A crochet purse can be very practical and very romantic at the same time. Here (see below) are patterns and ideas if you want to try making your own crochet purse. Some are purses which you can buy too.

I like crochet. I make granny squares and did start a bigger project but I messed up along the way somewhere and put on a shelf. Crochet is something you can do without a lot of extras. Just yarn and a crochet hook are all you need to succeed with any crochet pattern. Of course, there are extras for those who want to have them.

If you crochet a purse you will need a purse handle in some cases. It will depend on the style of purse you want and, of course, the pattern you are using. I like the look of the more polished and professional purse with a handle. But, then I started looking at patterns online and fell in love with some of the crochet patterns for purses with crochet flowers and no plastic handles at all.

The all crochet purse made with just yarn is going to be nice and easy to empty out and throw in the washing machine. You can't saw the same for all those plastic handles, some will show wear and tear and cause wear and tear on anything else in the washing machine with them.

Don't think you have to stick to just crochet. I found one purse which was a crochet base but had added old jeans as repurposed denim for a pocket on the front of the purse and the strap. You could also use the denim to line the purse inside.

I would strongly suggest lining a crochet purse. Unless you are very, very sure you will never keep anything small in your purse (like coins) which will slip out through the holes in the crochet. Face it, that's not likely. So if you buy or make a crochet purse yourself, make sure it has a liner inside.

I like crochet because you need so little extra to get started and create something. One hook, yarn and possibly a pattern (or at least the idea of a pattern). You can crochet granny squares, stitch them together and create almost anything. No real pattern needed, just the design.

Crochet is quite simple. There is one basic pattern, the granny square, which can be turned into a lot of different creations from slippers, purses to colourful blankets. You can get fancier with patterns and creative projects using a variety of knots/ stitches - in crochet patterns they call them chains.

I don't have a crochet hook set - it would be nice. I keep a few crochet hooks in a sewing basket with all my standard sewing and crafting things. I've never had a full set of crochet hooks. These look nice. A bamboo crochet hook is nicer than the aluminum and plastic hooks. I find the plastic type of hooks rub my fingers and my finger nails scrape on them as I'm working. The finger nail thing gives me a squick feeling. A bamboo hook doesn't do that. But, I only have one bamboo crochet hook so far.

Whether you like crochet or choose to knit or sew instead, I think everyone should have a sewing basket. It's nice just to pull it out and plan what you could make. I keep assorted odd and ends of yarn, patterns that worked out especially well, thread (old thread is much better than modern thread) and of course it's a great way to keep all your crochet or sewing gear in one place.

I have the Happy Hooker book. She has simple patterns you'd actually like to make, more than scarves and bland things offered in most guide for learning to crochet. Have a look at the crochet flowers, that's my favourite!

I think of my Grandmother when I see the old, vintage Raggedy Ann. One Christmas she gave me the book of Raggedy Ann Stories at just the time when I was the age to treasure them. Even all these years later I still prefer those original Raggedy Ann stories, illustrations and dolls to the new versions.

That year my Mother sewed up a Raggedy Ann doll as a surprise for me, though she gave her grey hair and still wonders why she did that. I have kept that doll for a long time. I still pick up a baby outfit at thrift stores so I can dress her up.

I've lost the book from my Grandmother. We moved around quite a bit so it likely wandered off and didn't get packed up. Now and then I see a copy of the same book, new editions, at the stores but it just isn't the same. I wonder what happens to lost books? Maybe it found a new home with another girl. I hope so.

The vintage Raggedy Ann is still my favourite, even though I love the holiday designs for Christmas, Halloween and other holidays. You can see a lot of new styles, some pretty odd looking, if you search online. The original design was copied often and given a new identity even as it was adapted for companies like Precious Moments.

If you have ever wondered why the odd Raggedy Ann doll has that double loop of hair on top of her head.. well I don't know either. But, I do know that double loop of hair was how Johnny Gruelle originally created the doll in the illustrations of his Raggedy Ann stories.

Is there someone you would like to sew a Raggedy Ann and/ or Andy doll for this Christmas? They do look really great under the Christmas tree, or in the branches on Christmas Eve. Sew a Christmas costume for the dolls if you want to get that extra festive look.

If you do sew up a Raggedy Ann, don't forget to give her the embroidered "I love you" heart on her chest.

A denim purse has great looks, great style and does great when it comes to wear and tear. Wouldn't you like a denim purse, backpack, book bag, or some other denim purse sort of thing for yourself?

Almost every purse or backpack I have bought myself has been denim. My Mother made me a denim purse when I was a high school kid too. I remember how often people commented about that purse, in good ways.

I do my own sewing but I've stuck with embroidery and sewing by hand. Most of the sewing I do is mending, hemming and Christmas crafts/ ornaments. I do have a sewing machine but I've hardly done more than unpack it and pack it up again each time I move to a new address. I always intend to use it, get comfortable with how it works. There are so many craft projects I could be taking on if I was using the machine and sewing patterns. Now sewing patterns are so much easier to get, for free even, online. There really is not good reason not to get that sewing machine out and make great things with it.

I want to make my own purse, backpack or bookbag from recycled (upcycled) denim and trimmings. I'm going to start by looking at patterns and ideas. I like a purse with lots of pockets and niches to stash things and keep from having everything tossed into one central big pouch. I also want good straps, since they seem to wear out sooner than anything else on the purses I use. So those are the things I will be looking for in patterns.

General Plan for Sewing a Denim Purse

Start by giving the old jeans you want to use a wash in the machine. Dry them well and if they are wrinkled give them a touch of the iron to smooth them out.

Look at patterns for purses or backpacks or laundry bags, etc. You can do this without a pattern but the pattern is a good thing when it comes to the logistics and having a plan of how to pull it all together. Especially if you want extras like pockets, lining, inside pockets and dividers.

Don't begin cutting the jeans until you have a plan for the purse, backpack or bag you want to make. Draw a pattern for the main bag and extras like a handle. Fit them by pinning the pieces together and see how they hang - is a purse strap going to be too long or too short? Will you be able to fit your books into the book bag? Do you need a lining - which will mean cutting extra denim or recycling something else to have a different fabric for the lining.

Once you have your plan cut out the pieces, give extra space around the edge for the seam once they are sewn together. Cut the denim for the handle and any side pockets and such.

Sew on pockets and extras as you want them, not the purse strap however. Once you have the body of the purse all set and ready to be sewn together (including a lining if you want one) put the main pieces back to back (they should be inside out). Begin sewing around the edges. Leave the top open - but hem it if you have rough edges there.

Sew the purse strap on before you finish sewing the two parts of the body together. You should have left some room to tuck the ends of the strap into your seams. Or, sew extra seam and double sew over the straps for extra strength. Look at patterns for ideas on how to attach the strap to the purse if you aren't certain. Of course, if you use plastic handles it will be different from using a length from the jeans.

You can still decorate the purse with extras like pins, brooches and whatever else you dream up.

Found at a broken link. Including it because it's such a pretty idea.

Paper flowers are more than rolled up newspaper or cut up bits of paper stuck together. There is a trick to getting the right look and shape to form flowers. But, you can use a variety of paper from tissue paper, crepe paper, newspapers to toilet paper even. You can also use paper quilling and origami as techniques in making your flowers.

Toilet paper was made into flowers and used to decorate the car the bride and groom would drive away in at weddings. Now people use tissue paper or fancier paper stock to create the "Just Married" sign and decorate the car. When I made flowers for my brother's "Just Married" sign I used plastic to form the flowers. I guess that's great for weddings which get rained on. But, it wasn't as nice as the old paper flowers we used to make.

Don't forget origami when it comes to making paper flowers. Give yourself some time to practice with different paper folding ideas. Don't expect every flower to work out your first time around. It takes some practice to work out the bugs, especially for the complicated looking flowers. One nice way to get started by making pinwheel flowers.

For pinwheels you need a square of paper and then you cut four times from the corners to the inside. Leave the centre uncut. Take one corner at each cut corner and pull it into the centre. Pin each of the corners to the centre with one pin and fasten them there. Now you need a stick for it to spin from.

Quilling is also known as filigree. I haven't tried paper quilling. But, I know you roll, shape and glue paper together to create flowers and other art.

Consider recycling gift wrapping paper as paper flowers. Magazines, with their glossy pages, make good flowers too.