Browsing Pinterest with no particular goal in mind is usually dangerous in that it will take away hours of your life that you will never get back again.

On this occasion, however, this image caught my eye almost immediately.

Now, owls are perennially popular and, when given a useful (not to mention cute) function, proved too irresistible a present-making opportunity for me.

I remember when my daughter was about ten she loved Polly Pocket and a large part of that enjoyment stemmed from its minuscule nature and the fact that, as it hung from a locket around her neck, it was a portable toy that could go anywhere with her, ready to play with as the urge arose. This purse had similar amusement potential.

Clicking on the image through to the original post revealed that the owl was a coin purse with – and this bit is crucial – a secret pocket!

Instantly I knew two little girls that would potentially love this, and I also had an idea for the contents of the secret pocket.

You can find the full tutorial here.

Made from scraps of felt, the only extras needed are a zip, D-ring and two buttons, all of which I already had so these were effectively ‘free’ projects.

Although if you were to count the hours spent (approx six for both) they’re probably the most expensive felt purses ever:)

The raw materials…..

 

….the completed front and back before final construction.

Here’s a peek at the insides.

A combination of hand and machine sewing make for an interesting mix.

I chose to include zips of contrasting colours, but you could match them to the felt for a more blended-in finish.

I’m going to buy some sprung keyring clips to attach to the D-rings.

A bit of hand embroidery makes a welcome change for someone who rarely gets the chance to indulge in such things!

The tutorial calls for a magnetic clip to close the secret front pocket, but I literally just used my last one so improvised with a tiny piece of Velcro.

As for the secret contents, the obvious choice was a sleeping baby owlet.

I sketched out a quick pattern and cut out the pieces from neon-coloured felt.

At the last minute I decided to add a pair of legs, sandwiched between the front and back layers of the body.

Another one made in opposite colours for the second purse.

Lift the flap and……a little surprise is revealed under the wing!

So there we are, one each for two girls that will, hopefully, derive as much fun from a tiny toy as my daughter did all those years ago.