GC Home | Register | Shop | Learn | Business | Around Town | Info

Easy Purse
Victoria White, The Secret Workshop

I originally made this purse for my daughter. She wanted a soft purse to carry her pennies and toys in for trips to town. The purse was made with a bright holiday print on one side and a coordinating plain on the back. The purse turned out great and there is not reason you could not make several in a variety of prints and plains for all your fashion needs! Don�t forget to add this soft purse to your own wardrobe.

For one purse you will need:

2 pieces of fabric measuring 17 inches by 61/2 inches
Medium or heavy weight interfacing
Thin cotton batting with Perfect Cotton� or Warm and Natural� - one 17"x61/2" piece
Drawstring cord � 1.5 meters or 1-� yards
6 inches of Velcro both top and bottom
Thread

To Start:

Taking each of the two pieces of fabric, fuse the interfacing on the wrong side. Once the fabric is fused, place the right sides of the fabric together. Place the batting on the top of one piece. Pin through all layers. Starting at one end, stitch around the entire rectangle, leaving a 3" opening for turning on one long side. Trim corners. Turn fabric to the right side through the opening, slip stitch the opening close and press.

Quilting:

If you wish to quilt the purse with a design or straight lines, do this now. It can be as simple as you wish. On Hayley�s purse, I followed the designs in the fabric using invisible thread. Quilting the purse helps to stabilize the purse by attaching the fabric and batting together. This said however, it is not necessary to quilt the purse if you do not wish to do so.

Attaching the Velcro:

Cut the 6" piece of Velcro into two 3" pieces. Pull the two Velcro sections apart giving you two soft loop pieces and two harder hook pieces. Taking the purse and working on the right side of the fabric at one end, measure down 2" from the top (narrow end) and in �" from the side (long edge). You are working with the narrow shorter end of the fabric. Place a loop piece of Velcro here. Pin and stitch in place. Now do the same cross from this piece of Velcro measuring in from the top 2" and in �" from the side. Stitch in place. This is where the flap will attach when closed.
To attach the hook pieces of Velcro, turn the fabric over so you are now working on the wrong side of the fabric at the opposite end from where you have just applied the loop section. This time attach the Velcro measuring in an equal distance of 1/2'" from both the top and the side. Stitch the Velcro in place.

Finishing Up:

Lay the purse flat on a table with the wrong side of the fabric facing up. Lay the fabric down so the narrow end is at the bottom and the Velcro you attached on the wrong side is at the top. Measuring from the bottom edge, mark up seven inches on the long side. Fold up. Pin in place and stitch down both sides to form the bottom of the purse. Next, to make the flap, measuring from the top, mark down three inches. Fold. The Velcro will meet and hold the flap in place.

Attaching the Cord:

Taking the drawstring or cord, form a knot at each end. Open the purse and place each drawstring end just inside the top flap where the purse is folded when closed. Stitch the cord in place by either hand or on your machine.

More information on The Secret Workshop

Back to the Get Creative! Conference Center

Back to Meet the Get Creative! Experts