Monday, March 9, 2015

Make a Clutch Bag for Shoeboxes

A friend from another area church showed me how to make these. I've added some embellishments to mine but that is up to the individual. They will be great in a shoe box for an older girl. She can use it as a purse or just something to store her things in.
I'll show you several that I did and then I'll give you the super easy instructions. (If I'm making it, it's got to be easy!)

Materials needed:
Sewing machine
Thread
$1 Place mats
Velcro
Embellishments
   Silk flowers
   Buttons
   Appliques

Like I said, these are really easy to make. I found place mats at the Dollar Tree for $1. I'm sure you can find them other places too but this was the best deal I found. Wal-Mart had some nice ones for $2. 
Fold the place mat up about 1/3 of the length of the mat with the wrong side out (if you plan on turning). Sew one seam up each side to hold it together. Turn. (My friend says that she doesn't turn hers because they already have a finished edge so this is a personal decision. I like them turned.) Cut about 1 1/2" of Velcro/hook and loop tape. If you have the sticky back kind, just press it in place near the center of the bag about an inch or so from the edge. If it is the sew on type, then sew. Fold the top over and you are basically finished,  unless you want to add embellishments. 

Being a scrapbooker and card maker, I guess I always add embellishments. The first ones I did, I iron on-ed some cute appliques that I had had for years. I bought them when my girls were little and I was sewing for them. I just never used these. My girls are now 47 and 43 years old, so I've had them a while! I looked at local fabric stores for appliques but don't like the current prices so I decided to look around my craft room. With lots of silk flowers in my closet, that was a natural to use. I sewed 3-4 petals on with my machine. Then I sewed a button on by hand over the machine sewing. You can add most anything that you have on hand that you think will look pretty to these or you can leave them plain. It's all up to how you want to make them. Any way you do it, these young ladies will love your handiwork!

National Collection Week for shoe boxes with Operation Christmas Child is the week before Thanksgiving. It's never too early to start getting ready!

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