Is anyone else’s toddler obsessed with purses, or is mine just a spitting image of her handbag-focused mother? Charlie cannot get enough bags. She spots them at stores, at garage sales, in my closet… If there’s a purse, this kid wants it, and she likes having a variety of options depending on the day.
On a related, but seemingly random, note, I’m an absolute patch hoarder. Packed away in my sewing box are stacks and stacks of weird little patches I’ve torn off damaged clothing or found closed out at the craft store, always waiting for the perfect project. And after discovering some of my hoarded band stickers had lost their stickiness, I became determined to actually use the items I own and save — including this assortment of iron-on, stick-on, and sew-on patches.
And that’s where Charlie’s tiny little purses come in.
I was pursuing the craft store months ago and spotted a pack of miniature canvas tote bags (SIMILAR) and thought they were the perfect size for Charlie. I think the display was made for tie-dying but I knew the use for us would be patches. So one afternoon I spread out my kiddo-friendly patches and let Charlie pick her favorites. And now I’m obsessed with making her tiny little bags for all occasions.
In hindsight, this project is so obvious a DIY post hardly seems necessary. But in case the idea hadn’t popped into your head, this is a fun activity with your little and can be as easy as sticking something on depending on your patch type. Charlie tends to pick at curling edges so I sew hers on by hand, but the whole thing is so small it only takes a few minutes.
If you need a pack of patches to get you started, Amazon has some great lots of miscellaneous fun ones. Just be sure you get enough tote bags first. If your little is anything like mine, they’re going to want more than one.
