Handmade Quilts~Bags~Knits & More
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| I found the quilt block on the left and on the right and made them into purse flaps. The star on the right I had to add some strips to make it the flap size needed. The center flap is another painted texture background with a Hawaiian butterfly flower appliqué in the corner using an upcycled rainbow knit tank top. |
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| Center is an upcycled denim jeans purse body. |
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| The second from the left and the far right are flaps made using raw edge scraps with tulle. They were quilted, then added embellishments and some yarn couching on the far right flap. |
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| Close up of one of the scrappy raw edge purse flaps with tulle. |
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| Batik purse bodies. |
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| I used a small quilt block in the center of 2 of these and then sewed selvages around them, while the center purse I used a small rectangle scrap. I loved upcycling selvages and denim jeans! The purse bodies are indeed upcycled denim jeans as you can see in the photos below. |
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| The front jean pockets are perfect as the front of these purses and gives an extra bonus pocket (or 2 as in the left purse). I also sometimes add the front jean pocket to the back of the purse, but I think I prefer it this way on the front. |
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| I used the black back denim pockets on the outer 2 purses and created a slip pocket for the blue denim purse. Oftentimes the denim jeans are so large that the back pockets would be cut nearly in half if I used them on the back, so I have to see if they will fit first. |
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| The flower on the flap below is another upcycle I cut from this rainbow tie dye knit tank top I have. Every time I cut an appliqué shape from the tank top, different parts of the tank top are used, so this one was the section of these purple and blue colors. Some I cut were more reds, yellow and orange. It's fun to see so many colors and so many appliqué shapes that I can get from this tank top. |
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| I painted this white canvas material first with different textures and then added a quarter of a Hawaiian flower appliqué into the corner of the flap. |
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| Black upcylcled denim jeans purse body. |
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| Back with a slip pocket. |
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| 2 selvage flap purses. |
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| 2 upcycled denim jean purses. I made these with raw edges and lots of quilting to hold the pieces together. I was experimenting with these, since piecing denim the traditional way creates such thick seams! The embroidery of the birds was from some denim scrap for cut up jeans I was given. I think I will experiment with doing the raw edge with decorative machine stitches on the flap only next time. |
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| The front pockets I made in the same raw edge/quilted way. |
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| The back pockets are also raw edge and quilted. |
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| Decorative stitches flap with added rickrack and couched yarn. I upcycled a hand dyed linen shirt that I wore a lot, but sadly had worn thin under the arms, so I turned it into a purse. Scrappy batik pieced flap on the right. |
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| Closeup of the decorative stitches and rickrack. |
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| The hand dyed shirt purse on the left. |
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| On the back I used the front pocket from the hand dyed shirt and created a back pocket that has the little pocket on top. |
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| 5 purses with appliqué stars and scraps sewn around the star blocks. |
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| The backs with pockets. |
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| 1 more selvage flap and a pieced 9-patch on point with scraps around it. |
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| Upcycled denim jeans on the right. |
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| The denim pocket from the upcycled jeans to make the right purse. |
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| Purse flaps all different. |
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| A variety of fabrics used for each purse. |
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| Pockets on the backs. |
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| Notecards to the girls in the front pocket. |
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| On the back side I added pockets and I had already stitched a bit more on the piece I had cut for the flap, so I added it as a pocket on the back with the stitching. |
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| 5 decorative stitched corduroy flaps, with added rickrack, couched yarn & buttons too. |
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| Cards in the front pockets for each girl. |
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| Back pockets. |
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| Years ago when I went to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (in Sisters, Oregon), I also went to Black Butte Ranch (which is a short drive from Sisters) to see the outdoor quilt show on Friday at Black Butte Ranch. Another quilt group usually puts on their show the day before the big Sisters Quilt Show. This quilt group usually has their members make something to sell each year as their little fundraiser, and the year I went they were selling towels (maybe potholders too, I cannot remember for sure). I was attracted to the blue cotton towel with the butterfly embroidery on it. I do not have an embroidery machine and I thought this was a very pretty embroidery, so I bought the towel. Husband didn't like it for a towel in the kitchen, so I kept it for years, not really knowing what to do with it. Then I found it recently and thought what a great purse it would make! I had enough of the towel to make the entire purse out of (except the strap, which I used webbing). It was meant to be a purse!!! The selvage one on the right has a black denim jeans body. |
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| Towel material and upcycled black denim jeans. |
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| The purse on the left is made with the blue towel material and the purse on the right is upcycled black denim jeans. |
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| These 2 flaps were made from a couple of tank tops that my daughter bought in Maui several years ago when she was there. I found them in her giveaway pile, and immediately thought they would make fun purse flaps! I added some crystals to both the flaps if you look closely. On the flower on the left purse and between the Aloha name on the right purse. Girls love a bit of bling and the crystals sparkle in the sunshine. |
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| Upcycled denim jeans for the purse bodies. |
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| The back for the purses. Each are upcycled denim jeans and I appliquéd the back side of the tank tops designs on the back of the purses. |
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| The purse on the left I made using a tiny canvas bag from the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, that I cut the print from the front of the tiny bag off and pieced around it. That was also the poster image of the quilt show from several years ago. (It is the annual quilt show in Sisters, Oregon). I sewed 2 ribbons on each side and 2 different Renaissance Ribbons on top and bottom and then some batik scraps too. The flap on the right was painted with textures and added appliqué in the corner was from a tie dyed tank top I have been cutting up for appliqué shapes for the purses. I added some decorative machine stitches, buttons, crystals, hand French knots too. |
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| Left is cotton fabric, the right is a wool or wool blend suiting fabric. The wool or blend (not sure as it was donated to me) is a lovely fabric with a nice feel to it and makes a sturdy purse. I made some others in the wool or blend fabric I will share soon too. I wish I had more of that fabric as it is really nice! |
