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Before you throw out your worn or dated purse, remove and save the handles, zippers, leather and other hardware to use again on a home made purse. These parts are expensive to buy new. I search yard sales and second hand stores for cheap purses with really great handles and the nice hardware that comes with it, for about $2.00 per purse.
But, I don't stop there! If I have a favorite but older purse that is on it's way out, I take a photo, then take it apart and use the parts to make pattern pieces, I tend to like the same comfy shape in a bag.
The handles will work on any bag, felted, crochet, fabric, or plastic, and I add embellishments in coordinating colors to tie it all together, you get the idea! :-)
Hope this helps you get started on your first purse or helps you to add something new to your next purse.
I'm not just fickle, I'm thrifty too!
By ficklephonebug from Bakersfield, CA
I do this too. It is so great, and affordable too. It is always a good idea to look for parts to re-use before you throw it away!
Thanks for the tip. I am very fussy about handbag shapes and sizes, so this is a great idea when a favourite one becomes shabby.
I just TODAY finished tearing out the old LINING from a still decent leather handbag, with the future good intentions on my "wish list" of making a new lining and having the shoe repairman to sew it to the top edges since the old one was cheaply glued to the purse at the top edge, which quickly fell apart. I will keep the ideas you shared in mind, too.
Curbside I found a clear sack of every sort of leather and suede remnants, in all colors. I plan to make things, trim things, repair a leather-covered table, damaged heel chips in shoebacks, and save the rest like it was food. Folks can be so wasteful, to our good fortune. God bless us all. : )
Great article. I take old hand bags and reuse some the pieces.
