Better strap making... for me!

The Travel Duffel Bag is done and it's a beauty if I may say so! First, the details:

The swivel hook on the carrying strap

The carrying strap pad

The inside pockets

The inside binding

The zipper pulls

The Travel Duffel Bag... it measures 21"x13"x8"; it has a center pocket on one side,

three pockets on the front, 2 are zippered

a pocket at each end

It's really beautiful and sturdy; there's a sleeve into which you can slip an acrylic base stabilizer or foam core board for the inside bottom. It adds firmness and prevents sagging from a heavy load. I didn't have the acrylic nor did I have foam board so I slipped in a piece of Timtex for the moment. My acrylic stabilizer is on order.

There's a lot of strapping to make prior to starting the construction of the bag. It consists of sewing strips together to form a longer strip, enough to cover the length of strapping for the handles and the carrying strap. The instructions are adequate for this procedure.

After sewing the long strip (with right sides together) into a tube, you need to turn that tube to the right side then iron it so the seam is in the center. Once the tube is ironed, you attach a pin to your strapping and slip it inside that tube making sure it doesn't twist on itself as you feed it through. Then you sew it in place along both edges. Many steps!! It makes a lovely strap, don't get me wrong! I don't know about you but I've never liked turning tubes. I always try to avoid that process.

Today, I'm working on my daughter's duffel bag and had to make straps for it but this time I chose to make them my way.

I'm using King Tut 40 weight thread for this duffel in colors that complement the bag.

My strapping is 1 1/2" wide so I cut my strips 2 1/2" wide. I need 110" so the strapping is cut to size, and the 4 strips of purple fabric have been sewn together to make a longer than needed length.

I fold one side over the strapping and sew on a grosgrain ribbon 1/8" from the edge. 

When you reach the end, cut the excess fabric leaving 1/2" beyond the length to fold over and do the same for the ribbon to prevent fraying. Stitch across the end then start stitching down the other side. I don't have an awl so I use my seam ripper for turning the edge and guiding the fabric under the needle. 

The resulting strapping is sturdy, in this case it's two-toned which is the decorative look I wanted and I didn't have to turn a long tube. It looks like a piped edge. Sure you end up spending a little more $$ but the result looks great and making it this way is a time and sanity saver. The bonus is that there is no seam visible as in the strapping of the Travel Duffel. I much prefer this method and will use it whenever I have to make handles for a bag. 

My WIP for this week...

I leave you with a photo of our spruce trees and the water in the bay... someday we'll be living closer to that water just beyond the two tall spruce trees on the left flanking that power pole. I zoomed into this view to show you the spruce trees we transplanted in 2009-2010 along the new driveway that will bring us to the cottage. Over 300 spruce trees were dug up by hand from our back lot, hoisted onto the old wagon and driven down to the new location where a fresh hole was hand-dug and the tree dropped in. A lot of hard work but we're really happy to have done it.

It looks as though we'll be very close to the water but we really won't be that close. There's another field and another row of trees between the cottage location and the water. Plenty of room and elevation. Someday I'll share photos of that location.

I'm linking to The Needle and Thread Network and Let's Bee Social.

Toodles,

Lorette