How to Design Purses & Handbags
Designing purses and handbags is a rewarding and fun craft. Purses and handbags can be made from a variety of fabrics or leather, and can be designed to fit specific uses, even if that use is purely to be fashionable. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Butcher paper
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Fabric (corduroy, upholstery fabric, denim or canvas) or leather
- Webbing
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Pins or adhesive tape
- Seam-binding tape (optional)
Instructions
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Pick a design. The size and style of your purse or handbag will be determined by your needs. If the purse will be used to carry the usual--lipstick, wallet, cell phone, pens, gum, etc.--then it will need to be functional as well as fashionable. If you will be using the bag to carry home groceries, it won't need to be fashionable, but it must be functional.
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Keep it simple. If this is your first bag, keep in mind that a tote bag is the easiest to construct. It will only require two pieces of fabric for the body and some durable webbing for the strap.
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Sketch your tote bag design full-scale on butcher paper. Use a ruler for straight lines, and make the pieces either a rectangle or a square. The fabric will be doubled, so only one pattern piece is necessary. Leave a seam allowance of at least a half-inch the perimeter of the pieces of fabric. Regardless of the size of the bag, 4-inch darts must be put in the bottom of both sides of the bag to give space, so be sure to add them. Draw two darts, spaced evenly from the center line of the bag. Cut out the pattern piece.
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Measure the webbing. If the tote will be an over-the-shoulder bag, measure the webbing from the shoulder to the preferred length. If the bag will be carried by the strap, measure webbing that is 1½ times the width of the bag.
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Pin the pattern on the fabric. If using leather, tape the pattern to attach. Cut the pieces and save the pattern for future totes. Sew the darts on the wrong side of the fabric, then seam the three sides of the bag--left, bottom and right--right sides together. Fold the top opening of the bag in, and top stitch the circumference. Seam-binding tape can be used on all raw edges. Iron all seams, then attach the webbing to both sides at the center of the left and right seams to complete the tote.
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Tips & Warnings
More elaborate handbags can be constructed. Use a favorite purse as a starting point for the design, but always take into consideration the type of fabric, how the bag will be used, and the difficulty of the project. Regardless of the bag type, make a sketch for the design. You can find adornments for your handbag or purse at any fabric store. Buttons, ribbons, flowers and more can be used, but always consider the bag's use.
