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Purse Palooza :: Serendipity Studio : How to Install Metal Sliders

This post is part of Purse Palooza 2012.
For full schedule of guest post pattern reviews and prizes, click here!

Kay Whitt is the talent behind the hugely successful pattern company, Serendipity Studio. You can find womens’ clothing patterns and bags in the pattern shop, as well as several books. I have several Serendipity dresses…the fit is perfect every time!

Lovely bags from Kay Whitt’s book, ‘Sew Serendipity Bags’

Hey! Kay Whitt of Serendipity Studio here to talk to you today about bag hardware. Putting just the right hardware on a bag can make all the difference in the finished look of a bag. It can elevate your creation from just “handmade” to “Wow! Where did you buy that bag?” in an instant!

Installing hardware is sometimes intimidating, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with it but it needn’t be. All of it can be installed as the bag is being sewn together. The key is to be mindful of where you want to add it as you go along with construction.

For example, if you want to add a magnetic snap to a lining, then you have to add it before the lining is sewn into the bag. If you are working with a twist lock, then you have to remember to add the center portion to the exterior before the lining is added. If you want to add D or O-rings with a tab for handles that will be added later, this is also something that has to be added to the exterior before the lining goes in. Really, adding hardware just takes a little planning.

Most of the snaps and locks are added by snipping small holes and then bending metal tabs over a small reinforcement plate on the wrong side of fabric.

Cross-Body Purse from Sew Serendipity Bags

The one piece of hardware that seems to be the one that everyone has a little trouble with when first working with it is the double loop slider. This piece of hardware is just as it sounds….a loop divided into two sections. It is meant to make a handle or strap adjustable in length. It is one of my favorite pieces of hardware to add to a bag! It is especially useful when you are working on a handle for a cross-body bag because it gives you the ability to adjust the length any way you want. If you are making the bag as a gift, then there are no worries about the handle as the recipient can lengthen or shorten at will!

20114 1 1/4" Nickel Plate, Double Loop, Solid Brass

As great as these sliders are, they can be confusing to install if you don’t have previous experience. This is one of the reasons that I included step by step photographed instructions in my Sew Serendipity Bags book for how to add one. Once you see how the handle is placed through the slider, you will be looking for ways to add one to every bag you make…they are that easy to install!

As a bonus today, click here for the pages that came directly from my book (they are also below, but the link will provide the full-sized page with larger text) as a tutorial for you to use as a guide for installing the double loop slider. With these mad skills, everyone will wonder where you bought that fancy bag with the great adjustable handle!

There’s another special resource I would like to share with you….and that is where I purchase my hardware. The good quality stuff can be difficult to find. Don’t expect to find it at your average craft store. They should carry it, but I have found that I am usually disappointed with their selection. I have found that www.BuckleGuy.com and www.Strapworks.com to be excellent resources for hardware. Their items are heavy duty quality and above what you will find in an average shop. Be sure to check them out for all of your hardware needs.

Lastly, I would like to thank the wonderful Sara Lawson for asking me to share a bit about hardware with you as part of Purse Palooza. I think she has done a fabulous job with this event all month and I am honored to be a part of the festivities! I hope you all have enjoyed the posts. I know I have!

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7 thoughts on “Purse Palooza :: Serendipity Studio : How to Install Metal Sliders

  1. Ahh – thanks for this!!! Just what I needed 🙂

  2. elnorac says:

    Thank you so, so much, both for the explanation above and for the PDF to download! I totally agree that the sliders are easy to install, but they’re still confusing, especially if you don’t install them often. And the “Wow!” factor is huge when you do use them.

    Thanks also for the hardware sources, which I will definitely check out. Sometimes I use sliders recycled from thrift store or garage sale bib overalls, but it’s important for all the hardware on a bag to match, so sometimes they can’t be used, as other pieces are called for.

  3. piece peace says:

    Thank you so much! I am a fan of the Sew Seredipity patterns.

  4. shariwild says:

    Thanks for the tut. I’m not afraid to try the hardware next time. [email protected]

  5. Claudia says:

    I just made cross body bag from sew serendipity bags for the first time this last weekend. It was my first time installing the slider and the swivel clasp. The instructions were clear and very helpful. Thanks for the online resources. I went to Joanne’s looking for nice looking hardware and found nothing. I ended up ordering from BuckleGuy. Very fast and great selection. Thanks again!

  6. Thank you so much! I have just decided that my hand made purses need a more professional look, and this is just the start I need.

  7. chicastic says:

    Omg..! This voguish collection really blowing my mind..!

    Wholesale Clutches

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