Purse Hankie Cover Tutorial!!!

When I first started collecting vintage hankies, I was introduced to the "hankie safe", a cloth cover in which ladies put their nicely starched and pressed hankies so they didn't get dirty.  For a while now, I have had a mess o' hankies in the bottom of my purse.  It wasn't seemly to offer one to someone if it came out all manky from the bottom of my bag.  I needed a Purse-sized Hankie Safe/Cover.

Here's How I made it:

1. My folded hankie fit nicely on a 6 inch square, so that is where I started.  I picked a beautiful hand printed fabric I made with my Gelli Plate, and this is a great project for your Gelli printed fabrics!

2. Cut your cover (printed) fabric to be exactly 6 inches square.  Also cut 2 more 6 inch squares from a coordinating fabric.  I chose white, but you could match your fabrics too.

3. Fold your coordinating fabrics corner to corner and press. (I am using white, but if you use a print, make sure it's wrong sides together)

4. Lay your newly pressed triangles on top of the printed fabric (right side up).

5. Sew around the entire perimeter with a 1/4 inch seam.  I made sure to reinforce the corners.

6. Clip the corners and turn inside out.  Clip the inside corners closely.

7. I didn't like how the folded cover made the raw edges stick out, so I used a whip stitch by hand to close up the edges.

8.  You can further embellish with a pretty lace trim, or even a button to keep it closed.  Enjoy your hankie cover, and now you can offer a hankie to someone without embarrassment, and keep them tidy in your purse.


Want to know how I folded the hankie to fit the cover?  Here's how!

1. My hankie is about 12 inches square unfolded.  I got this one at Victorian Trading Co.  

2. Fold in half, and then half again.

3. Fold one corner to meet the opposite corner.

4. Then fold again for a small compact hankie!


 I hope you enjoy the Hankie cover tutorial, and please let me know if you make one!