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01.26

CWTS reveal – the book clutch + how-to

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Did you see this week’s Crafting with the Stars?
We got third place- and we’re moving on to round 2! Yikes! My project was the book clutch…this is the post:


A little vintage book… upon further review is actually a clever clutch.

This upcycled clutch is sure to be a conversation starter wherever you go. Made from a vintage book and old bag found at the thrift store melded together to create this little gem of a purse.  When your activity doesn’t command a large bag, just stash your cell phone, keys and cash in this little clutch.

Pair it with a ruffley blouse and some skinny jeans and you’re rockin’ the librarian chic look.
(Plus you’re husband won’t feel too awkward when you ask him to hold it!)

Smart and fashionable.

Did you vote for us? Shelley is an awesome partner. You should take a look at her blog. It’s more of a guide to life. There is so much to look at!


I get too excited about projects like this to stop at take photos for a full tutorial. But if you want one of your own here’s a quick how-to.

How to make a book clutch:
Scour every thrift store for purses with metal frames and a books about the same size. The book and metal frame need to match up in size, at least along the spine edge. These are the two I ended up using, though I have a stash of old books and clutches now.

Gut your book:


(This is where I stopped taking pictures, sorry!)Then cut up the purse and glue it into the book with some heavy duty glue. I had to look high and low for the right size purses and the right size books. It was actually kind of hard to get it just right. Cutting out the metal frame in the purse is tricky. You have to make sure you get enough of the existing purse fabric, but not too much. Play around with it, you’ll get it :) The fabric is what you’ll glue to the inside of the book.


I added a little lace to the spine for some Jane Austin flair and to hide the edges where the book and purse meet. The book is called Miss Minerva and William Green Hill. Haven’t read it. Probably won’t, though I did save the inside just in case. I chose it because it A. was the perfect size and B. had perfect pinky red book cloth and a cute spine. But I think this project would be even better if it was done in your favorite book or a neat classic. Or a dictionary. But with 4 days for this challenge there just wasn’t time for that. 

Now it’s off to make the project for round 2: Decoupage. This group of contestants is so talented. Here are the other fabulous Round 1 projects. 


P.S. I stole this idea from Kate Spade (The Great Gatsby is sold out, but that was my favorite!) She’s my idol. Plus we share a first name. That makes me almost half as cool as her, right? Her book clutches are $325 but you can make one for $5. Boo yah.


P.P.S. I hired a model! No more awkward pictures of me taken by my husband. At least, until she goes back to school. And by “hired” I mean she’s awesome and will work for dresses. Hahaha. 

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Reader Interactions

94 Comments

  1. Kimberly

    I LOVE your book clutch!!! LOVE. I totally voted for it, hands down. And now I’m following you. Thanks for the how to!

  4. Jayna Rae

    I so knew this project was yours. It just had that perfect Kate flair. The Great Gatsby is my favorite book also. I don’t know if I could cut up a hard backed copy of it though. I love your ideas, even if they’re stolen.

  8. Emino

    I, too, voted for this. I’m so glad it was you who did it! Thanks for the tutorial, too! :)

  12. April

    girl, you are too adorable. i LOVED the book clutch and voted for it <3 so glad it was yours!

    i definitely can not follow along without pictures for a tutorial… i was lost at “cut up your purse.” haha :) please put some in your etsy!

  14. nila1920

    so so so so so cute! uh..oh now I’m gonna be hounding thrift stores for books and clutches too:D

  15. MaryJanes and Galoshes

    I don’t follow crafting with the stars, but I did go and vote for this when I saw it, I think it’s genius and will be attempting it myself!

    Taylor

  20. Allie

    I voted for you, too! This is awesome! Fantastic idea and I love how it turned out! )

  23. Tyler

    What a great idea! I saw your post from somedaycrafts. I’m now a follower :)

    Tyler

  26. Jackierella

    Thank You, Thank You! I did vote for this, it was by far my favorite project! I am so pleased you posted the instructions. You made my Friday!!! Off to do some thrifting tomorrow for the supplies!!!

  31. Moe

    This is so cute! I’ve tried to do something like this before with no success…so glad you offered a tutorial!

    I am popping by from young & Crafty!!

  33. Leslie @ top of the page

    you are a genius! thanks for sharing. i’d totally try this, especially with the new brightly colored cloth-covered classics novels at anthropologie right now. i saw your link on BLN today!

  34. Pamela

    This clutch is amazing! Something a writer definately needs, wouldn’t you think? You made it seem easy–I’ll see if I can achieve this.

  35. Valley Girl

    All right then. That is hands down the COOLEST thing EVER. I now know what I will be making the coolest of cool ladies in my life for Christmas this year. Must get started finding the right pieces. LOVE that this baby is crafted from thrifted items.

  37. Randi

    I love that. Love it. And I’m loving your blog … I’m going to go read a pile of your old posts now.

  40. Amy

    I absolutely LOVE this!

    I’m featuring it on my blog:
    floweryfashion.blogspot.com

  45. greenbean

    how stinkin’ cute!…i do have the real deal (the great gatsby one to be exact) but i love your version!….

  46. c.w.frosting

    sew adorable, even more so than the original kate spade! i love the lace detail. can’t wait to try making one. it will be perfect to keep things organized inside a larger purse.

    -caroline

  52. Marie C.

    This is *such* a great idea! And now I have an idea for Christmas/birthday gifts for all the teachers in my life. Thank you!

    I just stumbled upon your blog today and am now a follower. :-)

  53. Soccer Mom Style

    This is amazing. I found your book-clutch ling on Bromeliad. I just purchased a paper mache book cover from JoAnn’s in hopes of turning it into a book clutch. Love your final result. Fabulous!

  54. ALi

    I saw this on another blog and think it is so creative. I love your idea.

  57. Meowcake

    Hey, what glue did you use? You mention “heavy duty” but not a lot of glues are labelled specifically “heavy duty”. What sorta glue will I be looking for? Obviously not paper craft glue! :p

    meowcake.blogspot.com

  63. Dana

    LOVE this project and SUPER LOVE your blog! Just re-posted this over on my blog, Love Covet Crave (http://love-covet-crave.blogspot.com). Thanks a million, will be making this super quick! I’ve got an awesome vintage hand-reading book I think I will try out for this… :)

  64. Kimmay

    Wow this is so cool! I am having a vintage book themed wedding next year and this would be so cool for my bridesmaids to carry :) Thanks for sharing!

    If I make them, I wills surely post them on my blog leading up to my wedding. http://www.hurraykimmay.blogspot.com Will keep you updated. Thanks again!

    XO

    Kimmay

  65. Jacqueline

    Hey, Kate!! I DO think this is so creative and vintage! How can I vote for you?? Could you hope over to me and leave it on comment as I can’t be back here for 2 days at least…life is so crazy. Thanks for adding your cool blog to my link-up ~ it should be fun and a neat project for my visitors :)Hope to see much more of you :)
    Jacqueline @ DeepRootsAtHome.com

  66. Tawnya

    Hi! Just wanted to let you know that I linked to this post on my blog, thequasilibrarian.com. Great tutorial! Thanks!

  67. Julie

    My fifth grade teacher read us this book in 1961 and I read it to my children. It is one of my favorite books ever because I always read it in her voice in my head. She did all the southern dialect…

  68. Lauren D

    LOVE.Love.love. Found this last night and went out to a thrift store today, got SUUUUPER LUCKY, and found only one book small enough for the clutch i also found there! I used Summer at Tiffanys and I love it even though i messed up ALOT. Yours looks amazing!Thank you for this!

  73. Laura

    I’ve wanted to do this ever since I saw on of my favourite books as a bag but at a veryhigh price, thanks for the tutorial!! Going to go to my local second hand bookshop ASAP to find a book for this :D

  74. Dana

    LOVE this idea, and I happened to have some old books here found inside a pie safe from an estate sale, and a $1 clutch I’d been wanting to do something with. Thanks for sharing!

  75. Abby

    You look like the girl from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants! Rock on, great idea!

  76. Kris

    Because who the fuck needs reading when you can look FABULOUS!

  77. meenakshi

    I have seen a book turning into various things but a clutch for the first time. Where did you get inspiration from? or how you thought of making a clutch out of a book cover. I would name it boo-lutch. ;)

  83. Holly

    I looove this! Though I wish there were more pictures to go with the “tutorial”. I’m at a complete loss as to what to do after the last picture you took. Haha. I’m more of a visual learner than a text learner.