How to Make Purses From Books
The world is filled with attractive looking, well-bound books with surprisingly uninteresting contents. Make good use of your outdated social studies texts and unwanted religious books by transforming their comically austere covers into funky purses.
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Things You'll Need
- Water
- Glue
- Resealable container
- Wax paper
- Books
- Paint brush
- Weights
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Knife
- Drill
- Strap
- Clasp
Instructions
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1
Mix 1 part water and 1 part white glue in a resealable container such as a kitchen storage container. You can use slightly more glue if you want a thicker, less runny mixture.
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2
Put a piece of wax paper under the front cover. Make sure that it completely separates the cover from the pages.
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3
Close the book and coat the edges of the pages with the glue mixture. Get it all the way around, and on the place where the last page meets the back cover. Wipe off any drips with an old cloth.
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4
Cover the book with something heavy and let it dry. You could use weights if you have them, or other books. It should dry overnight, but could take as long as 24 hours.
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5
Draw a rectangle inside the book. The inner rectangle should be at least 2 inches smaller than the outer rectangle, and centered so that there is at least an inch between the two on all sides.
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6
Cut out the rectangle in the top page few pages with a craft knife. Make straight cuts.
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Continue to cut down until you have hollowed out the entire book. Stop when you get to the back cover or when there are only a few pages left.
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8
Paint the inside of the book with the glue mixture and let it dry.
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9
Drill holes in the sides of the book towards the page end and thread a piece of cloth through them. Tie the ends of the cloth together to make a strap.
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10
Make a clasp to hold the purse closed. One easy way to do this is to attach a piece of magnet tape (see Resources) on the front cover and attach a small piece of iron or another piece of tape to the purse. When the two touch, magnetism will hold the purse closed until you pull it open.
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Tips & Warnings
You must use a hardcover book.
