If the idea of stitching a zip makes you want to scream and run away then give this DIY a go! By using felt and hand stitching it into place, you can have a go at inserting a zip into a simple purse.
To get started you will need a piece of felt which measures 5 inches by 8 inches, a 4 inch zip, some embroidery thread, a sharp craft knife and small pieces of felt or buttons for decoration. I find it easiest to use a rotary cutter, ruler and mat to cut out my felt, this way I get lovely straight lines.
First your need to cut the slit in your felt for your zip. I use a cutting mat and a really sharp craft knife to do this. Start by cutting a small slit and place your zip underneath it. If you need to cut it longer and wider you can do. You are aiming for a letterbox shape so that you can see all the working parts of your zip. Then you need to stitch your zip into place using your embroidery thread. Use small running stitches to sew through the zip underneath and up through the felt. You can trim off the tails of the zip if you like, or simply tuck them inside when you sew up the edges.
Then you can stitch any decoration you like onto the front of your lovely purse. I love hand stitching felt so I opted for little circles, all held in place with a single stitch. Buttons would also look super sweet. To finish your purse, fold it exactly in half so that the wrong sides are together and your decoration is facing you. Stitch closed however you like, my favourite stitch to use is blanket stitch. You can find my blanket stitch DIY here if you need a hand.
Happy stitching!
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