Mini Purse to Backpack

-Brother Sews Blogger

MAKE YOUR OWN MULTIPURPOSE CROSS-BODY MINI PURSE THAT TURNS INTO A BACKPACK! ITS PERFECT FOR A STREET FEST, SPORTING EVENT, OR EVEN A NIGHT OUT!

YOU’LL NEED:
- BROTHER VM 5200
- OLD PAIR OF DENIM JEANS
- 1/4 YARD COORDINATING HEAVY WEIGHT FABRIC
- 1/4 YARD COORDINATING LIGHT WEIGHT COTTON FABRIC
- SMALL PIECE OF FAUX LEATHER (OPTIONAL)
- (2) SNAP KITS ONE FOR THE FRONT CLOSURE AND ONE FOR THE STRAP
- STRAIGHT EDGE & ROTARY CUTTER
- SCISSORS
- MEASURING TAPE
- STRAIGHT PINS

TO START, CUT A 8 X 10 INCH PIECE OF DENIM AND A 8 X 10 INCH PIECE OF COORDINATING HEAVY WEIGHT FABRIC. SET THEM ASIDE.

CUT (2) 8X10 INCH PIECES OF THE COTTON FABRIC. SET ASIDE

FOR THE FRINGE, CUT ONE 10X6 INCH PIECE OF DENIM.  USING YOUR ROTARY CUTTER AND STRAIGHT EDGE CUT STRIPS INTO THE PIECE ABOUT A HALF INCH WIDE STOPPING ABOUT AN INCH BEFORE YOU GET TO THE TOP. BE CAREFUL NOT TO CUT THRU THE TOP.

GET THE FRINGE PIECE WET WITH SOME RUNNING WATER AND TOSS IT IN THE DRYER. THE FRINGE SHOULD COME OUT FRAYED AND CURLY.

CUT A 7 X 8 INCH PIECE OF FAUX LEATHER FOR THE FLAP
ADD THE SNAP TO THE LOWER FRONT PART OF THE PIECE.

LINE UP SNAP ON THE FLAP WITH THE COORDINATING PIECE OF FABRIC AND ADD A SNAP TO THE FRONT PIECE.

CUT A 4 X ¾ INCH STRIP OF FAUX LEATHER AND SET ASIDE. THIS IS FOR THE TRANSITION TO A BACKPACK. IF YOU DON’T WANT THE BACKPACK OPTION, SKIP THIS STEP.  

ADD A SNAP TO ONE END OF THE SHORTER LEATHER STRIP AND ADD THE OTHER HALF OF THE SNAP TO THE LOW CENTER PART OF THE DENIM  

TO ASSEMBLE THE PURSE, WITH THE BACK PIECE OF DENIM RIGHT SIDE UP, LAY THE 4 X ¾ INCH STRIP OF FAUX LEATHER WITH THE SNAP WRONG SIDE DOWN IN THE CENTER OF THE DENIM PIECE . BE SURE TO LINE UP THE TWO SNAPS BUT DO NOT LOCK THEM TOGETHER. LINE UP THE BOTTOM EDGES AND CLAMP IN PLACE.

LAY THE FRINGE ON TOP OF THE DENIM WITH THE RAW EDGES TOGETHER AND PIN THE BOTTOMS IN PLACE.

LAY THE COORDINATING PIECE OF FABRIC FACE DOWN ON TOP OF THE DENIM LAYERS. PIN THEM TOGETHER AND SEW THE SIDES AND BOTTOM.  

CLIP THE CORNERS.

WITH THE LINING FABRIC, LAY THE RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, PIN THE SIDES AND BOTTOM EDGE, AND SEW IN PLACE. CLIP THE CORNERS.

CUT A 5X50 INCH STRIP OF DENIM USING THE SCRAPS OF YOUR DENIM. YOU MAY NEED TO ADD AN EXTRA PIECE OF DENIM TO GET THE LENGTH YOU WANT.  SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF THE STRAP TO MEET YOUR NEEDS.  

FOLD THE DENIM STRAP PIECE IN HALF, PRESS AND SEW THE LONG EDGE.

TURN THE TUBE RIGHT SIDE OUT.  SINCE THE TUBE IS VERY LONG, STITCH A PIECE OF STRING TO ONE END, PIN THE OTHER END OF THE STRING TO A PIN AND FEED IT THRU THE TUBE. PULL THE REST OF THE TUBE THRU USING THE STRING TO HELP.  

TO FINISH THE STRAP, FIND THE MIDDLE AND PIN 3 INCHES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MIDDLE. FOLD THE TUBE IN HALF AND PIN, THEN SEW THAT MIDDLE SECTION FLAT.

TO PUT THE PURSE TOGETHER, START WITH THE OUTER DENIM-FRINGE LAYER WITH THE WRONG SIDE OUT AND INSERT THE STRAP WITH THE ENDS ON THE RAW EDGE OF DENIM PIECE OF THE OUTER LAYER.

LAY IN THE FAUX LEATHER PIECE, WITH THE RIGHT SIDE FACING THE DENIM. PINNING IT TO THE DENIM OVER THE STRAPS.  

INSERT THE INSIDE LINING LAYER WITH THE WRONG SIDE OUT AND PIN IT IN PLACE LEAVING A SMALL OPENING IN THE FRONT.

SEW AROUND THE TOP OF THE BAG LEAVING A 3 INCH OPENING IN THE FRONT.

TURN THE BAG RIGHT SIDE OUT.  

START BY PULLING OUT THE FLAP, THEN PULL OUT THE STRAPS, PULL THRU THE FABRIC WITH FRINGE, AND FINALLY THE LINING.

ONCE IT IS ALL TURNED OUT AND THE CORNERS ARE SHARP, PUSH THE LINING FABRIC INTO THE BAG.  LAY IT FLAT.

TURN IN THE RAW EDGES OF THE SMALL OPENING, PIN IN PLACE AND TOP STITCH CLOSED.

THIS CROSS-BODY MINI PURSE TURNED BACKPACK IS MULTIPURPOSE, ECO-FRIENDLY AND ITS FASHIONABLE!

VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/DSICP4QY_Mw