How to Make a Record Album Purse

Choose a colorful record album to recycle into a purse.

Show off your rock 'n' roll style by recycling an old record album cover into a fashion accessory. Choose your favorite artist's album to create a rectangular cardboard purse with handles. Record album covers feature an array of colorful art, and you can find them for next to nothing at thrift stores and garage sales.

Things You'll Need

• Record album cover
• Ruler
• Hobby knife
• Hole punch
• Pin-type magnetic purse closure
• Flexible plastic purse handles
• 4 metal studs with split shanks
• Craft glue
• 5 yards ribbon, string or leather lacing

Instructions

1. Cut around the edges of the record album cover with the hobby knife to make two squares 12 1/2 inches on all sides.

2. Measure and cut two 7 1/2-inch-by-12 1/2-inch pieces from the two album cover pieces for the front and back of the purse. Set aside. This leaves two 5-inch-by-12 1/2-inch pieces.

3. Choose one of the smaller pieces to use for the two purse sides. Set the other piece aside. Cut 5 inches off the length of the one you chose, leaving a 5-inch-by-7 1/2-inch piece. Cut this piece in half lengthwise, to make two 2 1/2-inch-by-7 1/2-inch pieces. These will be your two sides.

4. Cut from the other 5-inch-by-12 1/2-inch piece a 2 1/2-inch-by-12 1/2-inch piece for the purse bottom, discarding what is leftover.

5. Take the back piece of the purse and make pencil marks all along the bottom and two side edges every 1/2 inch, staying 1/4 of an inch away from the edge. Center the hole punch over the pencil marks and punch holes through the cardboard. Do not punch holes in the top edge.

6. Use this back piece as a template to pencil mark and match the edges of all the other purse pieces. Punch holes in all the pencil-marked pieces. Do not punch holes in any of the top edges. The bottom piece will have holes punched on all four sides.

7. Attach a pin-type magnetic purse closure to the front and back pieces of the purse following the package directions. You can find purse closures at craft stores; you don't need tools to attach them. Magnetic purse closures are made for vinyl and heavy fabrics, so they work well with a cardboard album cover.

8. Attach the flexible vinyl handles with metal studs to the front purse piece. Position the handle near the top of the front piece. Using two metal studs that have split shanks, push the shanks through both handle ends and the front piece. From the inside push the split shank apart and press it flat against the inside of the purse, securing with a little craft glue. Repeat this step with the back piece, the other handle and two metal studs. You can find purse hardware sold separately at crafts stores.

9. Lay all five pieces down flat, matching all purse piece bottoms to the bottom piece. Using your lacing material, start at one corner of the bottom piece, and lace the front, sides and back to the bottom piece. Then pull the front, sides and back up to form a box. Match the holes together on the sides and finish lacing. Secure all ends by tying a knot.

Tips & Warnings

• For more durability laminate the record album cover.