How to Make Purse Handles with Cotton Webbing and Grommets by Judith Clauss

WOOHOO! Today Judith of Judith stitches is going to share her method of making alternative straps for Abby’s Alley. Such a great alternative if you don’t want to use rope!

It’s always such FUN to see what my testers get up to when they don’t have the required supplies on hand! So lets find out how Judith made her straps…..Over to you Judith:

Supplies used:

* 2.5 yards of 1” wide cotton webbing – then cut in half lengthwise to make 2 straps

* Four 7/16” grommets – Insert grommets using measurements in the pattern directions

* 8 small sized double cap rivets

Let’s make the Straps:

Fold end of webbing in half widthwise and feed 6” through grommet from the front of your bag to the inside. This will keep all the folds and raw edges on the inside of your finished strap.

(Note: After feeding through both sides of one handle pin and check to see if length will work for you. Adjust as needed.)

Fold raw edge down about 2” and pin to hold. Making sure that your strap doesn’t twist, feed through the other end of the same strap in the second grommet on the same side of the bag. Fold second raw edge down and pin to hold.

Lay your folded section even with the main part of the strap that comes out of the front and pin flat.

Repeat for second, third and fourth straps. The photo shows all four ends pulled through the grommets and pinned with the raw edges inside.

Stitch a rectangle to secure. Take care that you do not catch the edge of your bag. I used a longer stitch length for this part and only stitched one time around because the rivets will add extra security.

Mark the first rivet ½” from the inside fold and the second rivet 1” from the first (1.5” from the edge of the fold) and centered on the webbing. The first photo above shows the center of the first rivet ½” from the folded edge and ½” from the side edge. The second photo shows the center of the set rivet 1” from the first and ½” in from the side.