What you'll need:
- 1 heavy-duty placemat or a piece of 12" x 18" heavy fabric* (scraps of upholstery fabric work well and can be found in the bargain bin at your local fabric store)
- 1 meter solid-colour trim
- 1 meter trim for borders
- Heavy-duty thread
- Fabric
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Fringe, bauble, anything else you might want to sew onto the purse

Instructions:
- Fold the placemat in half so that you know what the front of your purse will look like. If you want to add trim to the outside of your purse, do it now. Pin it the way you want it, then sew it on.
- Flip the placemat over and fold it in half. The trimmed side should face the inside. Pin the sides together and sew them.
- Use the solid colour trim for the shoulder strap, cutting it to the length you want. If you're going for more of a clutch bag effect, you can cut short straps from a second placemat instead of using trim. Attach the strap by sewing each end to one side of the purse.
- Snip all your loose threads, and flip your sassy new purse right side out! * if you're using a fabric scrap instead of a placemat, you'll want to hem the rough edges before you begin!