If you're wondering how to make a candy wrapper purse, you're not alone. These popular handbags have been seen in fashion magazines and movies such as Sex and the City 2.
About Candy Wrapper Purses
A candy wrapper purse is a handbag made from folded candy wrappers. Most purses are relatively small clutch styles, although you can make a larger shoulder bag with a strap if you desire.
There are several reasons why crafters may want to learn how to make a candy wrapper purse:
- Although the color of your purse will vary according to the type of wrapper you use, these handbags are generally very bright and modern looking.
- A candy wrapper purse keeps trash out of the landfill and demonstrates the importance of recycling in a very tangible way.
- Making a candy wrapper purse is a wonderful project for the frugal crafter, since you don't need to purchase any expensive supplies.
- Since the purses are currently very fashionable, these candy wrapper crafts are great to sell at fairs or through online sites such as Etsy.
How to Make a Candy Wrapper Purse
The following instructions will help you make a simple candy wrapper clutch purse that measures approximately 10 ½ x 5 inches.
Supplies
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Cardboard
- Pen
- Tweezers
- Candy wrappers
- Old magazine
- Popsicle stick
- Old credit card
- Baby crochet yarn
Instructions
- Clean the wrappers with paper towels to remove and crumbs or grease. Keep in mind that the ideal candy wrappers are sturdy with a slick plastic coating. For example, Skittles wrappers work very well for this project.
- Cut a cardboard stencil that measures 2 x 4 ¼ inches.
- Cut rectangles from candy wrappers. If you have access to a rotary cutter or paper trimmer, this will be much quicker than cutting all the rectangles by hand.
- Cut rectangles from old magazines. The magazine rectangles will be used to add reinforcement to your candy wrapper chain.
- Put the magazine piece on top of the wrapper. Using the Popsicle stick for a sharp crease, follow the steps for making a links for a Starburst bracelet.
- Join each piece together to make a long chain with 60 wrapper links. Use tweezers to pull the pieces through to join the pieces of the chain.
- Make seven chains with 60 links each.
- Connect each chain to make a circle.
- Cut your old credit card to make a needle measuring 2 3/8 x ½. You will use this plastic needle to stitch your purse together.
- Use the baby crochet yarn to weave your wrapper chain circles together, following the instructions on the Candy Wrapper Purse blog. The video tutorial on this page also demonstrates the weaving technique in greater detail.
- Squeeze the bottom rows of your candy wrapper purse together, then pull tightly to stitch it closed.
Ideas for Customizing Your Candy Wrapper Purse
If you want to customize the basic candy wrapper purse, here are some ideas you may wish to consider:
- Line the purse with coordinating fabric.
- Add a zipper to keep your purse closed.
- Add grommets for extra durability and attach some sort of fabric handle to your purse.
- Instead of using candy wrappers, consider making a purse from magazine covers or wallpaper samples.
- Try sewing beads or buttons onto your finished purse for added interest.
Buying Candy Wrapper Purses
If you're having trouble learning how to make a candy wrapper purse, keep in mind that a number of online retailers sell candy wrapper purses. Many are fair trade items made by women from struggling countries such as Mexico. When you purchase one of these purses, you can feel good knowing that you're helping a mother earn the money she needs to care for her children.
Here are a few of the many websites offering candy wrapper purses for sale:
