It’s also a significantly cheaper alternative; making this bag shouldn’t cost you more than around €10 (for the leather and zip).
What you will need: Upholsters faux-leather (in your chosen colour), a zip (in your chosen colour and length), a sewing machine, thread (in your chosen colour), a scissors, a ruler, a marker and somebody who can sew in a straight line.
How to do it yourself? The photos probably explain better than my incoherent babble, but here goes.
1. Go to a fabric shop and buy yourself upholsters leather and a zip in whatever colour tickles your fancy (Hickeys has a good selection of upholsters leather and zips).
2. You will need to cut the material into your desired shape and size (make sure your zip will fit along the material. For my bag I chose a square-ish shape.
3. After cutting the leather you should be left with two identical sheets of material.
4. You will then need to sew the zip onto the leather leaving about an inch or half an inch at either end. You will also want to cover the zip with your fabric not vice versa and have the zip over the leather (otherwise it just won’t look nice).
5. After you have sewn the zip on to both sides of the leather, you will want to turn the bag inside out, so to speak, so the inside of the bag is where you will be sewing around the edges.
6. When sewing around the three sides of the bag, you will want to start sewing about an inch or half an inch in.
7. When you have sewn around all the sides of your bag, snip the two bottom corners of your bag – be careful not to cut on the stitching.
8. Now for the exciting part – turning your bag inside out.
9. And the even more exciting part – using it.
This is a really easy DIY, I must admit I had to get help off a savvy sewing machine user as I was having difficulty sewing in straight lines and the first machine I used was on its last legs so I had to go find another. Otherwise, all went pretty well and I am happy with the result and I’m sure the more of these bags you make, the better you will get.
I’m already thinking about my next ones, I plan on making a black one with a gold zip and a cream one with a fluorescent zip. I may even stud one. Go wild and make your own to suit your taste - the possibilities are literally endless.
These are simple clutch bags that will come in useful for a night out, to carrying your laptop or even as a makeup bag.
If this is all a load of jumble, check out this Youtuber who inspired me to make my own bag: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI8gqrDqbns
Nicky O'Flanagan
