The first coin purse I remade at the beginning of this week wasn't really ugly to start with. It was plain and lacked personality, but as far as things go to hold your change not terrible.
Today's remake is from fairly awful beginnings in its former life as a cigarette pouch. I was unaware such a thing existed. But when I picked it up to see if I couldn't tear it apart for the hardware, I was told by an enthusiastic shopkeep that this was the best thing to hold my smokes in, there's even a side pouch for the lighter. Rockin!
But I'm no smoker. This thing had to be re-crafted into something beautiful to be rescued from it's dull dollar store life, to be given a new start in it's non-toxic life for the new year. But this time with a visual tutorial, hurrah!
Re-crafting an Ugly Metal Framed Coin Purse to Become Something Beautiful
Materials:
Scraps of fabric large enough to get two cuts of your purse shape. One fabric for outside and one for lining (if you're into lining your purse).
One ugly "Cigarette Purse" or any other cheap metal clasp purse you fancy deconstructing.
Basics: Needle, thread, pencil paper, fabric glue and pliers
Time estimate for 1 complete coin purse: not more than 1 hour (and I hand stitch).
Step 1). Tear our this pleather material and begin to CAREFULLY ply open the metal clasps of the purse frame. *As this is a relatively cheap frame from a Dollar Store, this is either a pretty easy step where the metal just opens up or the material of the frame is so ridiculously strong that you are wasting your time and should pony up for a new frame. This hardware cost me about $.50 and and a few minutes of fiddling with the metal.
Step 2). Sketch out a rough shape that you like. I enjoy life without actual patterns, if it makes you nervous to think of all that design freedom, Google some images you'll find tons of coin purse shapes.
Step 5). There is an exceptional tutorial at the Purl Bee that will teach you how to finish the clasp of your purse (and also tempt you to buy $50 worth of a coin purse kit with Liberty of London fabric). Go to the tutorial, it is concise and fairly self-explanatory.
Today's remake is from fairly awful beginnings in its former life as a cigarette pouch. I was unaware such a thing existed. But when I picked it up to see if I couldn't tear it apart for the hardware, I was told by an enthusiastic shopkeep that this was the best thing to hold my smokes in, there's even a side pouch for the lighter. Rockin!
This is the original (terrible) pleather "cigarette purse"
But I'm no smoker. This thing had to be re-crafted into something beautiful to be rescued from it's dull dollar store life, to be given a new start in it's non-toxic life for the new year. But this time with a visual tutorial, hurrah!
Remade to something a little lovelier
Re-crafting an Ugly Metal Framed Coin Purse to Become Something Beautiful
Materials:
Scraps of fabric large enough to get two cuts of your purse shape. One fabric for outside and one for lining (if you're into lining your purse).
One ugly "Cigarette Purse" or any other cheap metal clasp purse you fancy deconstructing.
Basics: Needle, thread, pencil paper, fabric glue and pliers
Time estimate for 1 complete coin purse: not more than 1 hour (and I hand stitch).
Step 1). Tear our this pleather material and begin to CAREFULLY ply open the metal clasps of the purse frame. *As this is a relatively cheap frame from a Dollar Store, this is either a pretty easy step where the metal just opens up or the material of the frame is so ridiculously strong that you are wasting your time and should pony up for a new frame. This hardware cost me about $.50 and and a few minutes of fiddling with the metal.
Step 2). Sketch out a rough shape that you like. I enjoy life without actual patterns, if it makes you nervous to think of all that design freedom, Google some images you'll find tons of coin purse shapes.
Step 3). Trace this shape onto lining and outside fabric ( two from each fabric) with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Step 4). Two ways to go ahead.
a).If you are an expert with purse liners, stitch together the lining and outside fabrics separately to be assembled inside the pouch.
b). If you're in a hurry, you can pin all four fabric layers together right sides facing in and stitch around all piece. REMEMBER you only stitch until the point where your metal clasp will begin to touch the fabric on either side (you might want to mark this spot now).
Step 6). Voila! You have a lovely little coin purse that probably didn't cost you more than a few bucks in materials and an hour of your time.
January 3, 2011 at 11:32 PM
Sweet !
Thank you for sharing
January 4, 2011 at 10:33 AM
Thanks for stopping by, I'm working on a far more spectacular purse using these basics, check back soon.
January 4, 2011 at 2:44 PM
What a clever idea...love your choice of fabric, too
January 4, 2011 at 2:50 PM
Thanks Patti! It was a sample cut, no wider than 6 inches, that I have been carrying around in the stash for years and years. Definitively time to raid the dark corners of the scrap stash and use it or loose it.