1.31.2013

DIY: NO SEW Clutch

Christmas was a bust. Not for me...but I had all these grand plans and ideas that never quite happened. I was just determined not to stress myself out. I sent not a single Christmas card, though I managed to purchase a super cute set that I'll be sending out next year. I made my friend's gifts...but never sent them, so now they're just because gifts.

I was determined to stick to my budget and I love to buy gifts, but I feel like I do everyone a disservice if I don't make them things, so this year I decided to do clutches for everybody. I usually buy clutches and simply embellish them, but this time, I wanted something different. The blank ones at the craft store are just TOO small. Especially with these TV sized smart phones. I wanted something bigger, but I don't sew. Womp. Of course my friend Google saved the day and I found a couple of DIYs to help me pull it off. None of them was just right for what I did...so, I'm going to give my own instructions in case anyone wants to try it.
I apologize in advance for not taking pics...but, I'm usually so focused on what I'm doing, it's the last thing on my mind. I'll try to be as detailed as possible.

You'll need:
1 placemat, I got ours from the holiday collection at Target. FANCY.
Coordinating fabric (for the inside) I had some already.
1 poster board
Binder clips (at least 16 medium)
1 magnetic clasp (get this in the sewing section at the craft store)
Glue (I used Gem Tac, spray adhesive, and Gorilla glue. I'm sure you could get away with one, but I had my reasons)
a broach

Step one:
Trace the placemat onto the poster board and cut it out a little smaller than the actual area that you traced. **If you are doing more than one bag, trace and cut each placemat separately. All those placemats are NOT the same size. I found that out the hard way**

Step two:
Now, cover the poster board with the fabric. Cover the poster board with glue. For this part, I used the spray adhesive and the GemTac. Then gently spread the fabric over the poster board. Flip it over, and glue the edges down in the back. Use the binder clips to hold it in place...then weight it with a book.



This is what the front should look like.

This is what the bakk will look like. 
No worries. We're going to cover this part with the placemat.

Step three:
I messed this up the first time. Luckily, I made one for myself first. Once the insert is dry. Lay it face up on the back side of the placemat. This will be the inside of your bag. The top part of the clasp needs to go THROUGH the FRONT of posterboard in the center portion of the top of the insert. This will be your top clasp.



Now, gently fold the two pieces like an envelope, w/ the clasp coming over the bottom third. This is where the other clasp should go. The bottom clasp will go THROUGH the placemat but NOT the posterboard.



Step four:
Now once the clasps are set, you can glue the insert to the placemat. I used GemTac for the center and used the Gorilla Glue on the edges. I really wanted it to stick. Hold it in place with the binder clips, then put some big books on top to make sure it stays in place.

**for one of the bags, I did a cute feather charm. I should have added the ribbon at this step. Just a small looped piece glued between the layers at the top portion of the middle section.

Step five: Now, fold the bottom portion a third of the way up, and glue on the sides. I used the Gorilla Glue for this part. Make sure the clasps still line up before you glue it down. Also make sure the edges are lined up too, because not only are all placemats not the same...they also aren't evenly cut. *sigh* I also found this out the hard way. Once you get the glue on, clip it on the edges and wait for it to dry.

Step 6:
Now that the bags all dry, you can carry it as is, or you can add a broach. Some of the blogs suggested gluing them on, but I like the idea of my girls being able to take them off and wear them separately. So I just bought broaches and attached them to the outside. And not necessarily where the button is. That's so expected.






Now that I know how to do this, I may never buy another clutch. These are large enough to make a statement and still fit all my "must carry" items...including this smart phone. Also, assuming I can find the perfect placemat, I can have one to match any outfit and I can accessorize it any way I want. Let's not mention how inexpensive it is to make. It's actually pretty sturdy too. YAY!









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