How to Make Frayed Edged Purses

Making frayed, raggedy edged purses is a fun and easy way to recycle old jeans and textiles. The seams sewn in a frayed edged purse blend in with the raggedy edge, making it a very forgiving sewing project for any sewing beginner. This no-fuss frayed edged purse has no hems to fuss with and no hidden seams. Choose fabric that tends to fray, ravel or rag easily. Denim, flannel and cotton prints work wonderfully. Don't forget to rummage through your own closet for clothing that is looking for another life. This project uses an old pair of jeans and a vintage sheet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pair of old blue jeans
• Vintage sheet
• Ruler or measuring tape
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Washer and dryer

1. Cut the waistband from the top of the jeans. Measure down from the cut edge 12 inches and cut off the legs at that point. Cut the seam away between the back pockets and remove the zipper fly and front seam of the jeans. This will leave you with two pieces of the jeans. Each piece will have a back pocket and a front pocket. Measure from the edge with the back pocket 15 inches toward the front pocket edge on both jean pieces and cut away the excess. This is your purse body. Use these pieces as your pattern to cut two pieces of the sheet. This is your purse lining. Cut two pieces for the purse sides from the jean legs and two pieces from the sheet 2 inches wide by 12 inches long. Cut one piece for the bottom of the purse from the jeans and one piece from the sheet 2 inches wide by 15 inches long. Cut one piece for the purse handle from the jean legs and one piece from the sheet 3 inches wide by 28 inches long, piecing the length together if needed.

2. Match each jean and each sheet piece with the wrong sides together. Treat each jean and sheet piece as one purse piece with the sheet side as the wrong side of the fabric. Lay the purse body front with the right side of the fabric down. Place a side piece wrong side down on one 12-inch edge of the body and pin. Place the other side piece on the other 12-inch edge of the body and pin. Sew the pinned edge using a 1/2-inch seam allowance, stopping stitching 1/2 inch from the bottom. Place the other purse body with the right side of the fabric down. Pin the other long edge of the purse sides to the body edge with the wrong sides of the fabric together. Sew the pinned edges using a 1/2-inch seam allowance, stopping stiching 1/2 inch from the bottom. The seams will be on the outside, creating the frayed edge.

3. Position the purse bottom piece at the bottom of the purse. Pin all the way around the purse body, wrong sides together. Stitch around the pinned edges using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. The 1/2 inch that you left unstitched on each side will be absorbed when you stitch the bottom to the purse body.

4. Topstitch on each long side of the handle 1/2 inch from the edges. Position the handle 1 inch inside the purse on each side and pin, making sure the handle is right side out. Topstitch around the top edge of the purse 1/2 inch from the edge, attaching the handle as you go.

5. Cut 1/2-inch snips along the exposed seams of the purse. Cut 1/2 inch wide snips along the top edge of the purse and along the sides of the handle, being careful not to cut through the topstitching. Place your purse in a washer and dryer to allow the agitation to give the purse its frayed raggedy edges.