artful thursdays #14.....zipper purse tutorial

ok, huge confession here...i have the biggest wool collection in my state, i think.
plus i never, ever pass up a vintage metal zipper at a sale. i buy even the used ones that someone clipped out of a skirt. it seems i always see a vision of something new that could be made with old vintage wool skirts and coats. time to get busy making some zipper purses for my artful thursday project this week...
my favorite thing to tuck inside these little purses is my jewelry when i travel, next i like to corral all the little things that collect at the bottom of my purse: lipstick, gum, nail file, that sort of thing. once you make one you will be making them for everything. 4 seams on the sewing machine and a bit of hand stitching is all it takes.


gather together scraps and pieces of wool felt. i use washed and felted clothing and hand dyed wool. even the tiniest pieces will make a flower.
you will also need a zipper, any length will do, i always cut off the extra, some embroidery thread and something sweet to sew on top like a vintage button or bead.


step 1. cut your wool felt into a rectangle. my tiny size purse is 8 inches by 5.5 inches.


step 2. scallop or zig zag cut the short ends of the wool rectangle.


step 3. pin the cut edges to your zipper and sew both ends to your zipper. i use my zipper foot and a smaller stitch like 2.5.



step 4. close the zipper and turn the purse inside out. pin the two ends closed. you can either center the zipper down the middle, or move it to one side a bit. sew the zipper pull end first. unzip the zipper just a bit and sew a 1/4 seam allowance. i sew this seam twice to make it extra sturdy.
step 5. now sew the other end closed. it is a bit tricky sewing over the metal zipper teeth. i have a sturdy jeans needle i use and i 'walk' the needle over the zipper teeth with my hand. sew this seam twice also.


step 6. cut the zipper end off with utility scissors and turn the purse right side out. poke all four corners out nicely and press your zipper purse using a wool setting on your iron and steam. i iron right over the zipper.


step 7. now for the the decorating part. for this little purse i added a felt flower embellishment and stitched it on with embroidery thread.


my friend cassondra walters mailed me these gorgeous vintage wool flowers. you can make your own with tiny scraps of felt.


first i cut out the two felt circles using a circle template and trace the circles with a pencil. cut out the green felt stem and leaves and place them on the purse where you like them. sew through the two circles and attach the little applique and bead.


step 8. using a pale green thread sew tiny back stitches to attach the stem and leaves. so adorable! these little purses feel so thick and scrunchy in your hands and can totally go the distance with their metal zippers.


here are a whole stack of ideas to get you going.


these two purses have millinery flowers sewn on them.



i couldn't resist this polka dot fabric to line this purse, plaids are my favorite!


fancy buttons make great flowers!


these two purses have tiny seed beads and embroidery for the design.




if you like you can attach a fun bead or button to the zipper pull with a jump ring. this little bell shaped glass bead looked like a little mushroom to me.
happy thursday, julie