Making handbags : retro, chic, luxurious

Create affordable, designer-quality handbags right in your own home -even if you've never sewn a stitch.

Using just 4 master patterns, readers learn to use fabrications and embellishments to make everything from vintage styles to fun and trendy beaded bags, from faux fur to fringed bags.

Each bag takes cues from major fashion houses, highlighting the best styles from recent decades.

Looking for evening drama? Try a crystal clutch. Want to create a conversation piece? Create a fabulous beach bag out of a block-print towel.

Complete with shortcuts, tips, and secrets from the Accessories Design staff at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, this smart guide can turn any reader into a do-it-yourself fashion designer.