Hooray! You’ve found the perfect preloved bag!
Booo! It has a handle but no strap!
Discover how to add grommets to a vintage bag and put a comfy strap on that awesome preloved purse!
How gorgeous is my new to me 70’s patchwork handbag? All it needs is a strap to be absolutely fabulous!
I’ve had that grommet kit in my toolbox for awhile and was more than a bit wary to try it for the first time on such an amazing vintage bag but I had the ideal strap in my stash so I had to give it a go.
First, select the grommet size needed along with the hole cutter, the mandrel/anvil pair, a piece of wood + a hammer.
1. Decide where you’d like your grommet & put the wood under the fabric. 2. Place the cutter over the fabric. 3. Hit the cutter with the hammer a few times. 4. Give the cutter a bit of a twist, pull it out of the fabric & marvel at the perfect hole.
5. Grab your grommet pieces (shank + washer) & the mandrel/anvil pair. 6. Put the shank on the mandrel. 7. Place the fabric hole over the shank & mandrel – make sure your wood is underneath. 8. Fit the washer over the shank.
9. Fit the anvil in place. 10. Hammer the grommet together. 11. Remove the anvil and enjoy your groovy new grommet! 12. Repeat the process for as many grommets as your bag needs.
Clip your bag strap to the grommets!
Quick tip: if you don’t have a strap to reuse, check out thrift & secondhand shops! They’re full of loose bag straps in need of a new home. I have more than a few funky straps in my stash that I scored for pennies!
Should your strap clips be a bit too small to easily fit through for your grommets simply attach a loop of sturdy chain!
Absolutely Fabulous! (I love the extra detail of the chain)
I now have a fantastic patchwork bag that can be used with or without the strap!
Want more awesome refashionista tutorials? Grab my Refashioning 101 e-book below:
Packed with over 100 tutorials + loads of thrifty tips & tricks, Refashioning 101 has absolutely everything you need to create your own unique, sustainable wardrobe!
The techniques and tutorials in this book can easily be tweaked and used for tons of other projects! As every combination of materials will have a unique result there’s no mistakes in refashioning and upcycling, if a refashion doesn’t turn out as intended simply transform it into something else!
