My No Sew Burlap Bag

So I have always loved burlap and have been seeing some burlap purses online...I really wanted one, but being the tight-wad, DIM (do-it-myself) person that I am, I made my own!

 I can sew some, but its not my favorite thing to do...a few straight hems, basic stitching I can do...much more and I'm no good. I wish I would have learned to sew from my Grandmama...I have her antique Sew Gem machine, but not her talents.

So whats a girl to do? My BFF is my hot glue gun and Aleene's Glue is a close second!

I started with this basic canvas bag from the Wal-Mart store. They come three to a package. 

Next I cut 1 piece of burlap to cover both sides and the bottom and made my "hem" with Aleene's glue around the edges.

Then I decided I wanted ruffles. I cut 5 strips of burlap and glued them on one side of the bag.

 I've also been seeing all the big burlap flowers and decided to try my hand at making one! The light tan on tan just wasn't showing up too much, so I took a few scraps of chocolate burlap to accent the flower.

Here's where my BFF comes in, I glued the layers together with hot glue. I was literally running out of chocolate burlap and dug in the trash can to salvage a scrap piece. I cut a couple of petals and glued to the back of the flower. I looked through Grandmama's butter tub of buttons and found the large brown button. I took a ravel of the burlap and threaded into the button hole and made a shoe string bow. Then I hot glued the button to the flower and took a large safety pin and attached the flower to the bag.  

At this point I still wasn't sure what I was going to do about the handles. Then I cut a long strip of burlap a couple of inches wide. I hot glued the strip on the handle and started wrapping the material around the handle, gluing it occasionally.

I then decided I wanted to have a pocket on the inside to catch my keys and cell phone. I don't like having to dig around in the bottom of my purse for my keys...yall know what I mean! I took a piece of material the width of my bag, rolled the edges under and applied a runner of glue to hem the burlap and then glued it to the inside. I  also applied a strip of glue to the center of the burlap to create 2 pockets.

And there you have it...my NO SEW burlap purse!

I've been carry my new bag this week and love it! It's perfect for carrying all my essential items and has room for the iPad in it as well.

Edited to ADD: When I went to buy more burlap, the women at the fabric counter loved my bag, but suggested I use some Fray Blocker on the edges to keep the burlap from constantly unraveling. I have now added the fray blocker to the cut edges of the bag and flower. It is a liquid, that dries clear, available for a couple of dollars for the tube.

I am linking my No Sew Burlap Purse the following parties. Thank you for allowing me to participate!