Woven Evening Purse

Designed By: Lindsay Obermeyer

Weaving on your knitting board is simple and can produce fabulous fabrics like the one featured in this vintage-inspired, glamorous evening purse.  I’ve lined it and added a button closure and beaded handle for added practicality.

Loom: 28″ Knitting Board with Peg Extenders

Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Glamour in Lapis

Ribbon: Offray 1/8″ Gold Metallic Ribbon, 15ft each spool (6 spools) and Simplicty 5/16″ Gold Metallic Trim, 6ft each spool (3 spools)

Beads: 7 round “Wedding Cake” lampwork beads in transparent teal (Indian, not the original Venetian), 80 size 8/0 gold silver-lined beads, 10 gold hexagon beads (NOTE: I’ve been collecting beads for 30 years, these were from my private stash. They are still available, but you may need to shop for them on eBay, Etsy, or at an online bead company if you want the same exact colors.)

Other Supplies:
2 pieces of lightweight Phoomph from Coats and Clark, 2 pieces of Forest Green Craft Felt (9″ x 12″), Fabric Glue, 1″ diameter gold metallic button with a shank, crimping tubes (2), bead stringing wire.

Tools:
size N crochet hook, size F crochet hook, tapestry needle, scissors, ruler / tape measure, crimping pliers, flat knitting bobbin or weaving stick shuttle, awl / crewel needle, cutting pliers.

Finished Size:
19″ x 8″ (flat),   6.5″ x 8″ (finished size without handle)

Weaving Technique:  Tabby / Plain Weave – equal amounts of weft and warp are visible
Row 1: Weave under the first warp thread and over the next.  Repeat across the loom.
Row 2: Weave over the first warp thread and under the next. Repeat across the loom.
Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with Row 2.

Terminology
Warp – the vertical lines of yarn you weave in an out of on the loom.
Weft  – the horizontal line of yarn that you weave in and out of the warp.

1.     Add Loom Extenders
Add one extender to the bottom of the loom and the other one hole in from the other side.

2.     Warp Up the Loom
Tie the end of the yarn to the first peg on the peg extender leaving a 5 inch tail.  Run the yarn to the peg opposite it on the other peg extender.  Repeat this process until you have warped the entire loom.  Tie the warp to the last peg and leave a 5″ tail.

3.     Begin Weaving
Wind your ribbon around the shuttle (knitting or weaving).  Weave under the first warp thread and over the next one.  Be sure to leave a tail at the beginning. Repeat the under / over pattern across the loom.  When you are finished, proceed in the other direct. Wrap the ribbon around the first peg on the vertical edge. Weave over the first warp thread and under the next one.  When you have returned to your starting point, weave in the tail, tucking it to the back.  Keep going in this manner for the next 13″.  As you run out of ribbon, be sure to end at one side or the other, not in the middle.  Wind more ribbon around the shuttle and continue.

HINT:  If you find that your fabric is bowing in the center, weave the next row as normal, but wrap it around the nearest beg with ribbon already wound around it.  Repeat as go back.  This will straighten your line.  You may need to proceed with this trick every few inches throughout your weaving.

4.  Alternate Gold Ribbon with Gold Trim
For the final 6″ you will alternate weaving a gold metallic ribbon with a gold trim. Keep both tidy and tangle free by winding them on separate shuttles.

5.     Remove Fabric from the Loom and Bind Off the Edges

6.     Add Lining
Trim tails on the back of fabric, leaving only a 1/4″. Measure your fabric. Cut the Phoomph to size.  I used one piece of Phoomph for the base of the purse and another for the flap. Trim the Phoomph to have rounded corners at the flap and base.  Cut felt to width, but allow it to remain 12″ long.  Cut the 2nd piece of felt to cover the remainder.  Peel away one side of the Phoomph and press firmly to the back side of your fabric. Peel away the other side, position the felt and press firmly.

7.     Crochet Together the Edges of the Purse
Fold the ribbon section in half, leaving the flap free.  With the yarn and F crochet hook, slip stitch the edges closed.  To do so, you will insert the hook at the base, running the hook below the bound edges.  When you have completed one side.  Proceed to the other.  Weave in all tails.

8.     Add a Beaded Handle
Cut a 20″ piece of beading wire.  Poke a hole with the awl a 1/4″ in from both sides at the base of the flap.

Thread the wire through the hole, leaving a 4″ tail.   Thread five 8/0 gold beads and a lampwork bead, another 8/0 bead and a crimp bead onto the long end of the wire.  With the tail, thread thirteen 8/0 gold beads onto the tail and then run it through the lampwork bead, gold bead and crimp.  Use the crimping pliers to crimp the bead.  Trim away the excess tail with the cutting pliers.  Add two 8/0 gold beads.  *Add a lampwork bead, two 8/0 beads, a hexagon bead, two 8/0 beads.* Repeat pattern from * to * and ending with a lampwork bead.  Thread two 8/0 gold beads, a hexagon bead, two 8/0 beads, a crimp bead, an 8/0 bead, a lampwork bead and thirteen 8/0 beads.  Poke the wire through the hole in the fabric on the other side of the flap and thread a final five 8/0 gold beads.  Run the wire through the lampwork bead and up to the crimp bead.  Pull until the beads are tightened up.  Crimp the bead with the crimping pliers. Trim away excess wire.

9.     Finishing Touches
Fold over the edge at the top of the flap and glue down with fabric glue.  Allow to dry.

Add a crocheted loop.  Measure to find the center of the flap edge.  With the F crochet hook, fasten on the yarn with a slip stitch a 1/2″  from the left of center point.  Leave a 4″ tail.  Chain 8.  Slip stitch to the fabric a 1/2″ to the right of the center point.  Knot and weave in tails.  Fold flap in place.  Place button at center point where flap meets base of purse.  Sew on button.