As part of my 9-to-5 job, I spend hours every day pouring over some of Nordstrom’s finest clothing and accessories, so it’s only natural that I would become intimately familiar with the offerings of the handbag department. While my list of dream bags gets longer every day, I’ve lately been hankering to add this fringed Rebecca Minkoff clutch to my arsenal.
Since I’ve been a bit fringe-crazy as of late, I decided to try and make my own version of this clutch and challenged myself to do it as cheaply as possible. I’m proud to report that the finished product looks pretty darn close to the original and cost only $30 total.
For this project, you’ll need the following:
• a pair of sharp scissors (I’m obsessed with my Ginghers)
• a plain black zip clutch
• two thin pieces of 12″ x 12″ black leather
• gold tassel caps
• super glue
• needle and thread
1. Start by making six leather tassels. First, cut the leather into 4″ x 8″ strips. Then, measure and mark every 1/4″ along the length of the strip. Using very sharp scissors or a rotary cutter, carefully cut the fringe, leaving a half an inch at the top of the strip (so you don’t cut all the way through).
2. Once you have all your fringe cut, draw a small line of super glue along the uncut edge and slowly roll the fringe up as tightly as you can. Hold the end down for a few seconds until the glue takes hold (be careful not to super glue your thumb to the tassel in the process—I learned this one the hard way).
3. Check to make sure your tassel fits snugly inside your end cap, then smear a little glue inside the cap and insert the leather. Repeat this process until you have six tassels.
4. Measure the bottom of your clutch and evenly mark where each tassel will go. Then, sew on each tassel by threading the needle through the inside of the clutch, looping the thread through the tassel end cap and then finishing the stitch back inside the clutch so the thread is hidden.
5. Finally, if you have any long scraps of leather, cut a small cord to loop through the zipper for a finishing touch.
