Tote Handbag

Tote Handbag

how can i make a handbag or tote out of a sweater or shirt?

some one told meit is possible.

There are many ways you can do that. It mostly depends on the style you want.
I would start with disassembling the clothing so that they are just large pieces of fabric; after that, it's mostly up to you.

This link has a great idea of how to use fabric strips in crocheting a purse.

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-crochet-a-purse-out-of-fabric-strips

I use yarn when I crochet bags and purses, but looking at that makes me wonder what else I can use... There are people who use grocery sacks, so clothing isn't that far out there. When I make a bag/purse/tote while crocheting, I don't really have a plan set out; I eyeball it while counting stitches, then when it looks about where I want it, I try to end on an even number or a variable of 5, so I can remember it easier. Purses are usually only thee pieces overall: a front, a back, and a strap.

The first purse I made was just those three pieces; I made the front and back the same size, then made a strap that also tripled as sides and bottom. It was a really, really long strap! But I just sewed the pieces together with yarn and it's still holding out after two years!

Another way you could do it is like weaving. Get four boards, and secure strips between two of them, and then weave them together into a single piece of 'cloth'. Using different styles and fabrics would be interesting to see. I'll have to try it too...

And the last way I can think of is just simply taking the entire shirt, cutting the sleeves off, sewing the neck and armholes shut, folding the waist in half and sewing that into a second layer, then using the sleeves to make a handle. Rather crude, but it wouldn't even take a half-hour to do it. I don't know how the jr high and high schools do it anymore, but we used to wear white shirts and have everyone sign those as well; this method would keep those shirts readable, even if it looked rather tacky.

Hope I helped!