Okay, so I’ve been wanting a new strap for my favorite bag for a while now. The old one was getting worn out, and honestly, I was kind of bored with it. I’ve been seeing these gorgeous, deep burgundy straps all over, and I finally decided to just go for it and make my own!
First things first, I needed to find the right leather. I went to this little shop downtown that I love – they always have a great selection of colors and textures. I spent, like, a good hour just feeling all the different leathers. Finally, I found this beautiful, thick, burgundy leather. It was perfect!
Getting Started
Once I got the leather, it was time to gather my tools and get started.
- Leather (of course!)
- A rotary cutter (so much easier than scissors for this)
- A ruler
- A cutting mat
- Some strong thread
- A leather needle
- Rivets and a rivet setter
- Swivel clasps(for attaching it to my bag)
I measured out the length I wanted for my strap, adding a few extra inches just in case. It’s always better to have too much than too little, you know? I carefully cut the leather using the rotary cutter and ruler, I wanna get nice, straight lines.
Then, I folded over the ends of the strap, where I would attach the clasps. I punched holes for the rivets, and then carefully set the rivets using my rivet setter. I have messed this step up before, so I took my time.
Next, I threaded my leather needle with the strong thread and carefully sewed along the edges of the strap. I did the backstitch, because it looks nice and it’s super strong. It’s not the fastest way to sew, but it’s worth it!
Finally, I attached the swivel clasps to the ends of the strap, making sure they were nice and secure.
And that’s it! I finished my brand new, totally custom, burgundy leather bag strap! I’m so happy with how it turned out. It looks so much better than the old one, and the color is just perfect. I already put it on my bag, and I’ve gotten so many compliments! If you’re thinking of getting a new bag strap, I totally recommend trying to make your own. It’s not as hard as it looks, and it’s so satisfying to use something you made yourself!
