Sew a DIY Purse From a Makeup Bag: Easy Tutorial!

Did you ever see a pretty makeup bag and wish it were a purse? Guess what – you can do that! This easy DIY tutorial will show you how. This purse idea is a great way to make something handmade for Mom this year without breaking the bank buying all the supplies for a handmade bag if you don’t already have them.

And sometimes we simply run out of time – like I did when planning to go out of town next week. Oh, by the way, I’ll be at H&H Americas craft trade show looking for new ideas to share with you and speaking about email marketing at the Creator Summit for handmade entrepreneurs. Woo hoo! Won’t I look cute carrying this beautiful bag on my arm?

This blog post has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing. The DIY Purse from a Makeup Bag tutorial is included in the blog post below and is totally free to read, print, and sew! Just hit CTRL +P on your computer to print. The PDF download is optional and included in my PDF Library. Did you know you can get ALL the Optimized for Printing PDF files organized in a library for you to access anytime you want? Check it out.

I found this boxy makeup bag in the checkout aisle at TJMaxx. It was a total impulse buy, but I got it knowing that I already had the perfect purse handles at home. I bought the handles a year or so ago thinking that I might use them on my one-yard Boxy Zipper Bag – but then I ended up using different handles instead.

Don’t worry – this post includes sources for buying purse handles if your sewing stash isn’t ready for the apocalypse like mine is. See why I’ve been ready for tariffs all along.

Sewing the purse handles on this pouch was very easy – since they are not real leather, I didn’t need to change any settings on my sewing machine or even change the needle. The material was easy to sew through.

To Make a DIY Purse from a Makeup Bag, you will need…

A makeup bag or pouch that’s a size you like – mine is approximately 12” wide, 7” tall, and 5” deep.

Ideas for making one from scratch include:

• Clamshell Bag
• Boxy Zipper Bag
• the Pochi Pouch (it’s smaller)

You’ll need some ready-made or DIY purse handles. Here’s a link to the purse handles that I bought on Amazon.

Other ideas for making purse handles include:

• DIY Japanese style fabric bag handles
• Thrifted handles you might find at a local second hand shop
• Clip On Tote Bag Handles
• Simple leather straps like on my Strappy Bag with Pockets

You’ll also need:

• a sewing machine or needle and thread
• pins, masking tape, or fabric glue
• polyester thread that matches your purse handles

Tip: Why polyester thread instead of cotton? Because polyester thread is stronger and less brittle, it’s better for the high stress that bag handles endure holding all of your stuff!

Pin, Tape, or Glue the Handles to the Bag Before Sewing

On the first bag handle, I decided to try both pins and paper tape (inexpensive surgical tape from Amazon). The pins are long and weave in and out of the bag on both sides – I don’t want to stick them through the handle. The tape was also a good option – this is a tool I often use for machine embroidery.

You could also hand-sew the straps in place with large basting stitches, being careful to sew over the stitching that is already in the straps. Fabric glue is also a good option for securing the straps before sewing, but you’ll need to allow time for the glue to dry.

Experiment to Find the Right Stitch Settings

1. Thread your sewing machine with polyester thread the same color as the straps. Experiment on some scrap fabric until you find a stitch and stitch length that looks like the stitching on the straps.

I decided to go with a triple stitch because it made my thread look thicker and I found a stitch length similar to what I see on the strap.

2. Begin sewing at least 1/2” away from the zipper. Sew on top of the stitching on the strap. If you use tape (as shown) you can sew right through it and remove it later.

Tip: This is easiest if you turn the bag mostly inside out.

3. Sew around the end of the strap and back to the top.

The top of the straps receive the most tugging, so you’ll want to secure your stitches well in those spots. I sewed a box at the top of each shape to help with this.

4. Repeat to sew both ends of both straps.

I found that I liked using pins more than tape because removing the tape required more effort. 🙂

When both straps are sewn on, you can enjoy your new bag or gift it to someone you love!

As always, I love seeing the projects you make with my free sewing patterns. Please post a picture to Instagram and tag me @sewcanshe so I can take a look. Happy Sewing!