How to Make a Purse Out of a Placemat

A snazzy placemat purse

One of the greatest ways to make memories with your child is to do crafts together. You can enjoy this simple craft and make matching bags that the two of you can carry or that you can give as gifts to aunts and grandmothers. Making placemat purses is a craft so easy that small children as young as four can help you make them and decorate them once the purse is put together.

Things You'll Need

• Cloth placemat
• Yarn
• Yarn needle
• Velcro
• Craft glue
• Thick ribbon
• Fabric paint (optional)
• Scissors

Instructions

1. 

   Select a placemat. You can use any kind of fabric placemat for this project. Lots of people like the woven type of mat because they are easier to sew and decorate, while others like the ones with fringe for extra pizazz. If you plan on decorating the mat yourself then you should use a fairly simple cloth, while brighter and busier mats require less accessorizing.

2. Fold the placemat over so that one half is slightly larger than the other. The longer side will be used to make the flap to close the purse.

3. 

   Sew the edges together. Using the yarn, sew up the sides of your placemat. The stitches need to be close enough together to keep objects like wallets and sunglasses from falling out. You can use yarn that matches the placemat or you can make your purse more colorful by using rainbow yarn.

4. Glue the Velcro onto the flap. The longer, "extra" length that will serve to hold your purse closed will be the "flap." Glue a piece of Velcro to the center of this piece at the very edge of the placemat. Do not glue it on the fringe if there is any as it will not stay. You will need to glue to other side of the Velcro to the purse so that the Velcro will keep it closed. More pieces of Velcro will hold your purse shut more securely. You may need to press the Velcro and the fabric together for a few seconds to make sure they stick.

5. 

   Cut a small hole for the ribbon on each side of the purse. Use the scissors to cut a small slit in each side of the purse. The slit should be near the top of the bag where the flap begins. Make the slit just large enough to fit the band of ribbon through if you fold it in half.

6. Thread ribbon from one side to the other. You can knot the ends of the ribbon in order to keep them from sliding out or you can tie them in pretty bows on the outside of the purse. Make the ribbon as long as you want. It will be the strap on your purse so keep that in mind.

7. Decorate your new purse with fabric paints or other accessories. You may wish to personalize your new placemat purse with beads, glitter paint, pompoms or other art items. Make your purse bright and colorful so that you will enjoy carrying it for a long time.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to line your purse, cut out a piece of fabric the same size as the placemat and either glue or sew it to the bottom of the placemat. Then fold the mat so that the solid fabric is on the inside of the purse.

Resources

• Click here for placemat purse patterns.