This cute and stylish DIY purse was inspired by Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Original Movie, “A Christmas for the Books”. I love old books and I love repurposing, so this DIY was the perfect marriage of the two. But if you can’t do it yourself because of time constraints, feel free to avail topnotch alternatives like the anthropologie bottega bag dupe.
Here is how to get started.
You Will Need:
- Old books
- Fabric
- Craft knife
- Wax paper
- Paint sponge or brush
- Fabric
- Fabritac (Or strong fabric glue)
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Clasp
- Hot glue gun/glue sticks
How-To:
1. Take you book and divide the book in half.
2. Add a piece of wax paper, slightly larger than the book so that it sticks out.
3. Between the first page and the cover, do the same with the wax paper.
4. Repeat this process between the back page of the book and the cover.
5. Turn the book on its side and add mod podge with a paint brush, and use it on the pages to bind them together. Do the back half and the front half.
6. Set aside with other books on top of these to create weight and let them dry for 4 -5 hours.
7. Once dry, measure out about ½” down with your ruler, all the way around the book pages.
8. Using a craft knife, start cutting out the pages using these borders. Continue until all of the pages are hollowed out on each side.
9. Similar to step number 5, now paint the inside of the book pages with mod podge to seal them together with a paint brush. Set a heavy weight on the books and leave to dry again for about 4-5 hours.
10. Using hot glue, attach the front pages to the front of the book, and add the back pages to the back of the book.
11. Sit the book up on it’s side to see how far about your would like your purse to open. Trace this pattern onto your fabric and cut it out. It will look somewhat like a triangle.
12. Measure the holes you made inside the book where you took out the pages.
13. Cut your fabric to that size.
14. Put the cut fabric in the bottom of each side of the book with hot glue.
15. The attach the triangle to one side of the book (the back or the front). Use hot glue.
16. Then take the other side of the book and glue that triangle part in place.
17. Your book should open and close perfectly here.
18. Now you want to make your clasp on the middle of the spine of the book.
19. Attach the clasp with hot glue onto each half of the page side so that when they come together, each side will clasp together.
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