From Placemat to Purse

What I like about this tutorial from Design by Night is that even if you're not a formal dining kind of person, you now have an excuse to buy those fantastic table linens you've been eying up. So what if you'll use them once and never eat off of them again...


Setting the table for a nice dinner? Well take that placemat, turn it into a purse and go out to dinner instead! Placemat purses are quick and simple sewing projects, plus they make great conversations pieces.

Follow these simple steps and repurpose that placemat in to a purse.

What you will need:
Placemat (pick one with a little stiffness to the fabric)
Purse Handles
Foot of Grosgrain Ribbon
Sewing Machine
Coordinating Color Thread

Center each handle along the short sides of the placemat, with tabs against the wrong side of the placemat. Place tabs so that raw edges extend 1/2” in from edge of placemat. Stitch across tabs to attach them to placemat. Stitch again to reinforce.


1. Fold right sides of the placemat together and sew up the two side edges (fig. A).


2. Keeping the placemat inside out, flatten the bottom corners. Center the side seams and sew a straight line across the corner about 2” up from the corner tip (fig. B).
3. Cut the grosgrain ribbon in four 3” strips. Pull each strip through the ends of the handles to create tabs.
4. Center each handle on alternate sides of the purse body, pinning the tabs on the wrong side of the fabric. Stitch across the tabs to attached them to the purse. Stitch again to reinforce (fig. C).

You purse it done! Add buttons and other notions to add a little pizazz.

Post written by Design by Night