Sew Powerful Purses #2-5 (for 2025)

4 more purses finished! 3 I used selvages on the flaps and one I painted the flap and added an appliqué Hawaiian flower in the corner.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Black upcylcled denim jeans purse body.

Back with a slip pocket.

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Sew Powerful Purses #342-346 (2024)

5 more purses using a variety of flap techniques: scrappy piecing, quilt blocks, appliqué, painted background and stenciled flaps. Donated to Sew Powerful.

Purse flaps all different.

A variety of fabrics used for each purse.

Pockets on the backs.

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Sew Powerful Purses #328-336 (2024)

9 more purses donated to Sew Powerful. These purses have various techniques that I used: decorative machine stiches using a circular attachment, painted flaps, appliqué flaps, upcycling, machine decorative stitches (non circular) and lots of embellishments.

These 2 purses were made with a wool (or wool blend?) suiting material. I shared one purse yesterday made with a purse body using this material too. For these purses I wanted to play with the circular attachment for making round decorative stitches. I am getting better using the attachment, but still have a lot to learn. The hardest part is knowing how to end the circle when the stitch design won't make a complete stitch to the very end. Either I stop short and there is a gap of fabric showing, or I stitch until the stitching touches, even though the stitch pattern isn't complete at that end, so it looks a bit off, which I don't care for. Sometimes I am lucky and it completes a perfect circle of stitches, but that has been rare. So embellishments to the rescue! 😂Adding a button or little stitched embroidered flower adds a nice touch, but also hides those wonky joins! 😉 I also just stitched partial circles which looks nice and takes care of that situation too. I found that with some stitches that are going in a circle, the material didn't want to move as easily, so stitches weren't formed perfectly either. I told you there is a lot to learn still. Perhaps some fabrics work better? I did have the material interfaced on the back. Still overall I do love how these flaps turned out and I like the material a lot! Wish I had more of the gray fabric and knew exactly what is was? It washed and dried beautifully, has a great feel to it as well.  

Notecards to the girls in the front pocket.

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.

5 decorative stitched corduroy flaps, with added rickrack, couched yarn & buttons too.

Cards in the front pockets for each girl.

Back pockets.

 

 Two painted canvas flaps with added appliqué on top. The left purse appliqué is from a rainbow tie dye tank top that I have been cutting appliqué shapes out of and the purse on the right is a batik fabric butterfly.

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Sew Powerful Purse #180 (2024)

Another purse made to donate to Sew Powerful Purse Project . This is my first attempt at using the circular attachment I bought for stitching decorative stitches on my sewing machine. I stitched some decorative stitches out on a white canvas material. After I was finished the white background was just too stark white! So I got out the fabric paint and painted the background, which the paint ended up on the stitched thread too 😬😢!!! The paint color is pretty, but the thread colors don't stand out as well as I would like. A good learning experience so that I will know what to do next time (I did stitch up some more flaps, but they haven't been sewn into purses yet). All in all it turned out good enough to donate. 

Painted flap with circular decorative stitches. Kind of fun to use that circular stitch attachment.

The full flap.

Batik purse body and little pumpkins for the lining. It's pumpkin time of year now too.

 I also stitched the strap in batik fabric with a ribbon down the center.

Back with a slip pocket.

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