Cut Out + Keep

Snap Frame Purse

Cash in Hand

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/snap-frame-purse • Posted by Octopus Publishing

I love making these little purses – especially for presents, as it is so easy to personalize them with a special fabric, with different pocket combinations, such as an extra pocket for cards, or by adding initials. Each purse is fully lined, and you can gather the fabric or make a little box pleat, which looks elegant in the leather variation on page 00. These purses are also a great way to use up scraps of fabric left over from bigger projects – you could have one to match every outfit! Finished Size 14 X 10cm (00 X 00in) snap frame Lauren’s Tip Use paper clips instead of pins when preparing leather for stitching, as pins would be very hard to insert and would also scar the leather. Stitch the pleats Machine-tack the pleats 5mm (. in) from the upper edge on each lower purse section.

You will need

Project Budget
Cheap

Time

2 h 00

Difficulty

So-so
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Description

I love making these little purses – especially for presents, as it is so easy to personalize them with a special fabric, with different pocket combinations, such as an extra pocket for cards, or by adding initials. Each purse is fully lined, and you can gather the fabric or make a little box pleat, which looks elegant in the leather variation on page 00. These purses are also a great way to use up scraps of fabric left over from bigger projects – you could have one to match every outfit! Finished Size 14 X 10cm (00 X 00in) snap frame Lauren’s Tip Use paper clips instead of pins when preparing leather for stitching, as pins would be very hard to insert and would also scar the leather. Stitch the pleats Machine-tack the pleats 5mm (. in) from the upper edge on each lower purse section.

Instructions

  1. Cut out fabric pieces and apply interfacing Cut out the following pieces from the main fabric and interfacing: two lower purse sections and two upper purse sections. From the lining fabric cut out two lower purse and two upper purse sections and one pocket. Transfer the pattern markings to the fabric. Apply the interfacing to the wrong side of the main fabric pieces following the manufacturer’s instructions.

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    Gather the lower purse sections On each of the two outer, lower purse sections machine-tack two rows of gathering stitches between the two marked dots, 5mm and 1.5cm (. and ⅝in) from the top edge; leave long thread tails. Pull up the gathers to fit the lower edge of the upper piece, distribute them evenly and pin the gathered edge to the upper purse section, right sides together, matching the notches and side edges. Tack if you wish, then stitch with a 1.2cm (1/2 in) seam allowance. Pull out the lower gathering stitches.

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    Add the trim Before you sew the purse together you can add any decoration or embellishment you like. For the purse shown, topstitch or handstitch a length of ribbon over the seam joining the upper and lower sections on the front and back sections. To make a little bow cut a 12cm (5in) strip of ribbon. Fold the edges in towards the centre and overlap them slightly; hold them together with a few hand stitches. Wrap a 5cm (2in) strip of ribbon around the centre of the bow and hand-stitch it in place.

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    Add tails to bow Cut two 5cm (2in) strips of ribbon and snip out a triangle from one end of each to minimize fraying. Hand-stitch these to one section of the purse (to be the front), then sew the bow on top to hide the raw ends. Add a button, if you like.

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    Join front and back of purse With right sides facing, pin (and tack) and stitch the front and back lower purse sections together, starting at the seam joining the upper and lower sections and taking 1.2cm (. in) seam allowance. Don’t forget to reversestitch for security.

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    Add depth to purse With the purse still wrong side out, use your fingers to press the seam allowances open at the side and bottom. Open the purse and fold it so that the side seam is touching the bottom seam. To ensure that the seams are aligned exactly, stick a pin though the middle of the side seam and check that it comes through the centre of the bottom seam; adjust it if necessary.

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    Stitch across corners Pin the seams together and then stitch across them as shown, from one folded edge to the other where the line will measure about 2cm (.in), reversing back over this short seam to secure it. Trim off the excess fabric

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    Make lining and pocket Join the top and bottom lining sections with a 1.2cm (.in) seam. Press the seam allowances towards the lower section and topstitch close to the seamline. Fold the pocket section in half with right sides facing and stitch the side edges together, taking 1.2cm (.in) seam allowance. Trim off the excess fabric and cut across the corners at the folded edge. Turn the pocket right side out and press it flat.

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    Attach pocket and complete lining Pin the pocket to one lining section, matching up the centre points and aligning the raw edges; pin in place. Topstitch close to the side and lower edges, remembering to reverse-stitch at the top corners. Sew the lining together in the same way as you did for the outer purse in Step 5, but leave a 6cm (2 . in) gap along the bottom edge for turning the purse right side out later.

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    Pin outer purse and lining together Match the top outer and lining sections of the purse with right sides together, placing the lining piece with the pocket against the outer piece with the bow, and pin them in place.

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    Mark frame outline Place the purse frame over one side of the lining and draw around its outside edge to act as a stitch guide. Stitch the lining and outer purse sections together along this line.

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    Join upper purse and lining Stitch the lining and outer purse sections together along the marked line. Trim the seam allowances to 5mm (. in) and notch the corners to reduce bulk. Turn the purse right side out through the gap in the bottom of the lining. It may take a bit of fiddling around to get the two layers correctly positioned against each other. And you may want to press the seams flat along the top edges.

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    Attach purse to frame Apply only a small amount of glue to the inside of the frame, then slip the edge of the purse into it. Glue only one straight edge of the frame at a time, holding it firmly with your fingers until the glue has set and the purse is securely fixed before moving on to the next section. If your fabric is on the thin side, you may need to insert string or cord into the frame to help hold the fabric in place.

  14. Variation Leather purse Before cutting out the pieces as in Step 1 of the main version, cut a piece of interfacing slightly larger than the pattern pieces and iron it to the wrong side of the leather; draw around the templates with chalk, then cut out the pieces. (First interfacing and then cutting makes it easier to get a clean cut.) Cut the lining pieces as for the main version. Form the pleats Instead of gathering the lower sections of the purse, fold pleats in the leather, following the markings on the template. The folds should point out to the side edges. Hold them in place with paper clips as shown.