Whenever I go to thrift shops, I always browse through all of the old records they have for sale. The designs, the colors, the album art– they’re so fun to study the designs in pop culture a few decades ago.

There are many ways to use old records, but one of my favorites has always been a purse. Whenever I see a vinyl record purse in a boutique or online, they’re always SO expensive. So I decided to make one of my own.



To make a record purse, you need:

-3 Vinyl Records

-An old purse strap

-A split ring to attach the strap to on the record purse

-An old black t-shirt and some fabric for the lining

-A drill

-A piece of wood to put underneath the record when you’re drilling

-Embroidery thread/ribbon

-Oven

-Scissors



First I cut off the bottoms of the 2 records that make the outside of the purse. I put the oven on Broil and then put the record on a cookie sheet. As soon as the record flattened a tiny bit in the oven and was obviously softer, I took scissors and cut across the record until it got hard again. I repeated this until the record was cut straight across. Then for the bottom of the purse, I cut across the record so that the label still shows, also so that it was at the widest point of the record. Do not try cutting or sawing the record without the oven, they break. I figured this out the hard way. 🙂



After the records were cut, I used a drill to make holes all around the border of the records. I put a piece of wood under the record and it went quickly. It was also pretty fun.



Then I stitched the bottom of the small piece to the larger record pieces with ribbon. I made my ribbon by hand by burning fabric because I like the rougher edges, but any black ribbon should work. After that I put ribbon all around the tops of the records.



Then I stitched t-shirt material to the sides of the purse (through the holds I already drilled) so that it will open and close properly. I used thin cording for this, and I just made sure it was stitched into place really well on the sides and bottom.



Before you add the lining, be sure to drill holes for the snap that goes on the top. (both sides of the bag)



Here I stitched a little leather strip to one side and then stitched a snap on the top of the leather strip and the receiving end of the snap into the bag on the other side where I drilled the holes.



Then I drilled 2 more holes on opposing sides of the bag to add hooks for the purse straps. I also colored the gold hook things black to match. 🙂



For the lining, this tutorial is helpful for sewing a little lining. I also used the same thin cording that I used to stitch the t-shirt material to the sides of the record and I think it turned out really well.



Another shot of the inside.



West Side Story Bottom.



Inside. Remember those laundry bags I got in NYC? Oh yeah, they make a great lining.



It fits lots of stuff. Chapstick from this fiber arts festival I went to. Duck change purse. Sunnies. Polaroid Camera ( I was taking photos by the road so I could get a Polaroid of 2 birds on a wire… Regina Spektor song, anyone? … I did not succeed in that.)



Birds nest. 🙂

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