Hot Gossip - Part 3: Ooooh, handbags!

Difficulty

Easy

Easy as falling of a log, only less painful - unlike listening to Blair's gob!

Total Cost

The bad news is even my Chic Cheat solution is relatively pricey, totalling £25...

Save It!

...However, the good news is that it's still a lot less than the $1598 price tag of the original.  That's about £1028, according to the beautiful shiny currency converter on my computer desktop (yes, I really am that sad) which means this entry could save you £1003.

Hours

16 or thereabout

You will need

• A clutch bag or small handbag - I'd recommend picking one up at your local charity shop.  The colour doesn't matter as you will be completely covering it, but if you can find one with gold purse clasps at the top, then bonus.


• 20cm of green and turquoise jacquard silk My quest to find a decent match took me all the way to London, where I found a fabulous fabric that fitted the bill and set me back £11.  Jacquard silk £55/metre, Soho Silks, 22 D'Arblay Street, London W1F 8EP Tel: 020 7434 3305

• A tube of green, gold and brown beads, a string of pale green pearls (code BP25-4) and a string of green glass beads (code GPR12) costing a total of £4.50 including VAT from Creative Beadcraft (trading as Ells and Farrier in London, 1 Marshall Street, London, W1F 9BA  Tel: 020 7734 1982)  I also picked up £4 worth of assorted beads and green pearls from Beading Crafty (Beading Crafty Ltd, 25 The Square, Kenilworth CV8 1EF  Tel: 01926 858442)


• Glue gun


• Needle and thread


• Fabric scissors


• Ruler or graded set square


• Metallic gel pen

We've got it in the bag

...And, so can you, if you:

Start by cutting two pieces out of your fabric big enough to cover the sides of your handbag.

Pin one of your pieces of fabric to the side of your handbag, folding the excess fabric underneath, along the bag's seam line and at the top.  Slip-stitch it to the bag.

Repeat this process with the other side of the handbag and at the bottom of needs be.

Mark out a line 2-3cm from the top of the handbag, on both sides.  Glue your beads inside that area between the line and the top of the bag, ensuring you cover the whole area.