I’m offering this tutorial for free. That doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want with it. But, I’m pretty easy going. So, you pretty much can :p Check the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.5 Canada. Basic rundown:
- Feel free to share. Distribute. Tell people about it. Change anything you want in it. However, make sure people know that it’s my original work. And don’t use it to make money. That includes using it to teach classes. If you do want to use it for a class of any sort, let me know. Preferably ask, not tell. We can probably work something out :D
Or small project holder. I’ve made mine big enough for a mitten-in-progress, camera, wallet and various other purse and knitting knick-knacks. I also took 51 pictures of it’s creation. Most of them are pretty crappy. Anyways, here is a visual walk-through in creating a woven duct tape thingie.
Supplies:
1 roll Duck brand tape in Main Color (black)
1 roll Duck brand tape in Contrast Color (pink)
1 roll Duck brand tape in Contrast Color 2 (green) (optional)
Unloved scissors (Don’t use ones you like; They’ll get tape-y and sticky)
Large stick resistant surface
Large Velco square
Ruler
Step 1: Make the horizontal strips
Measure out 12 inches of your contrast color. Fold it in half length wise.
Try to avoid doing this: That little bit of white there is sticky and not very pretty. But, don’t stress too much about it if it does happen.
Repeat 23 times. Yep, I said 23. Do a couple in CC2, if you want to shake things up a bit. Neatly line them up and toss a few textbooks on them to flatten them out. Leave the textbooks on for at least as long as it takes to do step 2.
Step 2: Make the vertical strips
Measure out 25 inches of MC. Fold that in half. Not too easy . . . but you only have to do it 12 times.
Cover at least the ends with a few textbooks for a while. I knew that psychology one would come in handy some day.
Step 3: Weave them together and line the purse
Once you figure they’ve flattened out, rip off a piece of MC about 14 inches long. Fold it in half, sticky side OUT to make a crease. Line all 12 of the long MC strips along the crease, all close and snuggly-like. Fold along the crease over the ends.
Then, using strips of CC, start weaving. Over one, under one, over one, under one . . .
All the way to the end.
Then, grab another strip and do it again. Except, this time start under one, then go over one, under one, over one, you get the drift. Throw in some CC2 if you want.
Every few strips or so, cover what you have done with a 12 inch strip of CC. Don’t worry, the weaving is still visible from the other side. This just acts as a liner for the inside, so things don’t poke out.
You should end up with something like this:
Yay! The basics of the purse are done! Now on to the fiddly stuff . . .
Step 4: (Optional) Inner Pocket
Measure out a strip 6 or so inches long. Fold it in half STICKY SIDE OUT . . . and lay another 6 inch strip touching the upper, sticky edge, sticky side up.
Unfold the bottom piece so that the two pieces are totally stuck together. Fold the top sticky part over the middle, so that there is only sticky on the bottom edge.
Flip it over, take another 6 inch piece of tape and cover that sticky edge, without covering any black. That way, the sticky edge continues. I’m losing you aren’t I? Basically, you halfway overlap pieces of tape, flip it, halfway over lap again and repeat until it is the size you want.
Then, with the last one, you fold it down so you have a sheet with no sticky band at the top or bottom.
Then, you add a sticky band to the bottom. Take a 6 inch piece and put it half on, half off the bottom of your little square. Trim it to an angle. CUT WITH THE STICKY SIDE OF TAPE UP. THIS WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO CUT AND LEAVE LESS RESIDUE ON YOUR SCISSORS. Don’t know why, but it works.
Add angled bands to the two sides, too. Flip over, and fold these edges in half onto each other.
Ending up with this almost envelope-like thing. Stick that onto the inner liner.
The envelope edges make it stick from the inside. Tack it down with some strips on the outside of the pocket, too, or it’ll end up falling off eventually.
I added a longer one in, too. I nestled the little pocket into the big one for no real reason. You can see in this picture how I added some tape on the outside part to stop the pocket from pulling off.
Step 5: Tidy up the purse before construction
Add a long MC strip along the longest edge, leaving half of the strip hanging off the edge. Flip the entire thing over, and fold the hanging edge over the inside of the bag.
If you have a pocket near the edge, like I do, cut the strip so that the pocket can still open. Continue folding after the cut.
Repeat for the other unfinished edge.
Step 6: Make the sides of the bag
The same way you (might) have made the pockets, make a long sheet, at least 8 inches tall and 4 inches wide.
Trim down the edges, and make it so that it is about 4 inches on the bottom, and 2 inches at the top. Like a wanna-be triangle.
On the outside, count down 8 strips. Tape the almost-triangle thing to the next for strips on the inside.
Put a strip halfway hanging off the 8 strips that you counted, so that it is touching the bottom of the almost-triangle and the top corner. Fold it in half sticky side out. MacGyver this sticky piece up the side of the triangle.
Repeat on all 3 other edges. The other side will be too long. That’s cause it is a flap-top! Just connect it as far as it will go. Cover all the edges with a strip of MC on the outside to hide the sticky white stuff.
Step 7: Make the handle
Cut 3 strips as long as you can stand, or a bit longer than half of the length you want the handle to be. Lay one down, sticky side up. Cove half of it with another strip, sticky side down. Fold one half over the other. Flip the piece and cover the now-exposed sticky edge half way with the third sticky piece. Flip over again and fold the edge down so there are no exposed edges.
Repeat! Tape these two pieces together, tape them to the inside of the bag. Attach velcro squares to center of the overhanging flap, and matching on on purse front, ant voila!
Le bag!
April 27, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Loved making this bag! I made it for my knitting projects, and also made a small little wallet-like thing for my dpn’s, scissors, etc. Thanks for posting it!
April 28, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Thank you so much for this pattern. I made it late at night, so it was getting harder and harder to follow the instructions after the weaving.. But I managed, and I love it. It’s my new purse, complete with my own duct tape wallet and iPod case.
Thanks! :)
June 10, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Thanks for posting this pattern…i’m making a purse to enter in the CA State Fair! It’s so cute! I have a question…is there a way to make the purse NOT a flap top?
June 10, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Super cute purse!!
Alyssa, it seems a bit rude to use someone else’s pattern in a contest without even asking them. Asking them to make modifications for you is even worse! Contests are supposed to be about how well you can do something, not how well you copy someone else’s work.
June 10, 2008 at 5:20 pm
That’s spectacular! That’s all I’m gonna say. :o)
Well, besides that it’s so nice that you posted the tutorial.
June 10, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Teenage DD and friends love making things with duct tape. Will have to show them this!!
June 11, 2008 at 11:45 am
Hey, Alyssa never said she was going to use this pattern. and it is a wonderful purse! but sure if she does use it, she will definitely make it her own! oh and Alyssa what ever you decide to do…GOOD LUCK!
July 15, 2008 at 11:33 pm
[...] accomplishment! A Duct tape purse and wallet! I got the pattern off of KnitaSaur’s blog. Link My Picture: And my wallet I got off this website: Link And now for the pictures: [...]
July 18, 2008 at 10:50 am
In response to Alyssa’s post…Good luck on your project. Please don’t contact any chef or bakers for recipes & techniques if you plan on entering the baking or cooking portion of the fair. After all, using a recipe or instructions must be cheating somehow. It seems that this website has a very “unique product” that no one else ever thought of. how dare all those other duct tape purse websites copy this idea.
July 19, 2008 at 10:30 am
i love this purse to death! i’ve got to make it sometime soon!
October 10, 2008 at 8:57 pm
this is great!! thank you sooo much for posting the tutorial! i just started duct tape projects and i wanted to make a purse JUST LIKE THIS! i wasn’t sure how to go about making it and actually making it look good!
THANKS A BUNCH!
October 19, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I just got done with this purse! It was hard…but worth it! The directions where awesome! It took me prob 3 hours. But it looks so cool! Thank you so much!
Kayleigh
November 21, 2008 at 8:12 pm
That is SSOOO cool i couldnt figure out how to make a pocket on the inside neatly, but u showed me! Thanks!!
November 26, 2008 at 10:42 pm
thanks alot! i was so bored of the wallets, ties and so on and it was nice to get away from the norm. i made a great looking goth, punk school bag by just tweaking the pattern a little and increasing the size and it looks awesome!
December 12, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Hi!
My name is Jessika!
December 24, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I made one for my wife and she loves it! Thanks for the “How To”!
December 25, 2008 at 1:54 pm
oh my goodness they are selling duck tape purses and wallets and all kinds here….oh goodness what are we to do….Allyssa…dont worry about these others who think they are high and mighty…make it and enter the contest and have fun… Life is about learning and trying and having fun and if we didnt copy each other then no one would learn….EVERYTHING we use and do if copied from someone else…EVERYTHING!!!!!! Well Merry Christmas Y’all
http://www.ducttapefashion.com/products/prod01.htm
February 9, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Nice woven purse. I’m a teacher from Indonesia and you gave me inspiration about my next teaching material. The girls will love it. Thank you.
February 10, 2009 at 7:14 pm
oh my gosh!!!this is the cutest purse ever!!! i really needed a purse. and this one is so useful!! i can put pretty much everything in there!!i love it!!
April 25, 2009 at 1:55 pm
does anybody know what the dimensions of this bag are? i have an issue with having hugenormous bags because i feel the need to carry EVERYTHING around and while i LOVE LOVE LOVE this bag i would like to know how big it is……oh well, i may just have to start on it…..
June 3, 2009 at 11:52 am
I love this! Just finished my first try up today and love the look. Had to make a few modifications due to not measuring everything. lol But I love it. My bestie wants me to make one for her! haha Thanks for the instructions!
June 8, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Was i the only one that it took a long time to make? Estimated around 4 hours.
June 10, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Hey, we loved making this purse with our 9 year old daughter. It came out great! I do have two quick questions, though:
1) The instructions say to create two straps & tape them together. How? On top of each other? How do you attach them together?
2) Will taping the straps to the inside of the purse create a strong enough attachment to keep the bag from detaching from the strap? Any specific instructions on how to tape the strap in?
Thanks!
– Ben
June 16, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Awesome purse! Its funny i made one just like that last week and thought i was unique… Check it out here http://craftdgirl.wordpress.com/
That’s great you made a step by step walkthrough with picts. I was too lazy to do that…
-craftdgirl
July 6, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Lovely design! Have friends in this week from far away–we’re opting to make purses tonight instead of playing cards. It’s the next-generation sewing circle! :)
Thank you for taking time to share your ideas, and for the pictures (which are pretty NOT crappy!)
July 11, 2009 at 12:24 am
I absolutely loved this! I have it mostly done but have to wait to finish it, I ran out of duct tape due to some mistakes. The only thing I really changed is mine isn’t going to have a flap, I’m getting the actual purse snaps and putting them in there.
July 19, 2009 at 6:04 pm
sooooooo cute i going to make!!!! ……………..:)
August 28, 2009 at 11:52 am
I just got into making duct tape stuff. And I wanted to make this bake and i just went out to buy duct tape and was wondering how many rolls i needed so please reply with an answer
October 18, 2009 at 11:21 am
Coolest one I’ve seen. :)
I’m gonna use this way when I make mine. :)
November 6, 2009 at 6:07 pm
omg i made this bag to use for school and it is so cute ive seen these in stores for up to 50 bucks!!!!!!!!!!
November 15, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Thank you for the “How To” This was a great Sunday afternoon project. I made this for a friend I work with for her B-day. I plan on making one for me next! Take care and thanks again.
November 29, 2009 at 2:37 pm
thanx so much i just made one ita ao cute thanx so much!!!!!!