How to make a custom handbag using soda can tabs
Ever thought about making your own handbag? It takes some work, but it also gives you the chance to express your creativity and create your own one-of-kind design. Erika is a young Spanish woman who likes to get creative in all kinds of unique ways — she even came up with this idea for making a handbag out of old soda can tabs! The process seems complicated at first, but it's actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. So dump out the recycling bin and start ripping off those tabs — it's time to make a handbag!
You’ll need:
- 480 can tabs
- 40 other tabs for the handle
- metallic cord in black or silver
- a big needle
- scissors
- a measuring tape
For a crocheted bottom:
- a plastic canvas
- black nylon yarn
- a crochet hook
- round stud rivets
Here’s how:
The 480 tabs will be divided into 12 rows of 40 tabs each. We'll start by cutting 12 pieces of cord to a length of about 41.5 inches each.
Take one piece of cord and insert it into the needle. Then place three tabs overlapping as in the picture below:
Pass the needle and the cord through the lower part of the middle tabs, then through the upper part of the left tabs. Leave a length of cord about the size of your index finger.
Now pass the needle again through the upper part of the tabs on the right and then again through the lower part of the middle one. If you watch the video, you'll see clearly how this is done.
Now add a fourth tab and pass the needle through the lower part of this new tab and then through the upper part of the right tabs. Continue this process until you have filled the cord with tabs.
Now connect the two parts of the chain of tabs you have just created. To do this, pass the two ends of the cord into the tabs on the opposite side as shown in the picture below:
Tie off the cord with a double-knot and your first row of tabs is finished.
At the exact place where you closed this first row, put a tab below the line and start the second row using the same procedure. Continue the line, then add the last tabs in the row.
When this row is done, tie it off with a double-knot.
Repeat the process for the other 10 rows and cut off the excess cord when finished.
You can follow the process in this video:
For the top and the bottom of the bag, you'll have to try crochet! For those of you who have never done crochet before, you can watch this video to find out how it works.
The base is about 5 inches wide and 10 inches long. Erika cuts the plastic canvas to size and adds it to the base to make it rigid. Then she sews the base to the upper part of the bag made of tabs. The final step is to pop in the stud rivets on the bottom.
You can also simply close the base by bringing together the tabs in the last row and tying them off like this:
To finish off the top of the bag, you can make a two-inch crochet border.
Make the bag handles with another row of 40 tabs.
And there you have it! A completely original and unique handbag that you made all on your own. You'll be sure to get some compliments and don't be surprised when people start asking where they can get one!