sweatshirt to the back of it by stitching horizontally straight across the waistband. This is the bottom of your bag. For a wider bag, stitch closer to the bottom of the sweatshirt. For a skinnier bag, make your stitches higher up.

Step 3

Remove the pins and turn the sweatshirt right side out. Lay out the sweatshirt flat and cross the sleeves over the hood, so that the bands overlap. This is your shoulder strap. It is important to overlap the wristbands because this doubles the thickness of the strap at its highest point, creating a nice shoulder pad.

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Step 4

Insert pins along the seams of each wristband. Stitch along the seams of the wristband. Make sure to stitch through all four layers of fabric.

Step 5

Allow the hood to fall forward, creating a cover for your bag.

Tip

It is important to use a durable thread or go over your stitches several times, as the areas you are stitching are the weight-bearing parts of your bag.

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