Zippers work great for purses when you don’t want any chance of the contents accidentally falling out. You can make this purse from just about any type of fabric, including cotton, poly-cotton, denim, corduroy, or even dress fabrics or lightweight upholstery fabrics. You can make a shoulder strap for the purse from fabric, or buy a purse handle from the fabric store. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Sew a Zipper Purse
1. Cut two 9-inch squares of fabric.
2. Place the pieces of fabric right-sides-together and pin them along the top edge.
3. Set the sewing machine to the longest stitch length. Baste the fabric together along the top edge using 5/8 inch seam allowance.
4. Unfold the fabric and press the seam allowance open.
5. Turn the zipper pull facing upward. Pin the zipper tape to the seam allowance.
6. Attach the zipper foot to the sewing machine. Sew the zipper tape to the seam allowance only.
7. Turn the fabric over. Topstitch one side of the zipper close to the seam, using a zipper foot. Topstitch the other side of the zipper the same way.
8. Carefully remove the basting stitches using a seam ripper. Make sure to remove any loose threads so they don’t get caught in the zipper, then unzip the zipper.
9. Place the pieces of fabric right sides together. Sew the sides and bottom of the purse using 1/4 inch seam allowance and a regular sewing machine foot. Sew any gaps above and below the zipper closed.
10. Turn the purse right side out.
Add an Optional Shoulder Strap
11. Cut a strip of fabric that’s 1/2 inch longer than you want the strap, and twice as wide plus 1/2 inch.
12. Fold the strip of fabric in half right sides together and press the fold flat. Stitch along the edge opposite the fold.
13. Insert a small safety pin through one layer of fabric at the end of the strap. Turn the safety pin to the inside of the strap and push it through the fabric to turn the strap right side out.
14. Turn the raw edges on the ends of the strap to the inside (about 1/4 inch) and press them flat.
15. Sew one end of the strap to each side of the purse.
Tags: seam allowance, along edge, sewing machine, from fabric, inch seam, inch seam allowance