Love the look of Emmaline Bags' metal strap ends but unsure how to install them? You're in luck! Today, we are going to show you how to add these gems to your next bag.

Emmaline carries two styles of metal strap ends: Pointed and Rectangular. Installation is the same fior both styles, the only difference is that the pointed caps have three screws to install, and the rectangular only has two.

The Pointed Straps are available in nickel and gold finish.

Here's what you'll need: 

• Emmaline Strap Ends and included screws
• A strong glue like E6000
• A small screwdriver
• Your finished bag

When you are ready to install, grab your glue and the strap ends. Put a small amount of glue into the channel of the strap end. The channel is 1/8" wide to ensure a snug fit on your strap, which makes it a little bit of a challenge to get the glue in neatly. I like to squeeze a small amount onto a scrap of cardboard and use a pin to add a few drops into the channel.

A few drops is all you need. Don't add too much, or it will ooze everywhere!

Slide it on to the end of your strap, with the back side (the textured side with the screw holes) facing the back or underside of your strap.

Once on the end of your strap, we are going to secure them with the included screws. These are tiny buggers so use care, it's important that they are set right in the hole so that they thread correctly. Start off by twisting them in gently, and then once you are sure they are threaded correctly, you can use a little bit more force to get them to pierce the fabric at the end of your strap. Continue screwing them until they are flush with the strap end.

We are all done! Easy peasy!

Photo by Melisa Jane Handmade

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Photos and content provided and written for Emmaline Bags by Cyndi Farfsing, from The Nosy Pepper. Cyndi's blog is chock is full of more bag photos and make making tips. Check out her bag series "It's in the Bag! Better Bag Making Series," to learn a ton of new bag making skills.

Share your projects made from Emmaline patterns and/or with Emmaline hardware in our facebook group Emmaline Sewing Patterns Group, or on instagram with the hashtags #emmalinehardware, #emmalinepatterns, #emmalinebags, or tag us @emmalinebags.

Hey Bag Makers! We've got some great new strap attachments in the hardware shop at emmalinebags.com, and Cyndi from The Nosy Pepper is going to run you through this easy tutorial so you can see how easy they are to apply. The strap anchors come in either shiny nickel or gold finish and are available on our website: HERE

How to Attach our Edgwena Strap Anchors

The Edgwena Strap Anchors are a great way to add some bling to your bag and are super easy to install. Sew up your bag as you normally would (minus adding the straps of course) and install the strap anchors at the very end of making your bag. Normally, adding new pieces of hardware at the end stresses me out, but these are so super easy to install. So much easier and quicker than having to add fabric tabs to your bag.

Important: make sure that you reinforce the area that you will be attaching your strap anchors to. I used flex foam on the exterior of the bag, which gives a bit of support (and bulk) so I just added a few layers of woven interfacing on the lining side of my bag. If you plan on only using fabric without any kind of stabilizer, consider adding some peltex to give the screws something to bite into without adding stress to your pretty fabric.

Once you have completed your exterior, gather your Edgwena Strap Anchors, the itty bitty screws, some fray check, a marking pen and a small Phillips screwdriver (I used one that came to change batteries in toys).

Mark where you want your Edgewenas to sit on the top of your bag:


The easiest way is to find your centre point of the bag top and then measure away to both the left and right of centre. Once you are happy with your placement, use your marking pen to mark where you want them:


Now the fun part. Slide your Edgwenas on and make a mark to denote the screw holes on the lining side of your bag:

Once you have marked your fabric, get your awl out and punch through the lining fabric and into the stabilizer below (***be careful you don't punch all the way through to the exterior, you don't need to go that far***) Add a drop of fray check into your holes.

The Emmaline Bag with 1" handbag straps.

Making straps for your purse or handbag is very easy, and kind of fun actually!  This is just a quick tutorial to get you through the basics. You can experiment with lengths, widths, and fabrics. Later, when you get adventuresome, you can add O-rings, D-rings, sliders, and lobster clips.  I just love the results, and they turn out so professional looking!


A typical handle length your bag strap is anywhere from about 18" to 26".  I will let you decide how long yours will be.
 

Handbag Straps - I love making them!

Let's get started:   

1.     Pull out your rotary cutter, mat, and ruler.  Out of canvas, twill, duck cloth, or quilting cotton, cut a rectangle that is 6 to 6.5" wide for a handbag strap that turns out about 1.5" wide. To get a strap that turns out 2" wide (for your large beach bags) cut a strip that is 8" wide.  Cut this width x the length of strap you have chosen.  

HINT:  If you cut it the width of your fabric from selvage to selvage, you may be able to do all your sewing at once and then cut it in half later to make two straps or cut some 4" lengths to be used as O-ring or D-ring tabs.   If you are using quilting cotton, you may want to fuse some interfacing down the middle of the strap leaving 1/4 of the width on either side without.)

2.     Fold entire strip in half length-wise and press. 

3.     Open again and fold outside edges towards center fold and press.

4.     Fold entire strip in half once again, meeting folded edges together and press.  Why four layers of fabric?  Because you won't need interfacing and it makes a nice sturdy, thick strap! 
 

 5.     Pin every few inches (optional).  TIP:  If you find that the top layer is sliding when you are stitching, I would highly recommend pinning before you do your first stitches on the open side. Pin every 3 inches or so. (Sometimes if I have a material that is sliding quite a bit on itself, I use a quilting foot or walking foot and it works like a dream.)

6.     Using a longer stitch length (3 - 3.5) top stitch along edges using a 1/8” seam and then again 1/8” to the inside to make two rows.  You might also like to stitch a few lines down the strap at ¼” to 3/8" intervals instead. This makes a very sturdy strap.  Experiment with different stitching colors and different weights of thread. Heavy duty thread and quilting thread make gorgeous stitches too. Press stitching to set stitches and heat shrink.
If you have found this tutorial helpful in the slightest way, please follow my blog by either GFC, Blog-lovin, or email.  And... please share your finished bags with me in the Emmaline Sewing Patterns Group.  I love to see your finished Emmaline inspired projects!