DIY FLORAL EMBROIDERED EVENING BAG OR CLUTCH

Here’s What You’ll Need…

* Satin evening bag or clutch {I found mine for 3$ at a thrift shop}
* Embroidered silk {to cut out – which you can find on an old dress or blanket from a thrift store} or a handful of floral appliques or embroidered patches
* Scissors
* Needle and thread and/or glue/mod lodge & sponge applicator or brush

Steps…

NOTE: Skip steps 1-3 below if you’re using pre-made embroidery patches.

* Lay out your fabric and decide which sections of the embroidery to use.

* Carefully cut around the edges of your embroidery, without cutting into the embroidery. Leave a little allowance around the edge even if it frays.

* Steam your fabric if necessary so that it will lay flat. It will make it easier to cut and will ultimately stick down more smoothly as well.

* This is what you’ll be left with.

* Test out the appliques on your bag and decide where to place them. I used one large one, which began on the back and wrapped around to the front. If you have appliques, you can place them anywhere since they’re smaller.

* Apply glue to the back of the embroidery pieces and place it on your bag in the desired places and set to dry. Use books to hold it in place if it’s a little slipy.

NOTE: I had originally planned to hand-stitch the appliques onto my satin clutch… and I wish I had. I ultimately thought it was going to take far too long to do so and went with the glue. The glue made the appliqués a bit stiff and rough to the touch – and I never truly trust the life of glue. I want to be confident that my belongings {& DIYS} not only look high end, but that are NOT going to fall apart when I’m using them. So while I do love the way it turned out, I wish I would have taken the time to really hand-stitch the appliqués down. I tell you this so you have a choice. If you’re using patches, that may be a bit stiff to begin with, glue is the best option.

And… Voila!

What’s great about this satin bag {and most of this style bags}, is that you can use the shoulder strap in times when it’s trendy to do so, and as a daytime look, then hide the straps away in the bag to use it as a clutch for evening or alternate looks. I love versatility.