How to attach leather handles with rivets – a free tutorial
We’ve found you an excellent tutorial from Betz White, a very talented designer and author on “How to attach leather handles with rivets”. This is a skill that all bag sewers can learn to improve the look and finish on their home-sewn bags and purses.
It’s also a very quick and easy solution – buy a ready-made handle and tap it on with a few rivets – quick to do but looks great!
This can also work well with straps and handles that you might have reclaimed from old purses. It’s a great way to recycle them – and you can easily add them onto a purse even if your sewing machine can’t handle sewing through thick layers. No sewing required!
If you have never added any leather or hardware to one of your projects then this tutorial will be a great way for you to learn techniques for both. You’ll be able to customize the exterior of your tote bag and really make it stand out from the crowd. As the designer says “Plus you get to use cool tools!”.
You will get to use:-
- An adjustable hole punch.
- An anvil and rivet setter (check out rivet setting kits and tools here).
- A mallet.
- A disappearing ink marker – we always love the Frixion pens.
You will need to purchase all those items if you do not already have them and of course, you will also need a bag, leather straps and rivets.
In the designers tutorial, she has used a thick bridle leather strap and 7mm double cap rivets with a 7.9 mm post. Her handles are about 25” long.
Don’t forget to check out Creative Live while you are there. It has a lot of interesting stuff to offer.
Click here for the free tutorial
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