How to Make Purses With Personalized Photos
Personalize a purse or tote with your own photos in a matter of minutes. Use ink transfer solution if you want to transfer the photos to the fabric permanently, or make pockets on the purse so you can change the photos whenever you like. Making individual pockets makes it easy to replace just that pocket if a photo gets torn or damaged, instead of having to replace an entire panel of photos.
Things You'll Need
- Fabric purse or tote bag
- Clear vinyl, such as a tablecloth cover
- 1/8 yard (or scraps) of fabric in matching or contrasting color
- Sewing machine
- Hand sewing needle
- Thread
Instructions
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Locate the pictures you want to use. Lay them out on the purse or tote bag and position them in an attractive pattern. Be sure to leave at least one inch of space between the photographs. You can make just one pouch, or more, if there's room.
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2
Cut the vinyl into rectangles that are 3/4-inch wider and one inch taller than the photographs you want to feature.
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3
Cut the fabric into strips that are 1 1/2-inches wide. Fold the strips in thirds down the full length of the strips, and iron strong creases into them.
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Cut the strips to fit around three edges of the vinyl rectangles, leaving the top open.
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Attach the strips to the vinyl by sewing them together on the sewing machine. Open one third of the fabric strip and place the vinyl between it and the other layers of fabric. The front will be the side that has the folded-under fabric, and the back will be the side with one layer of fabric. Use long, straight stitches; topstitch (sew with the side that is going to show facing up) and sew slowly. You can do this by hand if you don't have a sewing machine.
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6
Sew each pocket onto the purse or bag. If the purse is unlined, you can sew it on the machine. Just topstitch around the three edges, leaving the top edge open for inserting photographs. If it has a lining, you'll want to do it by hand so you don't sew through the lining. Bring the needle back up through the outer fabric as soon as it penetrates the outer fabric, without catching the lining. When all of the pockets are attached, you're ready to insert your photos to personalize the purse.
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Tips & Warnings
Clear vinyl is often available in fabric stores, or in the fabric section of discount stores. Just ask for a clear vinyl tablecloth cover, and have them cut off a 1-foot long strip from the roll.
Instead of sewing the pouches to the purse, you can glue them. Just be sure to use a washable fabric glue.
Leather or "pleather" types of purses don't work very well for this project.
If the purse is lined, don't attach the pockets with the sewing machine. Instead, stitch by hand and go through only the outer layer, not the lining.
The tops of the pouches are not sealed, so water could possibly get inside them.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit pile de photo image by WSC from Fotolia.com
