Book Purses Tutorial
May. 8th, 2009 02:47 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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craftgrrlA couple of people asked for instructions on how I made my book purse, so here's the tutorial -- I apologize that I don't have pictures to go with it...I didn't think to take any while making the purse.
- Choose the book you want to use. I like to look for one that's got a sturdy, quality cover -- something clothbound, preferably. It's up to you whether you theme the decorations on the purse to the theme of the book.
- Very carefully, using an x-acto knife, extract the "guts" of the book.
- Choose the fabric you want to use for the sides and the lining -- my instructions said this would take about 1/2 yard, but I bought 2 1/2 yards because I'm abyssmal at sewing (I had a ton left over, though).
- I made my pattern using cardstock. Measure the width of the pages of your book -- this will be the bottom of your pattern. Measure the height of the pages -- that will be the height of your pattern. Make the top of your pattern about 4" -- far enough for the purse to open comfortably (I made mine 5 inches). Add a 1/2" seam allowance to the bottom and sides (but not top).
- Fold your fabric in half so that the wrong sides are facing out. Lay your pattern so the top is on the fold. Cut out the three sides around the pattern. Do this one more time -- this will give you two joined together pieces for the sides. Sew the three sides together, this time with the right sides facing out (wrong sides facing each other).
- Measure the inside of your book and make a rectangle pattern. Add 1" all around the sides. Iron the edges over approx. 1". This will be your lining.
- Cut a notch in the lower right hand corner (skinny end) of your side piece, about 3/8" in size. Do the same to the lower left hand corner, then do the same to your second side piece. Use fabric glue and glue the bottoms to the inner spine of the book, just far enough in so that you'll be able to glue the rest of it up the sides of the cover and reach the top (I'm sorry that that isn't written very clearly -- I'm not sure how to describe it, but you're basically just gluing in a sidepiece that holds the book together like a purse...see the pics in my completed project entry.). I used binder clips to hold the cloth down until the glue dried. Glue the other sidepiece on the other side.
- Cut a piece of cardboard the length and width of spine and glue that down on the spine so that it covers the small piece of sidepiece glued onto the spine. While you're waiting for that to dry, you can glue the rectangular lining down a bit -- start by covering the spine with glue and glue the lining to that. The rest will have to be glued down later.
- Choose a cord or ribbon for your handle. Cut two 1 1/2 ft pieces and glue them to the insides of the cover to form a handle. You'll probably need lots of glue and a binder clip to keep them down. I then left all that to dry overnight.
- Glue the sides of your sidepiece up the side of the covers, using binder clips to keep it in place. Then glue down most of your lining, using a bone folder or a popsicle stick to get into tight places and smooth it down. Leave a little bit unglued at the "top" (by the handles) for your ribbon.
- Tuck one end of a grosgain ribbon under your lining and glue both down (use a trusty binder clip!), the wrap the ribbon all the way around your purse and glue it down, tucking the end under the lining on the other side; glue both down there, too (binder clip!). Make sure all "gaps" in lining are glued down. At this point I put a large roll of tape just inside the purse to keep it open, but laying flat. You can then glue a button or other decoration to the ribbon if you wish. Use lots of glue and leave it laying flat until completely dry (probably overnight again).
I hope this is a little bit clear. The instructions, with pictures, can also be found in the book "Designer Style Handbags" by Sherri Haab, which I found at my local library (but which had a ton of cool patterns so it's actually quite worth owning if you're interested). If anyone has any questions, I can try to clarify any part of this tutorial!
- Choose the book you want to use. I like to look for one that's got a sturdy, quality cover -- something clothbound, preferably. It's up to you whether you theme the decorations on the purse to the theme of the book.
- Very carefully, using an x-acto knife, extract the "guts" of the book.
- Choose the fabric you want to use for the sides and the lining -- my instructions said this would take about 1/2 yard, but I bought 2 1/2 yards because I'm abyssmal at sewing (I had a ton left over, though).
- I made my pattern using cardstock. Measure the width of the pages of your book -- this will be the bottom of your pattern. Measure the height of the pages -- that will be the height of your pattern. Make the top of your pattern about 4" -- far enough for the purse to open comfortably (I made mine 5 inches). Add a 1/2" seam allowance to the bottom and sides (but not top).
- Fold your fabric in half so that the wrong sides are facing out. Lay your pattern so the top is on the fold. Cut out the three sides around the pattern. Do this one more time -- this will give you two joined together pieces for the sides. Sew the three sides together, this time with the right sides facing out (wrong sides facing each other).
- Measure the inside of your book and make a rectangle pattern. Add 1" all around the sides. Iron the edges over approx. 1". This will be your lining.
- Cut a notch in the lower right hand corner (skinny end) of your side piece, about 3/8" in size. Do the same to the lower left hand corner, then do the same to your second side piece. Use fabric glue and glue the bottoms to the inner spine of the book, just far enough in so that you'll be able to glue the rest of it up the sides of the cover and reach the top (I'm sorry that that isn't written very clearly -- I'm not sure how to describe it, but you're basically just gluing in a sidepiece that holds the book together like a purse...see the pics in my completed project entry.). I used binder clips to hold the cloth down until the glue dried. Glue the other sidepiece on the other side.
- Cut a piece of cardboard the length and width of spine and glue that down on the spine so that it covers the small piece of sidepiece glued onto the spine. While you're waiting for that to dry, you can glue the rectangular lining down a bit -- start by covering the spine with glue and glue the lining to that. The rest will have to be glued down later.
- Choose a cord or ribbon for your handle. Cut two 1 1/2 ft pieces and glue them to the insides of the cover to form a handle. You'll probably need lots of glue and a binder clip to keep them down. I then left all that to dry overnight.
- Glue the sides of your sidepiece up the side of the covers, using binder clips to keep it in place. Then glue down most of your lining, using a bone folder or a popsicle stick to get into tight places and smooth it down. Leave a little bit unglued at the "top" (by the handles) for your ribbon.
- Tuck one end of a grosgain ribbon under your lining and glue both down (use a trusty binder clip!), the wrap the ribbon all the way around your purse and glue it down, tucking the end under the lining on the other side; glue both down there, too (binder clip!). Make sure all "gaps" in lining are glued down. At this point I put a large roll of tape just inside the purse to keep it open, but laying flat. You can then glue a button or other decoration to the ribbon if you wish. Use lots of glue and leave it laying flat until completely dry (probably overnight again).
I hope this is a little bit clear. The instructions, with pictures, can also be found in the book "Designer Style Handbags" by Sherri Haab, which I found at my local library (but which had a ton of cool patterns so it's actually quite worth owning if you're interested). If anyone has any questions, I can try to clarify any part of this tutorial!
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