Purse From American Eagles Outfitter Skirt

I have had this skirt sitting on my nightstand with intentions of doing something fabulous with it. I finally found out last night what this purse was destined to become. 

This purse is made from an American Eagles Outfitter skirt.

You wouldn't believe how soft and silky this fabric is. When I began working with the fabric I thought it was rayon until I looked at the tag. This skirt had some triangular shaped panels and some rectangular panels. I cut two of each of the panels from the skirt, the rectangular panels becoming the purse straps.

I love the Asian inspired feel of the print.

I used the skirt lining to make the lining for this bag. I trimmed the two triangular panels to the size that I imagined this purse should be then cut the lining to the same size and shape, leaving one side of the panel twice as long. All I did was to create a large fold and stitch down the middle of the fold. This became the two pockets.

These pockets are so easy to do.

If it weren't for the snap closure, this purse could be reversible! Hmmm, an idea for the next bag.....

I closed all of my seams, put the two layers together with wrong sides together, pinned in the straps and piping and stitched together. I added a snap to close and a flower to hide the back of the snap and I was done. This project only took 2 hours. 

This is my favorite purse yet.

This snap with the button front became the back of the purse.

I added the flower to hide the back of the snap, making this the front of the purse.

Luckily I have enough fabric to make another of these handbags. Maybe one for my shop and one for my arm?


Oh, and lest you think that I am only good for making purses, I am also working on dog leashes. Why not share all of this fabulousness with our best friends?

This cute ladybug fabric is becoming a dog leash. I just need to find the right width leash snap.