Trousers (pants) into a clutch bag.

Not long ago I posted about how I turned a pair of long trousers into shorts. Now, not one to throw away any scrap of fabric I got to musing on how to use up the unwanted legs...

I am going to a wedding soon and I want to made a little clutch bag to match my outfit. I have a very beautiful piece of fuchsia* silk that I will use. Thing is, I'm a bit scared of cutting into that beautiful piece of silk.

So I had the idea of making a 'muslin', a practice bag, using the fabric left over from the pants-to-shorts adventure.

I looked high and low for a pattern that I liked and eventually settled on this great and simple clutch pattern at the Purl Bee (currently one of my favourite crafting websites packed full of gorgeous patterns).

I will not attempt a tutorial for this bag because there is no way I could do a better job than the Purl Bee's, but I will note my thoughts as this project progressed.

What I learnt:

• I love iron-on interfacing. It's great for adding structure to something like this that needs to exhibit a bit of personality. I found a very useful resource at the Sewing Directory which explains how to choose and use interfacing properly.
• It's fun to pick out a colour from plaid and use it as the main stitching colour. 
• I found a fascinating glossary of fabric patterns (I wanted to check that plaid is what I thought it is!)
• The current size is a little narrower than I need, my wallet is quite wide and doesn't fit inside. I need another couple of inches width. 

I think the most important thing I learnt about was how to deal with magnetic clasps. Inserting a magnetic clasp is quite simple (explained at Purl Bee) and looks very professional.

However, I had some problems with the clasp once the clutch was finished. The magnet is too strong for my fabric! I risk ripping the material every time I try to open the bag. My clasp didn't come with a metal backing plate like you see in the Purl Bee pattern and this might have something to do with the problem.

The picture below shows how the clasp pulls on the material. I had anticipated this and put an extra layer of interfacing over this spot on the wrong side of the fabric, but it isn't enough to protect it. I am not sure how to rectify this now that the bag is finished. Any ideas?

Based on this experience I have decided not to use the same type of clasp for my silk bag. I believe that the rough silk I have is a bit too delicate and that these clasps would be much better suited to a heavy material like denim or suede. I will do a little more research. The wedding is less than two weeks away though, so I had better get a move on!

*I have always thought that fuchsia was spelt 'fuschia'. I am wrong according to Wikipedia and The British Fuchsia Society. As I'm pretty sure they know better than me, I will go with their spelling. But I remain suspicious, despite Google's spell check agreeing with them. How do you spell it?

PS: I'll probably be linking this post up to a lot of lovely craft linky parties, to see which ones view the party buttons on the What I'm... page.

PPS: Have you discovered the Etsy Stock Take yet? Check out the tab at the top of the page, you can find great handmade items, jewellery, bags, clothes etc. for sale. Need a meaningful gift? You'll find one at Etsy...

How to: Trousers (Pants) into Smart Shorts.

How to turn trousers into shorts (which is the same as turning pants into shorts!)

A friend of mine recently moved from Hamburg to London and I went to help pack up her flat. While there she showed me a pair of trousers that she said were very nice, but had sustained some damage. She didn't like to throw them away, but they didn't cut it for the move abroad.
"You're crafty" she said, "make them into shorts".

So I did!

Here's how to turn pants / trousers into shorts! Phew, with the majority of my readers visiting from the USA I've had to turn bilingual... ;)

One thing I do want to make crystal clear here is that I am talking about smart trousers / suit trousers. Not jeans. To explain how to make jeans into shorts would alienate you all (an insult to your intelligence).

How to sew shorts:

1. Choose an old tired pair of trousers that fit good, but you are sick of the sight of. Alternatively, take a good look at that beloved pair of trousers that are getting a bit saggy around the knees, but that you can't bear to chuck out.

2. Decide how long (or shorty short) they should be. Try them on and mark the cut off point (with a pen or a pin).

3. Lay them out on a table or ironing board. If they are trousers with a crease down the front, lay them down folded at the crease as if you are going to iron them (like in the picture). Make sure everything is lined up perfectly.

4. Cut the legs off at the point where previously marked. Scary, that's the point of no return... oh well, onwards and upwards...

5. Get out the iron. Turn the trousers inside out and turn the cut edges up about 1cm (1/2"). Iron them up.

6. Turn the edges up once more, about the same distance and press again. Then pin them in position.

 

7. Hand stitch the hem using a blind hem stitch. Click for a video tutorial of how to do a blind hem stitch. I would love to try and note how I do this stitch here on the blog, but I'm left handed so I don't think my method would be particularly helpful for the majority as I go in the opposite direction! It's really very easy and a great skill to acquire. My stitches can just be made out in black in the picture below.

8. Turn the new shorts back the right way out and press. Voila!

If you make some shorts, please let me know how it went :)

Tune in again soon to find out what I have planned for the scrap fabric from the cut off legs!

I am linking this post up to lots of creative linky parties, you can find out which ones by checking out the buttons here.  

Update:  I made the cut off ends into a lovely clutch bag :)

If you appreciate handmade items, please check out the tab above titled Etsy Stock Take. The Etsy Stock Take is a weekly event where artisans showcase what they are making and selling. Need a gift? This is the perfect place to look - buy handmade!

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