Repurpose Your Purse Into a "Campur" {Camera Bag/Purse}

Every since Santa generously gifted me my Canon Rebel last Christmas, I've been on the hunt for a nice camera bag.  A nice, pretty camera bag.  I've found a few but they're either too masculine looking for my taste or way too expensive.  And I really didn't want to lug around two bags.  Then Pinterest came to my rescue!

Inspired by several Pinterest links, I decided to make my own pattern (there are several out there but I didn't want to use Velcro and wanted a pattern that required minimal sewing and piecing).  The entire project was surprisingly simple, hardly cost a thing, and only took about an hour.

Step-by-step, here's how to repurpose your purse into a multi-functional "Campur!"  Get it?!

1.  Grab your favorite purse, a 1/4 yard of fabric and 1/4 yard of 1/4" foam.

2.  Using a scrap of cardboard, make a pattern that follows the lines (including the bottom) of your purse, trace it onto your foam and cut.  Like the straight lines of my pattern, determine how tall (how far up) you'll want your camera insert to rise inside your purse.

3.  Lay out your foam on the right side of the fabric.

4.  Fold the fabric (right sides together) over the foam, making a foam sandwich.

5.  Pin your fabric (both sides) into the foam to stabilize it while you sew.

6.  Sew around your form, leaving a 3" opening and then trim the excess fabric close to the stitching.

7.   Pull out the foam, turn the fabric right-side out, wiggle the foam back in (this is a lot like trying to stuff a pillow into an uncooperative pillowcase so be prepared to exercise patience) and stitch closed the 3' opening.

8.  Stitch along the length of the sides and next to what will be the bottom of your form (this will allow for easy shaping in step 12).

9.  Take a brief Beagle burrito break.

(Twyla wedges herself on top of the sofa, between the back and the cushions, kinda like a burrito or a taco!  Impossible to catch a glimpse of her and not walk over for a couple kisses.)

10.  Cut a second piece of foam for a divider and repeat steps 3 through 7 above.

11.  Determine where you want your divider.

12.  Sew both sides of your divider onto each side.  Now your camera bag begins taking shape:

13.  Pin and sew the two sides together.

14.  With sides sewn together, you'll have a gap in the bottom.

15.  Pin your sides to the bottom and sew gap closed...

16.  ...So that it looks like this:

17.  You're finished sewing!

18.  Place your camera into one compartment, your purse stuff in the other and drop the whole thing into your purse.  (These last two pictures taken with a camera phone.)

It's a camera bag.  It's a purse.  It's a Campur!  I love it ~ so practical and pretty.

Remember to share a comment on this post so you'll be entered to win my May blog giveaway:

I'll randomly draw a winner of this vintage apron on the 31st ~ good luck!