Essentially when you make a purse lining, you are mimicking the shape of the purse with fabric. I used cotton print fabric for the lining and cotton batting for the interfacing layer.
Measuring:
The width of your entire purse, smooshed flat.
The depth of your purse.
The width of your purse bottom.
The length of the purse bottom.
Cutting:
Cut a rectangle the measurement of the bottom of your purse, plus 1/4" seam allowance on all four sides. Cut two rectangles from cotton print and one from interfacing (batting).
Cut a large rectangle double the width of your purse plus 1 1/2" long, and the depth of your purse wide. Cut two from cotton fabric and one from interfacing.
You are going to make three lining shapes. Do these steps three times!
Sew the big rectangle together at the short edges, 1/4" seams. If you do not have a sewing machine, use a running backstitch.
This makes a TUBE shape. Sew one open edge of this tube to the rectangle you cut for the purse bottom. Make it fit. You might have to make some pleats at the corners.
Now you have three shapes that look like your purse. Layer them inside your purse:
1. first cotton layer, right sides toward wrong side of purse.
2. batting layer
3. second cotton layer, wrong side toward batting layer.
4. Fold the raw edges at the top together in such a way that you have a smooth edge with no raw edges showing.
Now you put your lining “basket” into the purse and slipstitch it to the purse, about 1/2" from the top. I actually like, at this point, to turn my knitted purse fabric wrong side out and put the lining on it that way, it seems to be easier to get it onto the purse evenly.
I overcast stitch the lining to my purse using thread that is a compromise between the lining fabric color and the yarn color. If you are careful doing your slipstitch, the thread melds into the yarn stitches and does not show. If you machine stitch at this step, it is going to show. voice of experience.
My favorite closure is a zipper. I put it in by hand, using a strong backstitch. I match the yarn color and not the zipper color, because I put these stitches strongly into the yarn and they are going to show. You CAN use the machine on this, but it is trickier. For this purse I bought a 14" zipper from the fabric store. I also bought a decorative clip-on zipper pull to make it easier to grab.
Zipper installation:
With the zipper closed and your purse facing you, tuck it into the top of the purse and pin the zipper tape to each side of the purse the way you want it to look. This is an important step if you want your purse to be the proper shape when closed. Then open the zipper and sew each side of the zipper tape down tightly to the purse, using a backstitch.
(Note: if you want to wait on stitching in your lining until now, the lining can be handstitched to the edge of the zipper tape now. This eliminates the gap between the zipper and the lining and might appeal to you.
If you choose to make a fancy crochet edge at the top of your purse, or an attached icord, or some such, you would stitch your zipper below that. And icord cast-off looks amazing, but your zipper pull can "eat" it. Voice of experience.
To tame the ends of your purse, pinch up the purse into an accordion fold and thread the folds with yarn and tie a bow.
Handle:
For this purse I recycled a leather handle that I am able to tie on the purse with yarn. You can knit or crochet a handle and sew it onto your purse. You can get "d" rings or acrylic squares (buckles) and use them to fasten on a handle. Since you have installed a zipper, you can attach a single handle at each end of the purse and it won't gape open, but will fall into a graceful curve.
This purse turned out to be the new "baguette" shape because the shape of the dishcloths made it long and shallow. I thought I would not like that, but it is very user-friendly. The handle lets it sink into a nice "hobo" shape, but when it is opened, everything inside is easy to find.
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