Edwardian Purse with Crystal Fringe

This gorgeous quilt-stitched essentials purse project was created and kindly offered by Beth Maitland Banninger, along with the detailed instruction, which you may find below.

Beth used a floral motif from Fantasy Flowers set, and a sparkling crystals fringe, to decorate the purse.

A few words from project author:

This is a really fun project to make as gifts for girlfriends, a little girl's sleep over or ladies night out favors, and if you make several at a time, it goes very quickly.

I used my favorite silk dupioni, but have also embroidered on thick cotton matalasse, linen, and velvet to make beautiful bags like these.

Consider choosing a holiday color and coordinating thread colors to make the embroidery designs in a Valentine, Easter, or Christmas type theme.











Supplies & Tools:

- 1/4 yard of a solid silk dupioni for outside of purse
- 1/4 yard silk dupioni for lining in a contrasting color that matches your embroidery thread color palette
- 1/4 yard light weight batting (I used Heritage Collection by Mountain Mist, Cotton and Silk blend, very thin quilt batting)
- Lightweight cutaway stabilizer under embroidery that is the same size as the purse fabric cuts...you will leave it in place and not cut it away embroidery thread of your color choice (I used Madeira 40 weight Rayon thread)
- Bobbin thread to suit your machine and the color of fabric you've chosen
- Construction thread and bobbin thread for stipple quilting and purse construction
- (optional) rotary cutter, a self-healing cutting mat, a clear view quilt ruler for exact edges (to square purse pieces after quilting)
- Approximately 7 inches of beaded trim for bottom of purse
- Approximately 36 to 40 inches of braid, rope, rat tail cording, or decorative cording for the strap of the purse
- Floral embroidery design from Fantasy Flowers set

Istruction:

Embroidery

1. Hoop one layer of lightweight cutaway stabilizer on bottom, with one layer of your outer silk dupioni fabric on top (see stabilizer photo). I always cut my fabric larger than I need, to leave plenty of hooping fabric. Your final measurement will be approximately 7 inches by 11 inches with your fantasy flower design up and down (portrait orientation) on your purse front.



2. Choose fabulous colors for your fantasy flower, and embroider per your machine�s instructions.



Quilt-stitching:

1. Cut a rectangle of light-weight batting for under your purse front. Keep the stabilizer, it will add a little extra body to the quilting.

2. Pin batting firmly in place under embroidery piece (which is now cut to a little larger than 7 by 11 inches...we will square it up for construction after we quilt, and the quilting will reduce the overall size of the rectangle of fabric, so be generous).



3. Lower the feed dogs on your machine, and put on the darning or embroidery or quilting foot, and freehand stipple quilt your purse outlining the embroidery design to make it pop out of the quilting. If you do not feel comfortable stipple quilting, you can meander quilt or use a wavy line after outlining the design, just to give the fabric texture and loft.



4. Cut a second rectangle of outer silk fabric for your quilt back. Cut a layer of batting and add it under the silk, pin, and quilt!



Construction

1. Square up the two rectangles, purse front and back, and cut a piece of beaded fringe for bottom of purse.



2. Pin in place and sew sides and bottom seams, right sides together, using your zipper foot to get as close to the beads as possible and hide the fabric strip they are attached to.

3. Turn purse right sides out and finger press.

4. Cut two 7 by 11 inch pieces of the silk lining fabric. Place them right sides together and sew sides and bottom leaving a 2-inch opening on the bottom seam to turn later.



5. Place the right side out purse inside the lining pieces with lining seams still showing (you do not turn lining) and slide in strap cording and pin to each side seam of purse.



6. I feed the cording out the opening in the lining bottom seam so it doesn't get caught up while sewing. Sew lining and purse tops together all the way around top of purse, going over the cord two or three times at each side seam, so it will be firmly attached as a strap.

7. Pull purse through the bottom opening of the lining and top stitch or hand sew the lining shut. Put the lining inside the purse, straighten seams and finger press the top seam of the purse. The cord will have sewn into the side seams in the earlier step.

Et Voila! You have a perfect evening or essentials purse, just big enough for your keys, cell phone, and some cash. Hands free and just darling!! For a funky flair, attach some eyelash fringe or loopy trim around the upper edge of the purse... Match the colors to your embroidery.