I can make that Mondays are all about inspiration and this week’s challenge I was inspired by a Coach purse I saw on the Coach Outlet store. Some of my first projects that I sewed without help from my mom in my teen years were purses. Actually that’s mostly what I made at first before I started to deconstruct and reconstruct tee shirts! This project reminded me so much of those early days but I decided to make it even easier that someone who doesn’t sew could definitely make one themself! That’s correct. NO SEWING actually took place for this purse! This post contains affiliate links, we receive a small commission from qualifying purchases, but your cost of the item will not be changed.
I looked at purses at department stores and big box stores and just wasn’t quite finding what I wanted. I was all set to buy this camera bag on Amazon but then I was at the thrift store and found this purse for $4.99. I couldn’t really pass up the deal to save a little bit more, but honestly the Amazon purse would have made it more of a replica than what I chose! I also went with felt to create the design because it doesn’t fray and I knew it’d give me those crisp edges I really wanted, like the inspiration purse. If also taking on this challenge, the only other supplies you’ll need are Gorilla Glue, plastic gloves to handle the glue and scissors to cut out your shapes! Side note and fun fact, Gorilla Glue is made here in my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio!
Gorilla Glue The Gorilla Glue Company 5000201 2 Oz Original Gorilla Glue
When I went to start cutting out the pieces I just eyeballed the inspiration photo and just cut until I had a similar shape! Then I layered in the felt pieces.
Once they were all layered in there, in a dry run so to speak, I started to carefully glue each piece down. I let this glue cure overnight. I did place a big book on top to help, “clamp” it down since that’s what the instructions of Gorilla Glue says to do. These were great instructions since it worked haha
Now that my felt picture was all glued I trimmed it up! I went ahead and followed other directions I ignored the night before which were to get one piece damp and apply glue to the other piece that you’re joining together. I got the purse damp and then applied a generous amount of glue. I put a plastic bag inbetween my purse and the boxes of stuff I used to, “clamp” it down because I knew i went a little too thick in certain areas and was afraid of gorilla glueing my new purse to an applesauce box. Haha, could you imagine?!
Honestly I let it cure for a few hours before I took these finished product photos but I think it turned out great!
Do I think it turned out like the $111 version by Coach? Eh, I think it’s fair to say it’s inspired by it! I do think it looks like I spent about $9 on it! It was a fun no sew project that I think anyone could do in about an afternoon, with the exception of curing time for the glue. Also word of advice for anyone doing this project, try to not get too goopy with the Gorilla glue since you can see spots where I had too much :/ But still, I’d do this project again!
Also, now that I’m thinking about it a little, this would be a fun way to update an older purse, whether it’s you doing the felt design, or maybe you’ve asked your kids to make you a design! OR OR OR maybe it’s a group effort and everyone chips in a part of the design. You could even do this on a larger scale bag, like a tote bag, or a bag you use for traveling. The possibilities with Gorilla Glue and felt are endless with the no sew approach!
I hope you all enjoyed this week’s, “I can make that Monday” and next week we’re skipping an I can make that Monday post because we’ll be kicking off a weeklong series: “Adult Summer Camp Crafts” It will be crafts you’d likely find in summer camp, some are definitely gonna tug on those nostalgia 90’s/2000’s kid heartstrings, and others will be geared more to the working woman. There will be something fun for everyone really and did I mention drinks? Because, yes. 5 cocktails and 5 mocktails each curated to coordinate with that day’s craft! Be on the lookout later this week for a detailed post with all the supplies you’ll want to gather if you’re looking to craft with us next week!
XOXO
-Robin
