I want to provide a tutorial on how to make these easy and cute little purses. I have included the following picture tutorial for your use so you too can take those old jeans and turn them into some wonderful re-purposed purses.

First I made a heart template with paper. My paper heart is 6-3/4″ wide by 7-1/2″ long. You can make yours larger or smaller as desired. My finished heart purses measures 6″ x 7″. Cut 2 denim hearts from an old pair of jeans and 2 fabric hearts. Put right sides together as shown using one denim heart with one printed fabric lining heart.

Click on any of the photos to view in larger size

Pin and stitch around the hearts using a narrow hem. Leave a small opening in your heart at the lower edge for turning. Clip and trim seams. Turn right sides out through the small opening. Push out all edges so your heart is shaped nicely. Press and turn the opening hole seam in to match sewn seam. You should now have two hearts, one side denim and the other side is the lining.
Fabric side of heart pressed out before and after.

Denim side of heart shown before and after.

Pin the two hearts together with denim sides facing out. The printed fabric lining will be inside your purse. I added red stones on one purse as embellishment before stitching the hearts together. This purse has a strap that was made by cutting a 2″ wide piece of denim for the purse strap. My strap is 28″ long. I pressed and folded it over twice to enclose all the unfinished edges. Stitch down the center to finish the strap. Insert the ends of the strap just inside the side edge of the heart and pin in place. Stitch slowing around the heart starting at the top edge where strap starts. Because you are stitching through both layers of hearts, make sure you’re using a denim sewing machine needle. Stitch down and around the heart edge to the other side where strap is inserted.

Here is a picture shown using a shorter strap. It was cut from a side hem piece and measures 9-1/2″ long. On the 2nd purse, I inserted this short strap inside the lining and the denim before I stitched it in place. That way the unfinished ends do not show.
Click on photos to enlarge

Here is the other denim heart purse shown with a magnetic closure and lace trim. The closure and lace were put in place in the first step when you pin the denim heart to the fabric heart.

Finished inside picture shown here of both purses.

There are many different variations that can be used in making these heart purses. I have shown you just a few options with some embellishments. Be creative — add additional decorations […]