Refashioning/Repurposing.....

I ♥ to take something old that was first used for one thing and turn it into something else entirely!

 I recently saw this purse at Kohl's online.....

Kohl's AmeriLeather Patchwork Leather Convertible Tote

At a price of over $100, I knew I wouldn't be purchasing it.  I remembered I had a leather coat in my stash that I'd gotten several years ago at a Goodwill half-price sale for $5 that kinda reminded me of the patchwork.

I left it out on the table for a few days and kept looking at it until I had a plan of how I wanted to cut it up.   I cast aside all fear and just grabbed my scissors and starting cutting.  But, only the sleeves at first.  As the light bulbs kept coming on, I cut the bottom off and the collar.  I wanted it to still look a  bit like it was the original jacket.  I especially wanted to keep those pockets to stick my cell phone into, or a pack of gum for our kiddos.

Here's a bit of the process.....

I had so much fun making these flowers.
The lighter camel color actually came from a jacket I bought for Pappy before we got married.  I transformed it into a purse, too several years ago. 



I took different colors of leather from the excess I'd cut from the jacket and used an ice pick to punch holes into the centers of each one, then inserted a brad.  The brads came from the scrap booking section of Hobby Lobby.....
with a 40% off coupon, of course!!!  
After folding down the prongs on the back, I used a dab of the E-6000 glue to hold them in place so they wouldn't pull out later. HOPEfully, that won't happen. 

I lay the purse on the table and cut around the lining  fabric that came from Wal-mart and allowed enough to turn under around the edges.   I cut two strips of the contrasting fabric (a fat quarter I already had on hand) to make the inside pockets.  I sewed them onto the lining and then sewed down each one to make 3 pockets on one side and 4 on the other.

I hand sewed the lining to the purse with embroidery thread.  And, yes, this took FOREVER!

I used this fifty cent thrift store belt for the strap.....
which, later I realized was a mistake, but I worked it into the purse anyway.

That braided belt that I had already glued to the purse on each side for a shoulder strap.....
I simply cut it off and tried to turn a negative into a positive by leaving the buckle on one side and a loop on the other.  I can use those to clip on a hand sanitizer, or my keys.  I wound up using  the handles that I cut off a $1 yard sale find!

And, here she is all finished.
I really like it.....
and, so does our girl!
A "new" leather purse for less than $10!
Now, that ain't too shabby.

So what about y'all?
Have you tried your hand at taking some old and turning it into something new?

HOPE everybody has a wonderful day!

Breathing in Grace,


p.s.  I didn't glue the entire purse just the flowers and the handles.
Everything else was sewn by machine using a needle designed to sew on leather.