Kelsey Herber, School Programs Associate
This week in the FWMoA studio we are inspired by the wide variety of purses in Ilene Hochberg Wood’s personal collection. These are featured in My PURSEonal Favorites: 300 Bags from the World’s Largest Handbag Collection, on display until July 20th. Featuring items like black clutches, a bucket bag made of recycled Tupperware, and a handbag with a small doll version of Ilene herself trapped inside, this collection has every fashionable container you could dream of.
This week’s Saturday Studio aims to shine a light on the handmade purses that feature found and unconventional materials, including pop tabs, bedazzled license plates, and buttons. These purses, while glamorous in their outcome, could be made by anyone from the stuff shoved in household junk drawers. My PURSEonal Favorites sheds light on the ways in which successful artmaking can be accessible while also being museum-worthy.
That being said, and with household materials in mind, we’re going to create our own purse that, if you attended middle or high school between 2010 and 2015, will transport you to the days of the duct tape craze. For those unfamiliar with the obsession that captivated teens in the 2010s, buckle up and stay along for the ride.
You may have read articles about teenagers crafting intricate prom dresses out of duct tape for scholarships granted by the Duck Tape brand, but the more common duct tape creations included wallets, wristlets, and purses. I, myself, held a monopoly on the duct tape wallet business at my middle school. Follow along as I come out of retirement and walk you through the steps to make a simple but quality purse out of the duct tape you probably have lying around at home.
Materials needed:
- Scissors
- Duct tape (I have rolls of fun patterns but classic silver duct tape works great, too!)
To begin, make the outer walls of your purse by layering strips of duct tape over each other, adhering the sticky sides together. Do this twice to make the two outer walls, making sure their dimensions are identical. You can make the walls any size you want. I’ve chosen to make mine small.
Once you’ve made your two purse walls, trim off any uneven excess from the sides for clean edges.
Next, construct the strap or handle by folding one long strip into thirds hotdog style, folding the sticky sides onto each other. Again, you can make your handle any length and width you want. I folded mine into about an inch wide and over a foot long.
Next, tape the bottoms of the walls together on both sides. It’s best to use scissors with this project so you achieve clean, straight edges, which is important since they will be visible. Fold the now joined pieces in half at their meeting point. You should now be able to see the structure of the purse come together.
In order to not only secure the sides of the purse walls but also to connect the strap, I am folding the bottom inch or so of the strap over the purse walls. Then I can place a strip of tape at the meeting line of the two walls. Repeat this step on the other side.
Double check that no tape stickiness is exposed and that your edges are neatly creased. Cut away any excess or imperfect pieces.
You should now have a fun and functional duct tape purse! With practice and patience, the possibilities are endless; you can add pockets, folds, and more detail.
For more inspiration, see My PURSEonal Favorites: 300 Bags from the World’s Largest Handbag Collection, on view at FWMoA until July 20th.