Lafayette Artist Reimagines Wedding Purses With Repurposed Heirlooms

3 hours ago

Alyssa Schiaffino,

Lafayette Artist of SewCrazy Purses Heirloom Wedding Purses — Diana Heinen of SewCrazy Purses

A grandmother’s once-new lace wedding veil sat yellowed with aged spotting and tears. That is, until about two years ago, when Lafayette artist and purse maker Diana Heinen of SewCrazy Purses brought the veil back to life in a new way.

The torn, discolored veil seemed like it was at its end, but instead became a sentimental lace wedding purse representing new beginnings for both a beloved granddaughter and Heinen.

Born in Crowley, La, Diana Heinen, a retired nurse, has been sewing since she was 12. Even though she chose a career path in the healthcare field, Heinen always found time to make something – her daughters’ prom dresses, a wedding dress for her oldest daughter and more.

Heinen even ran a drapery business, Two Sisters Drapery, with her sister.

However, her current business of reimagined purses began about four years ago when Two Sisters Drapery closed.

“We had all these sample books, and I didn’t feel right throwing them out, so I took them apart, soaked them, took the papers off the back and started making little coin purses and rosary pouches,” said Heinen. “And then from there it just kind of progressed into something a cell phone could hold. Then, I thought an evening bag would be nice.”

Heinen’s SewCrazy Purses was born from upcycling old materials, and two years later, the repurposed heirloom wedding purses were too.

Heinen recalled the first wedding purse made from the torn lace veil and said, “It was just a beautiful lace veil. There was no beading on it, no embellishments, and it was very yellow. I had a lot of those brown, aged spots on it. It had some tears in it.”

The mother of the bride had asked Heinen to create a purse from her mother’s veil. Heinen thought the idea was neat and began soaking the stains out.

“I’ll soak them for about three or four days, and then I’ll lay them out in the sun,” said Heinen. “And usually they come out pretty nice, pretty white. And then I’ll just work around what’s damaged.”

The client liked the finished wedding purse so much that she had one made for herself.

Since then, Heinen has made over 50 wedding purses from old wedding dresses, veils, alteration leftovers and the like.

What initially began as a way for a Lafayette artist to keep creating in the form of small coin purses has become a new creative concept of heirloom wedding couture.