craftgrrl | my very first purse... (Reply)

i finally got around to making a purse out of my favorite salvaged antique book cover.. it's my first try at purse making and it's a little rough around the edges, but i like it.
the cover dates from the late 1880's.

the cover was rescued from a water damaged book...(quite unreadable)

(i work at a used book store and i rescue pieces of beautiful but broken books for crafting...) i had this cover on display on an easel on my shelf because i think it's beautiful with the gold details, now i can carry it around!

a key hangs from the front, and there are tiny gear details on the back.

the handle might not match as well as it should, but this was all i could find.

i used this tutorial for the book, and i made an extra flap for the closure and made some pockets inside.
http://www.curbly.com/Chrisjob/posts/4164-Curbly-Video-Podcast-How-to-Make-a-Handbag-out-of-a-Recycled-Book-
*** it's REALLY EASY!! ******

i didn't have faith in my fabric glue so i stitched some parts and used hot glue for the rest.

for those curious about the title: (from amazon)
Josiah Klegg is a young, enthusiastic and patriotic recruit, who is unwise in the ways of the army. And Shorty "his pard", whom Si meets shortly after enlisting (or 'listing as they call it) is a hardluck Huckleberry Finn character. Though having had a rough lot in life, Shorty is a quick thinker and wise to the ways of the world. The two of them are "stayers", and together, they travel the long hard (and often painful) path from inexperienced recruit to veteran soldier.

There is much in this story of interest for the Civil War buff, including detailed descriptions of marching (blisters and all), camp life, hospital scenes and actual combat. In the end, this story is about the bonds that tie men together. If it is at all possible to understand the feelings men had for each other, during that terrible interlude in American History, you'll get closest, reading this book

and "pard" sounds rather beavis hehheheh

no healthy books were harmed in the making of this purse.
x-posted to my journal and steamfashion.