Kay Whitt, author of Sew Serendipity and Sew Serendipity Bags is here today to teach us about incorporating professional-looking hardware into our handmade bags and purses!
Both books are available from the Martha Pullen shop. Be sure to pick up your own copy of Sew Serendipity Bags by Sunday, March 11th to take advantage of the special-promotion Craft Month discount!
So, without further ado, here's Kay!
Ah, spring is in the air! I love this time of year. It is a
wonderful time to sew and create new clothing and bags to enjoy. What better
time for National Craft Month than March? I just finished up my third book
manuscript and projects! The new addition to my line of books should be out in
the fall. I have now turned my attention to the new spring designs that will
make their debut in May. There's always so much to do, and I love that my hands
are busy all the time.
Today I would like to talk about a question I am often asked
regarding bag hardware. I think that adding quality hardware to your bag
projects elevates them to another level, giving them a crisp, professional
finish. Installing hardware takes a little bit of practice but once you get
comfortable with the process, you will be looking for ways to incorporate it
into your projects.
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| double loop slider |
One of my favorite pieces to incorporate is the double loop
slider. This wonderful piece of hardware enables you to make a handle that is
adjustable during the use of the bag. In my book, Sew Serendipity Bags, I have
used these on a couple of projects where I thought this would be an added
bonus. It is especially nice to add a double loop slider to a bag that is meant
as a gift. That way, the recipient can adjust the handle as they like.
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| Cross-Body Purse from Sew Serendipity Bags |
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| Convertible Backpacks from Sew Serendipity Bags |
Installing a slider can be a little tricky if you have never
done it before, so click here to download a FREE tutorial showing the technique, courtesy of my
Sew Serendipity Bags book.
I just love that these sliders make the convertible straps
on the backpack possible!
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The next question I am usually asked is where to get all the
great hardware. It can be challenging to find the good stuff, so I am sharing a
couple of my favorite places on the Internet here with you, in the event that
your local shop or craft store just doesn't have exactly what you need. My two
favorites are www.buckleguy.com and www.strapworks.com. Both of these companies
have a wide selection of high quality hardware at a nice price. You will
immediately notice the nice, heavier weight of their items and how great they
make your projects look.
Be sure to check out my Facebook fan page at Sew Serendipity. I love seeing what all of you create with my designs! Also be sure
to visit my blog at www.blog.sewserendipity.com. I have a lot of other
resources listed there for finding fabrics as well as tutorials and the latest
on what I am up to here in the studio.
Happy Sewing and Happy Craft Month, everyone!
Kay Whitt designs dress, skirt and bag patterns through her company Serendipity Studio, and is the author o f the best-selling Sew Serendipity and Sew Serendipity Bags. See what else Kay is up to at her blog, blog.sewserendipity.com!
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