I make felted purses and sell them, and usually buy handles for them, but that gets costly. So since I have fabric and thought if you can make braided rugs from fabric, is there a way to make braided handles and attach them to the purse. I could color coordinate them that way.

I have no idea how to braid fabric, so any one out there that has done this and can offer some tips.

Thanks for any suggestions.

bcpurse.JPG (21 Kb, 56 downloads) Felted Purse

I've made a number of braided rugs, but for those I use a set of metal "braiders" that turn the raw edges under before being braided. But for braided handles on purses, I think I'd use a different method.

Cut three strips of fabric about 3 times as long as you need the handle to be. You'll have to experiment with the width of these strips - but I'd guess about 2 to 2 1/2 inches. Sew each strip in a tube and turn it so it's right side out. Lay the 3 tubes in a stack together, and stitch across one end to hold them together. Then just start braiding them - just like you braid hair. You might want to fasten the strips to something solid, like the leg of a table (run a string through the end you've stitched together and tie that to the solid object). This will keep the braid from kinking up while you braid it - you need to keep a bit of tension on the braid as you work with it. When you get to the end of the braid, stitch the ends together to keep it from unbraiding.

Hope this makes sense. Maybe someone else will come up with a better way.

Nola

By the way, the felted purse in your picture would go perfectly with the green felted mittens my daughter gave me for Christmas. One of her co-workers makes felted mittens, scarves, etc.

Will you be using wool or cotton for the braids? If you are using wool, using the method Nola suggested would make a lovely matching handle. Very polished and sophisticated.

If you are using cotton, I was thinking that you might want something inside the fabric to make the handle less flimsy. Have you ever made corded spaghetti straps for a sun dress or evening gown, or even a nightie? That is the technique I would use.

Nola is spot on about experimenting with the length. Three times is a good starting place. If you need a more exact measurement, start with a sample piece either 10" or 20" long. Make it up (stitch and braid), measure how much it shrunk. From that you can calculate the percentage that is lost in length by braiding. Enlarge the raw length by that percentage and you should snd up with the desired finished length. I mention this only as you are selling the purses, and I am sure you want to keep waste to a minimum to keep your overhead down.

To make a corded strap, start, as Nola says, with the strip of fabric, cut to length plus seam allowences plus a couple of extra inches that will be cut off later. The width will be determined by the size of cording you select. (Cotton cording can be purchased in the upholstery section of the your fabric store.) Fold the strip in half length-wise, right sides together.

The way I was taught to do this was back in the day when silk covered macrame cording was cheap and plentiful. Nowadays it can be hard to find so I have devised my own method. I will share both with you and you decide what you are most comfortable with.

The old way: Cut lengths of cotton cording and silk covered cording two or three inches longer than the fabric strip. Place the silk covered cord inside the fabric along the folded edge. Place the cotton cord so an 1"-1 1/2" is also inside one end of the strip. The rest of the cotton cord will be streaming out beyond the fabric strip. Sew through the fabric and both cords several times to anchor them. Then carefully sew up the length of the strip, encasing the silk covered cord.

Now think in terms of zoology. That little bundle where the cords are stitched inside is the rattle on the snake. You are going to pull on the silk cord and carefully pull the rattle out. As you do this, you are going to be working the fabric "skin" back up over the "skeleton". When you are done, cut off the rattle and discard the silk cord. The seams are completely encased in the cording.

My way: I do exactly the same thing, except I use no silk cording. I pin a sturdy safety pin through the cotton cording so that the pin is inside the folded fabric. Secure the pin far enough into the cord so that the cord will not unravel when you pull it out. Make sure the pin is smaller than the width of the cord so it will feed through easily after the strip is stitched.

When the stitching is done, I grab the whole "rattle" and work it up to the mouth opening, working the skin up over the skeleton as I go. Cut off the rattle and I'm in business.

You might want to do some experimenting. I think using bias cut strips will give you a nicer looking finished product. It will lay smoother over the cording and will be less stiff and rigid for the braiding.

Your bag is so cute, Mare. I was looking through your quilt photo slideshow the other day and your quilts are soooo gorgeous! You do beautiful work.

Is this the type of braiding you mean ...
http://www.fibergoddess.net/projects.html
(scroll down to see bag handle on pink/green bag)

The April issue of McCall's Quilting has a "Haute Tote" with a braided handle made with bias fabric strips. It uses a plastic cord maker and the magazine gives step by step pictures. I went to their website but the projects from this issue are not up yet. The bag handle was braided with a "Diva Custom Cord Maker" available from this website:
http://www.wholesalecentral.com/fibergoddess/store.cfm?...wcatalog&catid=85452
It is a bit pricey.

Here is another picture of it in use:
http://www.joggles.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=13009

I was thinking about trying to make something like this with a circle of heavy plastic. It just needs a hole cut in the middle and slots cut evenly spaced around the edge. I made something much similar but like this years ago with heavy duty cardboard for my Girl Scout Troop for some project or another.

It reminds me a little of the "knit spool" toys we used as kids.

Hope this helps,

Pat

You guys are awesome.

Nola and Meg, I like the idea of how to make the strips, turning them inside out and adding the cord would make them alittle more stiffer.

And Pat those links are great. The site with all the pictures is great.

I will give this braiding fabric a try, I want to use the same fabric for the handles that I line the bags with.

Thanks so much for the information.

Love your purse, Mare

Mary

Just wanted to say thank you for the nice comments, sometimes I forget to do that.

I enojoy quilting and knitting, aren't hobbies great.

Mare
I love your purse can't wait to see the ones you add the braid to.

Those look like some very good sites to learn info from.

Meg & Nola
Sounds like you have made some good suggestions.