DIY Upcycled Book Purse

I recently stumbled upon this gloriously easy DIY that turns beautiful old books into fashionable useful clutches. One look at the tutorial and I was sold.

You can see the tutorial here at abeautifulmess.com.

The instructions are super easy to follow and the results are stunning.

Here are some pictures from my attempt. If you'd like to see how I did it just keep scrolling, scrolling....scrolling.

If you need more detailed instructions please check out the link above.

What you will need:

• Old Hard Back Book
• 1 yard of fabric or two one dollar bundles of fabric from Walmart
• Marker
• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun
• Purse/clothing snap
• Iron/Flat iron
• Needle and Thread

 

Step 1: 

Find an old hard back book. I tried to find a book title that was relevant to my life. As a traveler and thrift store discoverer I was happy to find this book for four dollars at a local used book store. Hint: The thicker the book, the wider your purse will open.

Step 2: 

Cut out book pages. I know it's painful, but the result is worth it.

Step 3:

Cut fabric to about one inch bigger than the book, and set it to the side.  Then line the inside of the book by hot gluing a thin layer just shy of the edges. Cut out side panels and hot glue them to the ends of the book.
This step is given in much more detail here.

Step 4:

Create a snap for your purse. They can be sewn or hot glued on to the first set of lining. Be creative with this step. the crazier the clasp the better.

I found my snaps at Walmart in the fabric section.

Step 5:

Fold lining set aside to be approximately the size of the book. Hot glue the final layer in. This step can be extremely tricky if your folded edges are not ironed flat. Being the non-ironer I am, I used a flat iron and ran it along the folded edges to create a crisp line.

Step 6:

Enjoy your cute new clutch!