How to Make a Bamboo Placemat Purse
Place mat purses offer a blank slate for your creativity. Fabric place mats are most often stitched along the sides to craft a purse, but bamboo place mat purses only need a bit of the right adhesive to hold them together. Get creative with the purse design by adding embellishments to the front and the back, such as silk butterflies, beaded flowers or sea shells. Weave ribbons or strands of beaded wire through the bamboo place mat before making the purse to add a touch of color. Bamboo place mat purses are so simple to make that you can design a look for every day.
Things You'll Need
- Bamboo place mat
- Measuring tape
- Fabric
- Scissors
- Spray adhesive
- Clear waterproof construction adhesive
- Book
- Ribbon, 2-3/4 inches wide
- Hot glue stick
- Glue gun
- Self-adhesive interlocking strips
Instructions
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1
Measure the length and width of the bamboo place mat. Cut a section of fabric equal to the dimensions.
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2
Coat the back of the place mat with spray adhesive. Fit the fabric on top of the place mat. Smooth out any wrinkles and make sure the edges are flush. Press the fabric onto the place mat. Allow the adhesive to dry.
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3
Leave the place mat face down, fabric side up. Run a bead of clear waterproof construction adhesive along the two longest sides of the place mat, as close to the edge as possible. Fold the place mat in half so the top edge is open and the glued edges meet to form the sides of the purse. Apply pressure to the sides with a book or some other weighty object until the glue dries.
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4
Cut a length of ribbon to fit around each side of the place mat purse. Center the ribbon over the side seams of the purse and attach with hot glue. This decorative step may not be necessary if the bamboo place mat had a fabric band around the perimeter.
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5
Cut two strips of ribbon to the desired length of the purse handles. Attach the ends of one strip of ribbon to the inside rim of one side of the purse with the construction adhesive. Attach the other strip to the opposite inside rim. Make sure that the ribbon handles line up. Let the glue dry.
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6
Cut a strip of ribbon to fit around the inside rim at the top of the purse. Attach the ribbon to the bamboo place mat with hot glue or clear waterproof adhesive. Let the glue dry completely.
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7
Cut two 2-inch-wide strips of self-adhesive interlocking strips. Fit the strips together. Remove the backing from one and press it against the inside rim of the purse, at the center. Remove the other backing and press the opposite side of the bamboo purse to the strip.
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Tips & Warnings
Paint a design onto the front of the bamboo place mat purse with acrylics.
