recycling handbags

[messymammy]

I'm doing a clean of my wardrobe and am getting rid of lots of handbags, any idea what I can do with them? I want to use the bags to make something lovely, but have no idea what. I have some white leather, red pleather, stripey rainbow crochet and blue and white pin stripe canvas for starters. I was thinking maybe a quilted wall hanging? I need some inspiration on this one guys! :)

hmmmm...a wall hanging. You could cut the leather handbag into shapes...stars, hearts, flowers etc and using a leather needle whip stitch onto whatever?

Or you could make a little bag out of the canvas and sew on hearts. Cut some narrow long strips of leather, wrap a few together at one end with thread and sew a heart/flower/dog/cat etc on the other ends.

oops posted too soon

...and sew on the tassley thing you've made onto the bag

..make plaited bracelets out of the leather or key fobs, bookmark. If you have a soldering iron you can burn a design on the leather.

stripey rainbow crochet bag with unravel if you cut it so why not make it into a pegbag or unwind it and knit/crochet into something else

if leather is soft then you can use it for appliques..stick it on childrens hairbands, fabric photo frames

Thanks pudden, some good ideas there, need to think some more about it before I start cutting alright :)