Restyled Mod Podge Fabric Purse

I love to go to garage sales.  Ever since I started following pages like Mod Podge Rocks! I've been really interested in trying some of the projects featured there.  The first big project I have tried is to remake a leather purse, and Mod Podge fabric to it for a whole new style!  I think I did a great job of it!  Please read on for my photos and my process :)

Here is the blog that inspired this project: Scissors & Spatulas for the tutorial.

Ingredients:

Buttons, brads, hair beads, etc.

Inexpensive garage sale purse (75 cents!) or other purse you no longer use

fabric scraps to cover outside or a medium/large size cotton shirt to cut up (I used garage sale tank, $1)

buttons or beads to accessorize  (see photo)

coordinating fabrics to accessorize

hot glue gun

decoupage glue or Mod Podge Matte ( I used Matte) or Fabric

Process:

First take your purse and line it up with the fabric.  I cut up a size Medium sleeveless shirt, however it looked like a large.  Cut off all seams, for me this was the bust because it was pleated.  Lay it out flat.  Its ok to iron the fabric at this point if you'd like no wrinkles.  Personally, I found after I decoupaged it the wrinkles disappeared.

Cut out the fabric and leave 1-2 inches for folding over.  Once you use decoupage, the ends will not fray.  I will admit, I'm not much for measuring, so I was missing some sections and had to double up cut strips in a few places, but not anything too noticeable.  If it bothers you, depending on the type of bag you are using, leave extra fabric along the sides for tucking in.

Traced flap and then cut along the blue line.

Next I cut a piece to fit my inner flap, but I used an old pair of jeans instead.  I have never worked with jean material before, but once decoupaged it became darker, scratchier, and stiff.  At the crease it does not stick well and I may have to re-glue that spot with hot glue.

I glued the jean down first, however depending on the how you want the seams to look, you may want to glue the outter fabric on, then the jean on top.  Check out my other photos before you make that decision.

After cutting and gluing it to the purse flap, I decoupaged the top of it to seal it down.  The Mod Podge dries clear, but in this case, it dried the jeans darker.

I also needed to cut the hole for the snap.  Next time, and I post the photos next to each other, use a razor or craft knife AFTER you glue it down.  Much easier and a cleaner cut!

Cut after glued, with craft knife.

Cut before glued, with scissors.

After I did the flap and once the fabric was all cut, I mocked it up.  This is my plan.  Its a thinner purse, but I misjudged the widening creases, extra fabric on the sides would have been better.  The black pieces are felt and the whitish strips are extra scraps from Fat Quarters.  

Mock up with other fabrics.

Next, glue down the fabric and pull it tightly around the purse.  I started with the "front" non-flap part.  Then I flipped it over, applied Mod Podge to a thin-medium consistency, and flattened the fabric along the entire length through the flap.  Pull tightly and smooth out with your hands to remove bubbles or wrinkles in the fabric.  Should dry fairly quickly.  Once mostly dry (or fully, your choice) continue to fold over the edges and glue down.  Check out how to do corners if you're looking for a cleaner look.

Curve along flap.

Corner of flap.

Inside "creases"

 The "creases", this was the hard part and where I didn't measure correctly!  Measure twice, cut once!  Obviously I didn't listen to that!  But still, it turned out well.  Once I figured that out, it was still fairly easy to push it in there and glue it down.

Spools to help dry decoupage glue.

This is how I let it dry, by placing to spools of thread inside to keep it open.  It was a little stiff once it dried, but since then its been perfectly fine!  And it looks so cute!

Handmade "rosettes" for front flap.

Here is my finished product of the "rosettes" that I made with strips of fabric that I folded tightly, before wrapping into circles.  Use a hot glue gun CAREFULLY to secure the fabric together as you circle.  I burnt myself twice, painfully!  So please use extra caution, get help if you need it!

And HERE is the finished product!  An adorable purse/clutch for me to take out!  Also, look how much I can stuff in there?!  I showed my sister and she thought it was so small!  Well, I don't carry much more than my phone and chapstick in my purse (usually several chapsticks/lip gloss!) so this is big enough for me! :)

I hope you enjoyed this little project and I definitely plan to do this again on other types of purses.  I may photograph and show that as well, depending on how different it is.

Look forward to more decoupage projects or other upcycles!  Or other cute crafts I find!