Knuckle Clutch Knock Off

I love Alexander McQueen Knuckle clutches, but at $1,200 and up I would need a lot more disposable income in order to buy one. Instead I decided I would try making a knock off version. I originally set out looking for 4 rings, or a nice knuckle ring set to glue on a clutch. Unfortunately I found the rings I liked cost more than purchasing a pre made purse form from the Etsy supplies section. There are several purse forms to choose from. Mine came to $25 after the shipping costs. This is not a cheap project by any means, but the knock offs for sale on Etsy are well over $100. I decided I would spend the $25 because I really wanted this style clutch. The project is very easy to do, you just need to cover your purse form with fabric. I used leopard upholstery fabric that I had leftover from recovering my kitchen stools. I may try another with faux snakeskin or leather. That is the great thing about using a purse form, I can easily recover it when I want a new look. The only negative is the rings on this form are not real big. If you have fairly normal sized hands the form should be OK. If you have big knuckles, or larger hands fret not, you can still make a McQueen knock off. Just purchase the single skull head clutch form instead of the knuckle form. Then go buy a pair of fabulous shoes with the $1, 175.00 you just saved. 

For this clutch you will need:


Metal Purse Form: I purchased mine at Princess Young's from Etsy. 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrincessYoung?ga_search_query=skull&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5971397
It cost $17.50 plus shipping. Plan on two weeks for it to arrive from China.


Fabric


Hot glue or other glue that will adhere fabric to plastic


Scissors


Pliers


The purse form comes in 3 parts. A metal frame and two plastic purse shells that you will cover.

Take a purse shell and cut a piece of fabric larger than it. 

Trim the fabric to fit just inside the shell. Glue the two long sides. 

Clip your fabric in place if your glue is slow drying. If you use hot glue you wont need to do this.


Trim the extra fabric and glue the corner pieces by folding the fabric in and pulling it taught to get rid of most creases in the fabric.


Cut a piece of fabric to line the inside.


Turn the fabric under to hide the edge. Glue inside the purse to cover the outer fabric cover.

Again fold the corners in and under while gluing the inside cover.


Repeat the above steps with the other shell.


Snap the shells into the purse frame and push until good and tight.


You will need a pair of pliers to tighten the side and bottom bars on the frame that hold the shell in place.




Place a piece of fabric over the metal bars (to keep from scratching the metal) before squeezing them tight with the pliers.

Check back soon for our next tutorial.

XOX,

The Rebel Crafter