The other day while surfing the net I came across an image on Country Living. I thought the idea was so cute that I had to try it myself and I am here to give you a tutorial. This tutorial is however just a guideline. I contemplated doing it several ways and just opted for the fastest way I could see. Hope you like it. (you could of course make this much more complicated!)
Supplies:
One hardback book
Exatco knife
1/2 yard or less of fabric
Handles of your choice.
Hot glue
Duct Tape
(p.s. I think I might have gone a little crazy with the duct tape, but what could be faster or stronger?)
I don’t know is it too cheesy?
I thought it was really fun, but I am not sure…
What do you think?
Is this something you would ever consider making?
Let me know!
>I love it! What a great idea. I am going to shop my book collection today so I can make one.
>Too cute. Do you suppose, as an asst. ref. librarian I could get away with this?! Because I would love to waltz into work with it!
>Yep, this is ABSOLUTELY something I would consider making. Your bag has turned out beautifully. Love your choice of fabric, too.
>Oh, I love this! My youngest daughter is an avid book reader and I would love to give this a try for her. I can be a little clutsy at projects like this but it is so cute!
I'd like to have one for myself too
>That turned out really cute!
>I love this! I would definitely make this. I am a librarian and carrying around a "book" bag would be perfect!
>yours looks really well-done! my mom is craftier than me, and she made a handful of these for gifts & to sell. they were really awesome, she even picked out special titles to have their bindings exposed (what's yours?
her only hang up was trying to figure out a buyer's market…i put some on ETSY for her & didn't sell any, which is CRAZY!
nice job
>That is so awesome! What a great way to recycle!
>yes, i would definitely make one of these. i might try to get activity day girls do it too…maybe with plastic tubing handles to make it cheaper.
>This is a fantastic idea…i would love this purse to call my own. You must make some and post on etsy. The colors are perfect and so NOW.
Great tutorial too.
~judi
>I saw bags like this at a craft fair in Chicago a few years ago and made a note to try it… but now I don't have to do any of the experimenting! You did all the work for me.
Thanks! Love it.
>i love this! i like that i wouldn't have to sew. i use my glue gun whenever i can get away with it.
>I really like it! It does look like something I would make – I would actually even use it as decor – or maybe an inbox for mail. You did a great job and it looks like easy to follow instructions!
>I think it is a great idea, although I may fiddle around with an alternative to duct tape. And I'm off to Half Price Books!
>Very clever. I have a bunch of books that I have torn pages out of to use for decor, but I've never figured out a way to use the binding. Plus I'm a sucker for anything that involves duct tape.
Lisa~ http://www.livingmybestlifeii-lisa.blogspot.com
>I love it!! It looks too intimidating to me though, not sure if I could do it…
>Oooh….crafty. And your end result looks so professional! I don't know though, as a bibliofile I have a natural aversion to destroying a book….but I sure do love the result and the message it sends…what is the title? My library does sell 2nd hand books so maybe there is an option for me out there.
>I would TOTALLY make that! and my daughter will beg me if she sees this! bookmarking your site
>I think it is totally cute and would make a great teacher gift or librarian gift… or a great bag to take with you to the library.
>very cute – would make a wonderful gift for that 'reader' on your gift list…great job..
>THAT IS WHAT I CALL A BEAUTIFUL BLOG. I DO OWN AN ANTIQUE STORE IN CENTRAL TEXAS AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR 12 YEARS. YES! YOU CAN MAKE MONEY, KEEP IN MIND THIS IS SO IF YOU ARE WILLING TO WORK HARDER THAN YOU EVER WORK IN YOUR LIFE. IT IS THE MOST FULFILLING THING I HAVE DONE AND I BREATH,DREAM AND LIVE ANTIQUES. IT IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. LET ME KNOW IF I CAN HELP YOU IN ANY WAY. YOU CAN EMAIL ME, JUST LOOK UP MY PROFILE. BLESSINGS, MARTA.
>Hi there! This is so lovely, and you make it look so easy! Of course I would consider doing AND using one. It really is cute!
Hey, by the way, thanks for stopping by at Casa Haus and following. Following back!
>Stopping by from 30days- I LOVE your blog!! I just added you to my Bloglines. Can't wait to see what you come up with next. xoxo Mique
>I think it is VERY cute! I am going to feature this on my blog. Love your blog! I am adding it to my reader.
>I love this idea! I will definitely feature this at somedaycrafs.blogspot.com
>I think it's absolutely brilliant! And just love the color! Could you please stop by Craft Schooling Sunday again (@www.creativejewishmom.com) and link to this? I'd just love to share it the following week!
>I totally LOVE it and want to make one! Thanks for the awesome idea!
>Brilliant! thanks for the inspiration!!
>just linked to ya
>Absolutely! I have a nice collection of old books that I keep around for crafting, but I would never have thought of this! I LOVE that there's no sewing involved!
Thanks for the great idea! I'm off to choose a book to use:)
>Clever and cute! Love the colors, too. Yep, I would definitely make this. Thanks for sharing!
>I love this! I saw some purse handles last week at the thrift store and was trying to decide what I could do with them. This project is perfect!
>I LOVE this bag! Definitely trying one. But I am worried that hot glue won't hold if I actually try to carry books in it…or anything very heavy…what's a stronger alternative to hot glue?
>I love it. I think I am going to adapt it to use it catch mail etc by the back door. What a fun idea!
teri
>This isn't cheesy at all!!! Clever…yes!!! Adorable…yes!!! On my to do list…yes!!!
Blessings,
Kimberlynn
>I really love this fun little purse. It just needs you to carry it with ATTITUDE! It is clever and different. A purse can be fun and unexpected, unless you are the queen of England, and then it must be boring and dowdy!
Wear it sass!
I love it!
Yvonne
>Not too cheesy at all! Love it!
>i love it! i am mentally making a list of everyone i could make one for. super cute. would be a great super saturday project.
>I love your book bag. I too try to find ways of using books and what I came up with was a book purse to hold gift cards and envelopes. Your's is way much fancier than what I made:
http://chicabellacrafts.blogspot.com/2010/01/altered-book.html
I'm going to make one like your's this weekend to hold a small album. Thanks for your step by step instructions. You have an awesome blog!
>You're right. It's Cheesy. Jackie
>Love it!! So dang creative!
I'm hosting a giveaway at my blog!! Come and check it out!!
madebystephie.blogspot.com
>I could not love this more, wow!
>way cute and I expect you to have a smile on your face and a quick in your step with it in your remodel hot hands. If not…make it a give-away!
>AMAZING! thanks!
>I think it is very clever! I love ways to reuse things.
>Oh that is so cool!! What a neat idea!!
>That is darling. I love it. What a cute idea!
XOXO
Jen
>I really like this, I think I could even do it, and I'm not very crafty.
>It's SO cute and the Tiffany Blue is beautiful!
Just stopping by from Today's Creative! Signed up to follow you! Stop by my blog when you get a chance, I'm always looking for a few more crafty followers! http://juliechats.blogspot.com
>Thanks so much for linking up at Craft Schooling Sunday! I'll be featuring this next week and hope to see you again as well! Happy crafting!
>This is adorable! I love it. I would absolutely carry this around. I think it's easy enough that I could actually do it (craft-challenged). Thanks for posting.
>Very very cool! I love how it turned out!
>I love it! I'm going to add it to my home-made gift list, if that's ok. Happy TILT!
>Brilliant! There is nothing cheesy about it! I just wish I hadn't given my all my old books away!
>Girl, I so love it. I saw the originally tutorial, but you made this seem so much easier. Love that duct tape. The final result looks professional.
Go Girl.
>GET OUTTA HERE! That's so cute! I'm a book nerd, so I love it! The color, the fabric and the handles are Fab-u-lous! Awesome job!
>oh this is FABULOUS. fabulous! what a PERFECT gift for anyone who loves to read (or for myself!).
we'd love it if you'd link up to the friday fun find party… this is too great not to share!
>That is beautiful!!
>This is the coolest thing ever. Thanks for stopping by today for Friday Follow it is awesome to meet you! I am following
>This turned out great and it is super cute.
Thanks for joining Get Your Craft on Thurs. Please join me next week for another great party.
>oh that's so nifty
i wanna make one!
>I just wanted to let you know that I featured you here:
http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/2010/03/sunday-spotlight-soys-favorites.html
>That is so creative and just darn adorable!
>If I were a crafty person I would so do that, but I would probably glue myself to it or cut myself with the exacto knife. But I love it!
>OMG this is fantastic. Thanks so much for re-posting this fabulous purse. I would love to make one myself now. I think it's absolutely adorable.
>Hello…
What a cute and clever idea…I've never seen anything like it! So cute! It would also make a great bag for carrying books! Thank you for sharing this adorable book bag with us for Sunday Favorites!
Warmest wishes,
Chari @Happy To Design
>I think it's really fun and you are very clever to have thought of it.
>This is super cute
>I love the colors. Looks like you did an outstanding job putting this all together. The duct tape seems like the beat choice; you could even use the pretty colored duct tape, but it gets covered. This seems like an unique accessory. I'd like to try it myself and decide if it would be practical for using. Great job!
>Great colors, very fun and super cute! Lezlee
>Remodelaholic, I just have to tell you that my 14-year-old daughter was so excited about this book bag. She's a seamstress of sorts, and totally wants to do this…so thanks!
>LOVE IT! I bookmarked it to try this summer with my kids.
>I just found your site through 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven, and I LOVE this post – such a great idea! I'm totally going to comb some used bookstores for something that looks kid-appropriate and use it to tote my tot's coloring stuff to doctor's appointments and such… I might also scour the stores for a cheap, big, coffee-table type book and do it so that the top (open part) is narrower than the bottom and see if that would work for a magazine holder for next to the toilet. I think it would be fun to do with an old cook book and stuff recipes in or coupons in for grocery trips! Fun! Lots of cute possibilities!
>oh my gosh, this is awesome
>This is really the coolest idea! I would love to figure out a way to make a bigger/stronger bag for our library books. Great idea!
>you can't even tell its a book…so cute! thanks for linking up to check me out saturdays http://www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.com
>I made my own and turned out very cute! Thanks for sharing!
Elisa from Italy!
>Ths is GREAT! Very thorough tutorial. I have fetured this on my blog: http://www.mmtncrfts.blogspot.com
Thanks for sharing!
http://www.mmtncrfts.etsy.com
>What an awesome idea! LOVE it! Have to try this for my dd's.
*smiles*
debbi
>So cool! It looks wonderful. I am totally going to make one!
>Very handsome & oh so clever! Thanks for sharing.
>So creative! I've already started making one for my daughter's birthday next month. Thanks for sharing your great idea.
Ammitiés de la France,
Stéphanie
>Thanks for the tutorial. I just may make this one day! I've always thought some books had such gorgeous covers compared to what they had on the inside!
>Very cute! Any ideas on maybe a coupon book/binder?
>I'm here from Tatertots and Jello and I LOVE this project! I have a hard-back book that I've been tearing pages out of for all kinds of different crafts, and just this morning I was wondering what kind of wonderful thing I could make with the cover!
>What a great idea. So cute!! My daughter would love something like this for her prized "Junie B. Jones" books! Love it!!
>Oh my gosh, I am seeing a LOT of purses and bags in Blogland today!.. And I LOVE this one!! I generally prefer BIG bags, as I hate going anywhere without ALL "my stuff"!!.. But this is absolutely adorable for special occasions, where it is not necessary, or even appropriate, to be hauling "all your stuff"!! I will definitely be trying this project out! Very sweet! Thank you for sharing a tutorial!.. Have a great weekend! ~tina
>I came over from Knock-Off Wood. I LOVE this tutorial. My husband and I have more books that we have room to store, so something like this would be appropriate for me. I love it, and it looks so easy. It's very chic.
>That is sooo very cute. I think my (PhD in English) husband would have a heart attack to see me destroy a book – but it might be worth it!
>Gorgeous! I love this purse. I've seen the ones from Rebound Designs (www.rebound-designs.com) but had never considered making them myself.
I'm about to post on my blog (tossingpaper.blogspot.com) and I'm going to feature this post. Thanks!
>Yeah, it's cheesy. But also cute, so who cares? If you like it, you should use it.
>How awesomely cute! LOVE it!!
>I have a haord of books for this purpose and I just couldn't figure out how to make it work! Thanks for such a great simple tutorial! Off to make some book bags! =)
>That is SO CUTE! Thanks so much for sharing!
>oh, i made one of these! i used to kill a mockingbird:D for my personal use, i used a scanned image and printed it out on starched muslin so as not to ruin a "good" book! i love how it came out:D
kudzu/cherry
>Wow! I love this literal BOOK bag tutorial. AMAZING! I want to make it for my mother-in-law for her birthday. Thank you for the wonderful idea!
>That is a beautiful bag! Love it!!
>I linked up to this on my blog to show where my inspiration came from … thanks for posting this!
>I made one several years ago using a tutorial I found on a forum. The material was sewn together and then hot glued to the bag, with sewn handles.
My version on Flickr
I like your handles much better, and it seems there are a few sellers on Etsy (not me) asking $100+ for book purses!
>This is such a cute idea!