How to Make a Purse Stiff

Use a heavy fabric or other material, like canvas, vinyl or leather. Test for stiffness by holding a section of the fabric up in your hand and seeing whether if flops over or retains its shape. Stiff fabrics may be more difficult to stitch on a sewing machine, but they will retain their structure much more effectively.

Construct the purse in layers. The thinnest, floppiest purses are often constructed of just one layer of fabric. Each additional layer you can include in your purse adds structure and stiffness. Include a lining of heavy or thin, starched fabric. Between the bag exterior and the lining, you can add elements like heavy-duty iron-in interfacing, which stiffens fabric, as well as padded iron-in lining, which both stiffens and adds bulk that helps purses retain their structure.

Add structure with cardboard. If you really want your bag to be stiff, sandwich pieces of cardboard barely smaller than your purse between the bag exterior and lining. This is most effective for square or rectangular bags, like small totes or clutch purses. The thicker the cardboard, generally the more stiff the bag will become.

Use a purse frame. Purse frames are generally made of plastic, metal or other stiff materials, and add structure to fabric bags. Simply cut the top of your purse to the same shape as the frame, add a strip of glue to the top of the purse and inside the frame's channel, and work the fabric into the frame. Press the fabric tightly into the frame with a pair of scissors and allow the glue to dry.

Deconstruct an existing purse or bag, and put it back together after adding layers, a stiffener, or a frame. No need to be stuck with a floppy purse, even if it wasn't handmade. Remove the lining, add padded lining or stiff interfacing or a cardboard insert, then replace the lining. Or, reshape the top of the purse, using scissors, and work it into a purse frame.