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What you need
- A deck of cards (standard playing cards, UNO cards, or any sturdy, uniform-size cards)
- Duct tape (your choice of color)
- Scissors or craft knife
- Laminating sheets (or clear packaging tape as an alternative)
- Ruler and pencil for marking
- Optional: Hole punch for handles
Instructions
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Choose Your Cards
Pick the deck you want to upcycle. This project works beautifully with UNO cards, standard playing cards, or even decorative trading cards. Just make sure they are strong and evenly sized.
2. Create Duct Tape Sheets
Overlap strips of duct tape sticky-side up to form solid “duct tape sheets.” You’ll need:
- 2 sheets for the front and back
- 2 sheets for the sides
- 1 sheet for the bottom
This gives you a base to attach your cards.
3. Arrange the Cards
Layout your cards face-up on the duct tape sheets. A good guideline is:
- Front & back: 6 cards across by 4 rows
- Sides: 1 row of 4 cards
- Bottom: About 1½ cards by 3 rows
This layout can be adjusted depending on your preferred purse size.
4. Shape the Front & Back
Cut your large 6×4 card sheets into the shape you’d like for the front and back panels. You can stick with a rounded square or experiment with a tapered top for a more handbag-like look.
5. Add Handles
Cut out handle shapes at the top of each front/back panel. You can go for rounded slots or even add circular punched holes to thread ribbon or rope handles.
6. Clean Up Edges
Trim away any exposed tape around your card sheets so the edges look neat and clean.
7. Assemble the Purse
Lay out all the panels (front, back, sides, and bottom) in a mirror image with the card sides facing down. Use duct tape to temporarily hold them together in a box shape.
8. Laminate for Strength
Take your pre-folded purse to a local copy shop (like Kinko’s) for lamination. This will make it extra sturdy. If you’d rather DIY, cover the entire surface with clear packing tape instead.
9. Trim & Fold
Cut away excess laminate around the edges, then fold the purse into shape.
10. Reinforce with Duct Tape
Secure the sides and bottom with duct tape for extra durability. And that’s it—your DIY playing card purse is ready to use!
Why You’ll Love This Project
- Eco-friendly: Perfect way to reuse old playing cards.
- Customizable: Try different decks, duct tape colors, or decorative trims.
- Conversation starter: Everyone will want to know where you got your purse!
- Beginner-friendly: No sewing required.
Tip: Use holiday-themed cards or specialty decks to make seasonal purses that double as gifts!
What an awesome idea!! Most of us have a deck of old cards just laying around…with one card missing from the pack! No need to throw them out anymore. Make something with them! I love this!
sure would be nice to see the steps by steps process.
finished products shown standing up don’t match the instructions.
need more pictures, please!
This sounds really cool! I can’t wiat to make one for my card playing grandma! And me too:)!
This is a great idea. I was looking for something to do with not only my old Sailor Moon game cards, but also with my pokemon cards. Just got done with mine. Can’t wait to tote it around. 🙂
I think this is an awesome project and i cant wait to start it my only question is how do you make the shape and how do you make the sticky sheet?
I just got done making this! It is kind of hard to taape 2gether but mine is sooo cool and gorgous thx for the idea!
it’s sooooooooooooooo cool! I will make it this weekend. thank you very mcuch.
Tara
it looks really ……….. hard? But it is still cool!
ehmygash i love the pattern! i have got to make something like this.
the only problems with these is how they don’t bend and getting the cards to stay together so no duct tape shows. I do like your kool aid patterns though. . .
the only problems with these is how they don’t bend and getting the cards to stay together so no duct tape shows. I do like your kool aid patterns though. . .
AWESOME! i have got to have one of these!
omg iluv this sooooooooo kewl
I haven’t made this yet but I just spent way too much time all over this website and this is the project I’m the most psyched about doing that I’ve found here!
This looks very cool and easy, except for the duct tape. What if I used glue to stick them to the backing instead?
Rating is required but not valid since I haven’t made one yet.
coolest craft ever seen.
just the job for all those half packs of playing cards the children lose. brilliant idea. A++++
Turned out so cute! Try adding pins and do-dads to the outside with hot glue! Looks best if you use colorful cards like character uno cards!
that is the coolest thing i’ve seen in a whiile.. g2g make one NOW!!!
how sweet! i cant wait to try it!
im always finding decks of cards missing like 3 cards or something random this is a great way to use decks of cards that are worthless
I especially like the ones made with the UNO cards.
looks sooo cool! i was looking for a way to use my awsome colored duct tape …… now to find some old cards
wow this was way fun and easy!!!
OMG! This is so cool! I’m making this for my friend who loves cards… i think she’ll love this!
Great idea! Made one and loved it! Going to make one out of Pokemon cards and baseball cards and sell them!
great idea
i thought this was an amazing idea!!!!
Awesome! I’m linking to you! I definitely want to make one…
I’m dressing up as Alice from Wonderlan contempory style for a party and this bag would be a fantastic addition. I’ve als make a notebook and wallet out of playing cards. Both worked well.
This is very creative. Try making it into a magazine box. You would have to use something stiff, like card board or something!
so neat
WOW I love this idea!!!!!! Great unique purse!!!!!
this bag is so cute i love making purses out of unique things and this is perfect and looks super easy
excellent ideas
After all my knitting/crochet projects that have a deadline (aka, being paid to make/a friend I know is having a baby), I am sooo making this purse with UNO CARDS!!! Or maybe take an old set of cards from games? Like Candyland? (sry, Candyland & Uno freak
Having bought a very “bizarre” purse for my best friend many years ago, I started what is now known as Tricia’s Crazy Purse collection. This is PERFECT and I just went out and bought Curious George Uno Cards…how perfect is that?!!
I really like the looks of the purses. I’ll try one someday, but right now i”m working on another project. Can’t wait to get started on one of these.
I made 1 and i Love it!I used contact paper instead of packing tape or lamanating it and it works great.Everyone i show it to Lves it and wants 1.Now i need to think of a maching change purse!
cool
I haven’t tried making it but it looks awesome!!Great Job
WOW…it’s amazing!
I like this Project..its fun and creative!!!It keeps you busy too!
i love making my own purses, so this will go amazing. i’m gonna start on it has soon as i find my brothers playing cards 😉
i love it!!!!
I am working on this right now. The only bad thing is the tape sometimes gets stuck on my hand or on the table.
This is a really good idea!
i had a wonderful time trying this project. My bag turned out wicked cool, and i’ve got a ton of compliments. You should totally try making one yourself! pretty easy and it’s just the right size.
I dont like to look of the purses, but I think with a little work they will look great!
THIS IS AN AWESOME ITEM. I ALWAYS CARRY A UNIQUE PURSE AND THIS ONE WILL FIT RIGHT IN WITH MY COLLECTION.
Wow what about Custom Baseball Cards with Grandbabies Pictures on them.Wow
wow how clever
this is great im half way done,although the duct tape kept stretching on me than shrunk back once cut!!
I’m going to do it right now!