I got inspired to make some cute DIY purses when my husband started selling goods at a local flea market. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to use my talents to make some things to improve the appeal of his booth. I was reminded of my mom who would make a purse out of jeans, adding zippers and handles. I loved the idea, knowing how handy the available pockets are, but I felt the adult jeans were just a little too big. I also wanted the purses and handbags to be more varied and interesting than simple jeans.
Then an idea occurred to me: make the purses out of children’s pants! I decided to shop my local Salvation Army, and bingo! Not only did I find adorable pants in several different patterns and colors, but I also noticed how adorable the skirts could be if I made them into purses. The ready-made embroidery, buttons, pockets and embellishments made the clothes easy to transform, and so much fun to do as well!
To transform the children’s clothing, I simply sewed the bottom of skirts and the legs off of pants. Then I added lining and pockets, using any extra material to create straps. When extra material wasn’t available, I found some cute belts. Then all I had to do was decide how to fasten the enclosure, and BOOM! I have created a purse!
The wide range of sizes of children’s clothing gives me the opportunity to play with different purse sizes, which range from handbags to totes! I love creating these purses, and now that I’ve talked it up so much, I think I should do a few more! Happy crafting!
