Most felted purses, bags, and totes don't really need to be lined . . . but a lining can take a purse to the next level, making it more beautiful, elegant, special, and unique. A tiny white purse with a red brocade lining inside is a delight to open. 

This class will guide you step by step through the process of making a lining for any felted or knitted purse, and it is also for the maker and crafter who would like to learn how to make fabric purses. When you make a lining for a purse, you are, essentially, making a fabric purse.

First, I will take you through the process of mapping the dimensions of an already made felted, knitted, or fabric bag in order to draft a pattern for the lining. You will also learn how to work backwards from a finished purse - or even a piece of purse hardware, such as a pair of leather handles you want to use or a cherished purse frame that you found or was given to you - in order to draft a pattern for unique hardware components.

I will demonstrate some tricks to help you make pockets and lined bag bottoms that will brighten up any purse. 

Finally, I will show you how to add lovely details to the inside of your purses so you delight anyone who receives one of your purses as a gift . . . and you can even delight yourself, every time you open your purse.

Class Meeting Type

Synchynous Zoom classroom sessions. All class meetings will be recorded, so those unable to attend or who desire to work on their own will be able to access the class meetings for all time in the form of private YouTube videos.

Class Duration

8 hours of class instruction over the course of 4 two-hour classes

Class Dates

Tuesday Evenings in October 24, 31, and November 7th and 14th from 7pm - 9pm ET

Pre-Class Work (optional)

Get those un-lined felted purses out of the closet. Or make and felt your knitted bag, tote, purse or purses of your choice to prepare for the class. 

Make a to-scale drawing of the fabric purse you want to make.

You Will Learn How to

• Create a to-scale drawing of the lining you wish to make 
• Map the shape of an existing purse in order to make a lining for it
• Decide on an approach to line your purse
• Draw a lining schematic
• Draft a lining pattern
• Transfer the pattern to paper and then to fabric
• Cut out your lining
• Sew your lining together by hand or by sewing maching YOU DO NOT NEED A SEWING MACHINE!
• Sew your lining into your purse
• if making a fabric purse, you will assemble your purse and lining and prepare to add hardware

What You Will Get

• 8 hours of live Zoom class time consisting of results-focused demonstration and instruction with time for your own hands-on practice AND time in between classes to put theory into practice
• Life-time access to the Zoom recordings of the classes
• Project support: I am available to respond to questions about lining outside of class hours

Purse Hardware Requirements

Please make sure you have the fabric and hardware necessary to complete your purse, bag, or tote, including purse frames, bag feet, mat board or other stiffener for the purse bottom, closures for the top of your bag or tote, beads or other embellishments you wish to use to decorate your purse.

Materials You Will Need

• Big paper
• A sharpie or other pen/writing implement
• A ruler or yardstick
• A small gauge sewing needle
• Nylon beading thread or sturdy sewing thread to sew seams (Sewing machines are optional but NOT necessary)
• Mat board or other material to use as stiffener for the purse bottom
• Super Glue - I prefer Locktite Extra Time Control or Gorilla Glue GEL 
• A pair of scissors
• Sewing Pins