In preparation for more clothing and accessory articles, we’re going to touch on what we’ve used to secure garments throughout history. But, why would you include tiny details like this?

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The soft pop of a snap fastener. The whisper of silk laces drawing tight. The decisive click of a brooch closing at the throat. These small, everyday sounds can help with authenticity but also help you use sensory details!

When we think of historical detail, our minds often leap to the grand and dramatic – sweeping ballgowns, gleaming swords, or imposing castle walls. But it’s in the intimate details of how clothes were fastened, how armour was secured, or how a cloak was pinned that we find opportunities to deepen character, and even build tension.

Consider the difference between “She put on her cloak” and “Her fingers, numb from cold, struggled with the agraffe at her throat, its gem-studded surface refusing to align with the loop hidden in the heavy wool.” The second version doesn’t just tell us about an action – it reveals character (perhaps she’s unused to dressing herself), setting (it’s cold), social status (she owns jeweled clasps), and even builds tension through the struggle with the fastening.

These small details can serve multiple narrative purposes:

• Reveal character through how they interact with their clothing
• Build period authenticity through accurate historical details
• Create sensory richness through sounds and textures
• Show social status through the quality and type of fastenings
• Build tension through the time and difficulty of securing clothing
• Demonstrate relationships through who helps whom with difficult closures

Related D-Scripts

This area will fill in the more subjects we’re able to get to.

• Describing Piercings in Your Writing: Ears
• What We Wear: Cloaks, Capes, Robes, and Similar Garments
• What We Wear: On Our Torsos – Bras

Types of Fastenings Throughout History

• Ideas for Writing Chaos Magic
• Glossary for Writers Producing Spicy Content
• Ideas for Writing Dream Magic
• Describe It: Backs
• Describe It: Writing Characters with Chronic Pain
• Describe It: Motivated / Determination
• Ideas for Writing Fire Magic
• Injuries: Writing About Bruises

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How to Sew a Purse With a Clasp Frame

Over the last few weeks I’ve been working on a piece of embroidery, and I needed a quick and easy project where I could use it.

Having the attention span of a goldfish means that longer projects tend not to get finished. A little purse with a clasp frame was just the thing as they are easy and quick to make, and it would show off the embroidery perfectly!

The instructions below show how to do the embroidery, then how to make the purse, including drafting the pattern.

There’s a separate tutorial showing how to sew in the frame, and I’ve included a link once we get to that stage.

If you want to make the little purse without the embroidery, you can just skip the embroidery part!

How to Sew a Purse With a Clasp Frame

You Will Need

Fabric for outer and lining, interfacing, a small purse clasp frame  (affiliate link), embroidery thread and needle, an embroidery hoop (optional), usual sewing supplies.

Embroidering the Purse Front

As it’s a small thing, it’s probably easiest to do the embroidery first before cutting out. That way you’ll have something to hold onto, and it will be big enough for your embroidery hoop if you are using one.

If you want to use my design, you can download it for free here.

The stitches I have used are lazy daisy stitch, woven wheel stitch, stem stitch, fern stitch and French knots. If you are unsure of how to sew these stitches, each link will take you to a tutorial for that stitch. If you’ve never tried them don’t be put off! Just have a practice first on a scrap bit of fabric.

For more fabric claspinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Drafting the Pattern

Your purse will need to be the right size and shape for your purse frame. The easiest way to ensure this is to make your own pattern.

1. Take your clasp frame, a piece of paper and a pencil.

2. Draw around the top of the frame. Mark where the top of the hinges are.

3. For the rest of the purse, you can make it whatever shape you like! To check that both sides are the same, draw one half, then fold it in half and trace it onto the other half.

If you are embroidering it first, you will need to make sure that your purse is big enough to accommodate the embroidery, including a 1 cm seam allowance.

4. Draw around your purse shape, this time adding an extra cm. This is your pattern piece!

Cutting Out

Using your purse shape, cut 2 pieces from the outer fabric, including the embroidery, 2 pieces from the lining and 2 pieces from interfacing.

Sewing Up

1. Place one of the purse pieces on top of an interfacing piece with the right side up. Take the other outer piece and place that on top of the outer piece so that the right sides are together. Place the other piece of interfacing on top.

2. Take the clasp frame and line the top of the bobbles up with the top edge of the purse. Check that it is centred and that the distance all the way round the top between the clasp and the purse pieces is roughly the same.

3. Using pins, mark where the top of the hinges are on the purse pieces.

4. Sew the bottom of the purse outer between the pins. Repeat for the lining.

5. Pop the purse lining inside the outer so that the right sides are together. Pin the lining to the outer. Leaving an opening on one side, sew the lining to the outer.

6. Turn the purse the right way out. Slip stitch the opening.

To attach the purse frame, you will need to find the centre of the top edge of your purse and the centre hole on the purse frame. Starting at the centre, sew the purse frame to the purse. When you get to the hinge, go back to the centre and sew the other side. Repeat for the other half of the purse frame. There’s a detailed tutorial showing how to do this here.

I have some kits for this purse for sale on Etsy. They include everything you need, with the same fabric that I used and the embroidery design already printed onto the fabric. If you would like to take a look, they are here.

If you liked this tutorial showing how to sew a purse with a clasp frame, you might also like this tutorial for an embroidered daisy pouch.

For more information, please visit automotive interior fabrics.