How to Make a Fancy Purse

Make a fancy purse to complete any outfit.

Nothing completes an outfit like the right purse. Enjoy an evening out or attend a formal event and you will want a fancy purse to complement your fashion ensemble. Skip the high-priced racks at your local department store and design your own purse.

Things You'll Need

• Velvet or fabric
• White paper
• Felt pen or pencil for tracing
• Scissors
• Needle
• Thread
• Pins
• Craft cement
• Embellishments
• Velcro or snaps

Instructions

1. 

   Velvet is a soft and formal fabric to use.

   Choose a shape for your purse and select a fabric. Velvet is a good choice for evening, winter and formal dressing. Choose embellishments to add glamour.

2. Draw or trace your chosen shape on white paper. Create a purse in either a rectangle or square shape. Remember that your purse when completed will be half the size of what you have drawn on paper.

3. 

   Choose thread in a matching color to your fabric.

   Place your white paper shape on the underside of your fabric. Pin and trace the shape. Cut along those lines.

4. Turn your fabric so that the outside (velvet or fancy side) is facing you. Fold toward you so the underside of the fabric faces you again. The fold will be the bottom of your purse.

5. Sew the two sides of shape together with a running stitch. You will now have three closed sides to your bag.

6. Fold down the top of the two open edges to make a clean finished seam. Sew this overlap of up to 1 inch to the underside of the fabric, also using a running stitch.

7. Sew Velcro patches or snaps onto the top of the underside fabric near your seam so it can be closed securely. Use self-stick Velcro or sew using small stitches that will be well hidden on the outside of fabric.

8. 

   Add ribbon or other embellishments.

   Turn your purse right side out so the velvet or fancy side faces you. Sew or use craft cement to embellish with rhinestones, shells, ribbon, lace, appliques or buttons. Fancy up your new handheld clutch purse to match your mood or dress.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do not want to hand or machine sew, glue seams together with permanent fabric cement. Let each glued seam dry thoroughly before inverting the purse.

References

• Trystancraft.com; Gothic Martha Stewart Drawstring Bags and Purses; Trystan L. Bass
• Studyvillage.com; How to Make a Velvet Purse; Nikhil; July 1, 2011