Old Book Upcycle: Disguised Purse

Made this for one of my school assignments, where we had to come up with jewellery or accessories from recycled or sustainable materials. 

Based on this blog post, except when I went to Salvos and Vinnies, I couldn't find a clutch in the same size as my thrifted book. Thus, I spent a good day sewing up my own wallet/purse inside. Unfortunately, as I still have a long way to go before my sewing skills are anywhere near decent, the overall effect was a lot less polished, but I value the final product so much more. 

It's a pretty simple concept, but actually carrying it out took more effort and skill than  I thought! For example, I couldn't cut out the pages of the book very efficiently - the 'stumps' of the pages are still a little uneven. Also, sewing card pockets in particular is very fiddly (which I knew from past experiences). Still, I'm happy enough with the way it turned out. If I ever find the time, I think I might make another one, and work on making it look more polished. 

Sorry that I don't have any in progress shots, I was working as quickly as possible and I just forgot to take photos! I'm happy to answer any questions though :)