How to Make Purse Out of Placemats
Making purses from placemats leaves you open to many fabric design choices that will go with any outfit and any holiday for pennies. You can purchase placemats one at a time for one purse or buy a matching set for quick gifts for family and friends. Sewing a purse from a placemat is also a wonderful sewing craft for a teenage girl's sleepover. Have the girls bring the placemat of their choice to ensure they get exactly the purse the desire.
Things You'll Need
- One 3/8-inch wide wire edge satin ribbon, 1-yard
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Scissors
- One rectangular-shaped, decorative placemat, straight edged
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
- Four matching, decorative buttons, flat or shank
- Hand-sewing needle and matching thread
Instructions
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1
Cut two lengths of one 3/8-inch-wide satin ribbon 18-inches long. Fold one short end of one ribbon over 1-inch and press. Fold over and press the other ribbon end in the same way. Repeat with the other ribbon length.
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2
Lay your rectangular placemat on your work surface with the right side up. Measure 2-inches from a corner edge on a short edge of your placemat and 2-inches down from the edge. Mark with a pin. Repeat on the other corner on the same short side.
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3
Pin the folded ends of one ribbon on the pinned marks with the 1-inch folded end down. This will create a handle that extends off the short edge of the placemat. Measure and pin the remaining ribbon in the same way on the opposite short edge. Topstitch the edges of the pinned-ribbon ends.
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4
Place a decorative button over each stitched tab of the placemat purse handles and hand sew in place with thread that matches the placemat.
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5
Fold the placemat in half with the short ends matching and the right sides together. Pin the sides of the purse together and sew with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Backstitch the beginning of the seam at the top edge. This will prevent the seam from separating.
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6
Create a boxed bottom so the purse will stand up. Lay the placemat purse flat. Measure and cut a 2-inch square from each bottom corner. Spread a cut corner apart and match the side seams with the folded-bottom edge and pin. Sew across the pinned edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Repeat with the other cut square corner. Turn the purse right side out and stand.
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