Placemat purse Tutorial

Happy Wednesday everybody! I have a very busy evening tonight so this tute is going to be quick. But it should be because the purse took like an hour to make so you can do this!!!!! I think it took me longer to actually plan how to make it than to actually put the thing together. Does this ever happen to you?

Okay, shout my mouth and let's do this thing!

What you'll need:
bamboo or wood placemat
cardboard (if using fabric placemat you may not need cardboard)
glue gun and glue
fabric remnant, about 1/2 yard tops
purse handles

Cut cardboard like spa and attach using hot glue otherwise you have a floppy purse and no one likes saggy sides.

Cut two pieces of fabric like so, slightly flared on either end and the middle width should be as wide as the middle piece of cardboard. When folded, the piece should be as high as the cardboard on the sides.

Fold right sides together and stitch both sides about 1/4" from the edge. Turn so right sides are out, tuck in the top edges and sew across on the outside.

Cut a piece of fabric the same size as the mat and then iron all the edges inside to be just slightly larger than the sides of the cardboards.

This is what is should look like from the other side.

Find the middle and pin the sides to it. Open the folds of the large piece of fabric and sew across the bottom.

Now sew each side of the side (pay attention this gets a little wily in these here parts) just slightly outside of the ironed fold. This way when you go to attach the whole lining, the seams will be folded under and hidden.

Hopefully this close up will help that to make sense and it will show you that you need to clip right at the corner so the material will bend around and make sewing the sides super easy.

All sewn up! Although I now realize the lining is sitting the wrong way in this photo! You might want to hot glue all of the folds in place. It made gluing it to the placemat much easier if all the folds weren't wiggin' and stickin' out. Now hot glue all the edges to the inside of the placemat starting on one side and attaching the top just covering the cardboard. Then glue the bottom and then pull up the placemat on the other side and glue it in place. Now glue the other side and top and you are done the hard part!

See no seams showing inside or out!  I went back over all the places of attachment and added glue spots here and there as needed to make it secure. I have used it for 2 days now and so far so good!

I found some bamboo handles at Joann's for $1.97 and I super glued them in place using my little grippers.

I am not a good model as I think I moved while trying to take this pic. I guess if it isn't an action shot I am just AWK-ward!

Now I have a great spring purse that I desperately needed and it only cost me $3.00.

Not bad for an up cycle or re-purpose or a whatever.......


Always being renewed,