I hate being frisked, preferring to be on the business end of shakedowns instead. I do like to keep my little secrets, though, and a large purse with a false bottom is certainly convenient when you’ve got to tote “personal items” around town. It won’t fool a fancy security machine, but if you want to sneak a flask into the movies, this is the handbag for you.
You’ll need to do a little sewing for this project, though a resourceful crafter could also make the seams using a glue gun or an iron and fusible bonding tape.
The first time I made this bag I used industrial-weight Velcro to attach the false liner to the inside of my purse. Conceptually, it was a brilliant idea—I was able to easily access a trove of goodies from the hidden depths of the bag, just like a magic clown car. Unfortunately, the highly audible tearing sound of Velcro being plied apart totally gave me away! Boy, was my probation officer displeased. My newly modified false liner is constructed from sturdy cotton fabric, glue, and blessedly silent magnetic tape for attaching fabric to the inside of the purse.
Handbag
Hot glue gun
Magnetic tape (see Sources)
Fabric measuring tape
Fabric for liner (see Note)
Scissors
Sewing machine, or needle and thread
Fabric marker
1. Rip or cut out the original purse liner.
2. Hot glue a strip of magnetic tape around the top edge of the interior of the purse opening.
3. Use the fabric measuring tape to take the interior dimensions of the bag——height and width. To calculate your new liner size, use your original width dimension but add 1 inch for the seam allowances. Because you’ll want the new liner to be shorter than the original, measure the new length one-third shorter than the original dimension, plus ½ inch for the seam allowance at the bottom. For example, my purse measures 18 inches tall on the inside, so my new liner is 12½ inches tall. Cut out the fabric liner.
4. Place the right sides of the fabric together and stitch the side and bottom seams, leaving a ½-inch seam allowance all around, sewing twice to reinforce the seam.
5. Mark a hemline on the wrong sides of the top of the liner. I went for an extra-long 3-inch hem, which in retrospect was ridiculous. A 1-inch hem will work just fine as long as there is enough fabric to fold over the magnetic tape.
6. Hot glue the magnetic tape around the inside of the hemline.
7. When the glue is cool, fold the upper part of the liner over the tape.
8. Put the liner inside the purse, letting the magnetic tape of the liner and bag meet through the fabric. The tape will be strong enough to allow you to stow all your gear in the main compartment, while still sliding apart easily and quietly when you want to access the secret area underneath.
Look for a fabric that is durable and that will complement your handbag. I chose a busy squirrel motif, which made my empty bag seem fuller, and is fairly distracting by its own merits. Plus, I like squirrels. Next to raccoons, they are the biggest thieves in the forest.
