See photos of pocketbooks made from these directions.
Materials:
- Fabric - 1/2 yard of 45" or 60" wide
- Lining - 1/2 yard of 45" or 60" wide
- 1 1/4 yards of piping
- Thread
- Bottom Pattern Piece PDF Format
- For the elastic topped purse - 20" of 1/2" elastic and 1 1/2" of 3/4" wide hook and loop tape
- Optional:Decorative drawstring -- 1 1/4 yard of decorative cording (approximately 1/2" diameter}
- Optional:
- Interfacing - depends upon your fabric choice. Most fabric will require 2 layers of fusible craft weight interfacing.
- Bottom: For extra stiffness in the bottom, use a stiff plastic cut 3/4" smaller than the bottom pattern piece. The purses shown here used shower wall liner. Plastic from a 3 ring binder is approximately the same thickness.
- Optional: Zipper for the lining pocket - a 5" light-weight zipper or a longer zipper that you can sew through can be trimmed to fit the pocket area after you have sewn it in place. How to Shorten a Zipper
- Piping or covered cording How to Cover Cording and Create Piping
Note: The drawstring version can be combined with the elastic version,to maintain a secure close and using the drawstring for decorative purposes.
Cutting Instructions:
Fabric
- Using the pattern piece for the purse bottom, cut one of the fabric on the fold as marked on the pattern piece.
- For the strap cut one strip of the fabric 30" by 4"
- For the sides of the purse - cut two pieces of the fabric 12" by 16"
- Optional cell phone pocket: cut one piece 7" by 13"
- Using the pattern piece for the purse bottom, cut one of the lining fabric on the fold as shown on the pattern piece.
- Cut two 7 1/2" by 16"
- Optional: Cut one 8" by 5 1/2" rectangle for the pocket.
- Cut one of the bottom pattern piece and one for each side. Note:If your fabric lacks body you may want to double the interfacing.
