Quick and Easy Purse Tutorial

In honor of National Sewing Month, celebrate with a fun and easy project to share (or keep, if you love it…)! One of the most satisfying sewing projects to pull off in a hurry is a cute, simple, handmade purse. With this quick and easy purse tutorial, you will not only reinforce your growing sewing skills, but you will be able to step out in style, sporting your very own fashion line! Purses are also a great way to use up leftover pieces of fabrics from previous projects that you weren’t quite prepared to part with. After all, you can never have too many purses…and if you do, they make great gift ideas!

Here’s how to sew a purse in 8 easy steps:

1. Prepare your materials.
   Cut four uniform pieces of fabric, approximately 14” by 16” inches. 2 pieces will be the exterior of the purse, and the other 2 will be the lining. You will also need to cut 2 pieces of fabric, with about 16” x 2 1/2” in size for the handles. FInally, you will need thread that compliments the colors of the fabrics.
2. Lay the 2 exterior pieces right sides together and stitch the sides and bottom with a 1/4” seam.
3. Repeat step 2 with your lining fabric, but leave about a 3” gap in the middle of the bottom seam. You will need this gap to turn your purse right side out after you insert the lining.
4. Prepare your purse handles by folding each handle in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together and then press with a warm iron. Fold each raw edge under and press again. Stitch with the raw edges neatly folded inside. Topstitch down the folded edge.
5. Pin the handles where you want them on your exterior fabric (still turned inside out), and baste in place 1/4” from the top edge of the purse.
6. Next, with the right sides still together, match up the top raw edges and the side seams. Stitch with a 1/2” seam to connect them together.
7. Turn the bag right side out by pulling the exterior fabric through the gap you left in the lining. This will result in the exterior being right side out, and the lining being on the inside.
8. Slipstitch the gap in the lining closed. Press the bag if it’s looking a bit wrinkly.
9. Topstitch the top of the purse 3/8” from the top edge to keep the lining in place.

And voilà, you have your very own handmade purse! Don’t forget to label your purse with your very own custom clothing label or a custom hang tag so everyone will know who you are wearing.