Presidio Purse: Handles

Drumroll please….. This is the last step of construction for the Presidio Purse! There are still a few posts to come on different customization options, but this is the last post you’ll need to sew your own, from start to finish. So, let’s get going!

Handle A

Sew Handle A interfacing to Handle A on the short ends using a 1/4″ seam allowance, with the non-fusible side of the interfacing against the right side of the fabric.

Turn the fabric right side out and fuse the interfacing to the Handle. You can see here that I added an extra layer of interfacing to the center of the handle (it’s more opaque). In all honesty, it was leftover from when I was experimenting with different handle construction techniques. However, if your fabric is lightweight, loose weave, or otherwise not up to a lot of wear and tear, you may opt to add a second layer of interfacing to the handle pieces. Don’t extend it to the very ends of handle as they will get too bulky to manipulate around the hardware. Again, this isn’t necessary if you are using a recommended fabric for the Presidio Purse, only if you are pushing the limits or breaking the rules!

Sew the two Handle A pieces, right sides together using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Turn the handle right side out and press. This is bulky and can be hard to manipulate (i.e. hard to get the darn thing to turn right side out). A good pressing will help it to hold its shape. If you are using anything other cotton, it’s easy to damage your fabric with ironing that’s too vigorous, so I heartily recommend using a press cloth to press the handles. Here I’m using silk organza but a piece of muslin works just fine too. After a hearty pressing, topstitch along the long edges of the handle.

Sew the Handle Anchor A to it’s fusible interfacing piece along all edges but the top using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Turn it right side out and press.

Insert the Handle A through the hardware and fold it back along the fold line (marked on the pattern).  Run a line of stitching along the folded over piece to secure it to the hardware. I like to stitch the seam twice (and/or use a triple-stretch stitch) for extra security. Insert the Handle A anchor through the hardware and fold it back along the fold line. Pin in place.

Pin the anchor onto the purse side using the anchor alignment marks.

Edgestitch along all sides of the anchor to secure it to the purse. My stitching isn’t visible on the sides here because I ran it in the ditch between the fabric and the piping. If you don’t have piping, your stitching will be visible. you can add a second layer of toptstitching for decorative and extra security purposes. (The piping isn’t pictured in the previous steps because I finished the whole purse without piping on the anchor and then decided that it really needed it, ripped the anchors off, and sewed them again with piping).

Handle B

If you are sewing a handle without hardware, sew the fusible interfacing to the Handle Top B along the pointed ends (stitching between the points marked on the pattern) with the non-fusible side of the interfacing against the right side of the fabric, using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Turn the handle right side out and fuse the interfacing.

Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the Handle B bottom.

Sew the Handle Top to Handle Bottom along the long straight edges using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Turn the handle right side out, press (see my comments on pressing above) and edgestitch along the long straight edge.

Align the handle anchor using the guide marks on the purse side and pin in place.

Edgestitch along all sides and the top. Add a second layer of topstitching for decorative purposes and extra-sturdiness.

Make sure that your stitching along the top of the anchor has caught the raw edge of the Handle Bottom. And you’re done!

This video about interfacing deals with the interfacing part of the handles.

And here’s the handle video!