How to make (less bulky) leather bag straps
[UPDATE – sadly the U-Handbag site closed and this article is no longer available. Hopefully you can see from the pictures how this strap is constructed. Use one piece of vinyl, twice the width of the finished strap, fold raw edges in to the center and stitch in place either side of the fold. Do the same with a piece of fabric. Then stitch the fabric over the top of the seam in the vinyl to hide the edges, stitching close to the long edges to create a pretty double sided strap. Vinyl on one side, fabric on the other.]
Have you noticed the recent trend in bag making towards using more real leather, vinyl and faux leathers. It seems that most of the recent bag pattern releases have been featuring vinyl or at least including vinyl as an option along with the fabric finish too.
We admit, we all love the look but aren’t really experienced in working with these sort of fabrics yet. But they do bring a very modern and professional finish to your bags and make them very sturdy and hardwearing. It’s worth persevering to master these new fabrics and materials.
But some home machines might struggle with sewing through the extra thickness, especially when the vinyl is folded over and then over on itself again like you might do for a strap. We’ve found a solution that can help and bring vinyl bag making and straps into the possibility of all home sewers by reducing the bulk in the straps.
Not only does it make it easier to sew, but it looks great too, combining the strength and look of the vinyl in the strap, with the splash of color that matches to the fabric in the bag, thereby bringing it all together for a coordinated look.
Want to try sewing with vinyl and faux leathers? Check out our favorite suppliers here. These links go right to the pages you need.
