Book purse

• Book purse
  
  Start with a rather thick hardcover book with a great cover that you'll never read again. Carefully remove all the text pages, leaving the covers intact. Glue felt or cotton fabric inside the entire cover as a lining. Glue a triangle of fabric to the top and bottom of the book as the sides of the purse. Add a purchased solid or chain handle to finish your purse.
  
  

Crochet purse

• Crochet a purse from yarn or cotton string. Using an F hook, chain until 24 inches in length. Turn and double crochet. Double crochet each row until the piece is 10 inches tall. Turn and filet crochet two rows. Filet crochet is simply one double crochet, one chain, repeat. After filet crochet rows, double crochet another four rows. Fasten off. Fold the piece in half with the original chain at the bottom. Sew along the bottom and side, leaving top open. Using the same material as the purse, make three chains, each about 3 feet long, and braid the three together to make a pull cord. Weave the cord through the filet crochet spaces and tie the ends together. Pull the drawstring and your purse is done.
  
  

Blue jean purse

• Begin with a pair of jeans that you'll never wear again, or purchase a pair at the thrift store. Cut the legs off of the pants above the crotch, leaving the fly area and back pockets. Turn inside out and sew along the cut edge, closing and creating the bottom seam of your purse. Using the discarded pant legs, cut strips about 3 feet long and 3 inches wide. Fold the strips in half lengthwise, then sew along one short edge and the long edge. Pull the resulting tube inside out and slip stitch the remaining open edge closed. Sew the tubes to the top of the side seams as purse straps, or tie to the belt loops for a different look.