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The following post is from Janel of Life with Lucie and Ella.:

These fast-felt purses can be as simple or as elaborate as you want them to be. They are perfect to hold all those little odds & ends that roll around in the bottom of your purse or diaper bag. Plus, they are just the right size to carry a few essentials when you don’t want to lug a big bag around with you!

Supplies:

• 9 x 12 piece of felt – you can buy these pre-cut at the craft store
• Fabric for lining (optional)
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Thread in matching or contrasting color
• Sewing machine
• Iron & ironing board
• HeatnBond Lite Sewable Iron-On Adhesive for pocket divider (optional)
• Sew-on snaps
• Embellishment supplies (buttons, rhinestones, felt, etc.)
• Glue gun & glue sticks

Instructions for an Unlined Felt Purse:

To create a fast felt purse without a lining, place the felt in a vertical orientation on your work surface. Fold the bottom of the felt up about 4 inches or so. Use straight pins to hold the pocket secure along the sides and bottom.

Starting at the bottom corner, use the sewing machine to stitch along all sides very close to the edge of the felt. This stitching will secure the purse pocket and add detail to the flap.

The top will fold down to make the purse flap. Sew one part of a sew-on snap to the front side of the pocket and the matching part of the snap to the inside of the flap.

Glue whatever embellishment you would like to the front of the flap to camouflage the snap.

Instructions for a Lined Felt Purse:

Cut a piece of lining fabric to the same size as your felt rectangle. Put the right side of your lining fabric face down on top of the felt. Secure all edges with straight pins. Starting at the top of a long side, stitch down the side, across the bottom, and up the other side.

Turn the fabric right side out. Use an iron to press the edges flat. Fold the open edges under, and use straight pins to hold the opening closed. Stitch close to the edge all around the rectangle to create a finished edge and then stitch the opening closed.

Follow the instructions for the unlined felt purse but make sure that the lining is on the inside of the purse.

Instructions for a Lined Felt Purse with a Pocket Divider:

Prepare the felt and lining as described for a Lined Felt Purse.

The pocket divider is a piece of HeatnBond Lite Sewable Iron-On Adhesive that is sandwiched between a folded piece of fabric. The folded edge will be the top of the pocket, and the raw edges will be sewn to the purse pocket.

Cut a piece of adhesive that is about the size of your purse pocket (about 4 x 8.5) and a piece of lining fabric that is twice the size of the adhesive. Place the lining fabric face-down on the ironing board. Place the adhesive on the left side of the lining fabric. Hold the iron on the paper for 2 seconds. Repeat until the entire surface is bonded. Allow to cool, and then remove the paper backing. Fold the right side of the lining fabric onto the exposed adhesive. Press and hold the iron for 6 seconds and repeat until the entire surface is bonded.

Lay your prepared felt and fabric rectangle in a vertical orientation on your work surface with the lining face-up. Trim the pocket you just made so that is the same width of your felt/fabric rectangle and that its height is no taller than you will be making your felt purse pocket. Lay the extra pocket on top of the felt / fabric rectangle and fold the bottom of the felt up and secure with straight pins. Starting at the top of the purse pocket, stitch down the side, across the bottom, and up the other side of the pocket. You should now have a purse with a pocket divider inside.

Finish the purse by sewing on the snaps and putting an embellishment on the front flap of the purse.

How would you use a felt purse?

Check out this fun project with felt.