Ashley Hough

Design Your Own Handbag

with Ashley Hough

Getting the look of a designer handbag doesn’t have to cost a lot of money when you make your own. In this class you will learn how to make a handbag with two large zipper pocket sides and a roomy middle compartment.

Instructor Ashley Hough will take you step-by-step through construction of the handbag; showing how to first practice with a light weight cotton material. You will learn how to sew the purse as well as how important it is to think ahead when it comes to construction technique in order to know when to incorporate finishing touches like top stitching.

She will then take you through the various fabrics you can use to create a designer look including vinyl, suede cloth and even spandex blend fabrics. In addition to learning how to insert zippers into your bag Ashley will show how to use other handbag hardware like purse feet, buckles, magnets, handles, clasps and studs.

Ashley also has many other ideas on how you can further customize your handbag by changing small elements like zipper pulls.

After learning how to construct the handbag you Ashley will go over several different front design options for your new handbag. Each option uses different fabrics, embellishments or hardware- so you can make each one and have several designer looking handbags by the end of the class.

As part of the class you will also receive downloadable and printable patterns and measurements to create your purse.

  • 5 Sessions
  • 2h 06m
Ashley Hough

Ashley Hough

Ashley has sewn for years. Her mother taught her at a very young age. When first starting out, she stuck to mastering commercial patterns before venturing into creating her own. Her patterns have been featured in Sew News, Sew It All, and she has even been on Sew It All TV. Quilting is somewhat new to Ashley, but she dove in head first – coming up with an original design for her first quilt that included curved seams and hand appliqué! She was even lucky enough to have it featured in one of Quilty’s "This is My Quilt" episodes. Ashley loves all things crafty, from sewing to knitting, crochet to quilting, and everything in between. When she isn’t working on a new project or learning a different technique she loves teaching her passion to others.

Class Resource: Purse Pattern

Download this PDF for access to the handbag patterns.

Class Resource: Handbag Measurements

Download this PDF for specific measurements needed to create your handbag.

Meet Your Expert

Download this video to hear Ashley share what her motivation is for designing and sewing her own handbags.

Bonus materials available after purchase

How do I know what the Class covers?

Every Class has a free Preview video you can watch, to give you a flavor of the Instructor and the skills or project that will be covered. In addition, the Overview tab includes a thorough written description of the Class. And finally, each Class Session has a brief written summary of the content in that Session, including the length of each Session video. You will get a good feel for the Class content by reviewing these resources.

Can I view a Class on my tablet device or mobile phone?

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How do I access the Bonus Materials for the class?

Go to view your class, and each individual bonus element is accessible by simply clicking on each item. You’ll find the bonus materials directly below your main class viewer frame. You can access the bonus materials as many times as you would like and/or save them to your device.

Can I print out Class details?

For any Bonus Material that is a PDF Download, yes you can. Just click on the icon/button for the Bonus element you want, and print with your local printer.

What are PDF downloads?

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Are there any system requirements to view the Class video content?

Your Class video content is best when viewed on a computer manufactured in the past couple of years with a good broadband Internet connection (not dialup). We also highly recommend using the latest version of Firefox, Safari, or Chrome as your Internet Browser, though recent versions of Internet Explorer will work as well. The recommended screen resolution is 1024 x 768 or larger.

How do I contact Craft And Hobby?

If your question is about the Class content, please use the Class Discussion benefit to ask your question online – and you'll receive feedback from the Class Instructor. Even your fellow Class participants may jump in to offer tips and advice from their experience. If you have other questions or need help, you can email us at craftandhobby@program-director.net or call us toll-free, at 1-833-363-1239. Service Representatives will be available Monday-Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central time, excluding normal holidays.

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