How to update the handles of a bag with your own hands

Often the handles on women's handbags become worn and lose their beautiful appearance. When the item remains beautiful, but the handles do not look like the rest of the product, you should think about repairs. After all, it’s a pity to throw away a good thing, but with a small defect, especially if it was only recently purchased. You can make high-quality and quick repairs to your product at home; it will be several times cheaper and faster than taking it to a specialist. To do this, you need to stock up on a little patience, time and imagination. Let's look at the most relevant and effective options for replacing and repairing bag handles.

How to repair bag handles with your own hands

To quickly and efficiently repair handles we will need:

• Metal rings 2.5 - 3 cm (4 pieces).
• Scotch tape for medium thickness leather.
• Leather fabric (15 cm longer than the handles themselves, and twice as wide as the handles).
• A small piece of tarpaulin.
• Durable threads for leather in the color of the fabric.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Leather fabric must be cut into two identical strips. We fold them joint to joint widthwise.And glue it with tape. You need to glue it firmly so that the part does not come apart. We trim the edges with medium fabric scissors and sew the product at a distance of 3-4 cm from the front side. We bend the rounded ends inward and glue them with tape.
2. We thread rings into the resulting product from four sides, and then bend the ends inside out. Use a pen to mark where the edges end. Glue tape to the mark (it should be in the center, but not along the seam).
3. We place the tarpaulin fabric on the tape and press it tightly to the skin. Make sure that the sticky layer does not come out of the fabric. Glue a small piece of glue to the second side of the material.
4. We bend the leather product in the middle and glue it together. Start gluing the leather from the middle, pressing the product well on both sides. It is important that the fabric is evenly glued over the entire surface and that there is no air inside.
5. Using a sewing machine, we make a securing stitch, so that it is at least one and a half centimeters along the tip inserted inside. From above we make another line according to the one already made. At the other end of the part we perform similar actions. Do not forget to make sure that the needle fits neatly into the punctures of the previous seam.

Now all that remains is to attach the hand-made handles to the bag, and the new version of the product is ready. If everything is done carefully, then the new pens will be indistinguishable from the factory ones. In the case when we are talking about a model made of fabric or jeans, new parts should be made from the appropriate material.

Remember! A product made with your own hands from genuine leather will serve you for many seasons, and will always look beautiful if you take proper care of the material.

An easy way to update your bag handles

If you don't have a sewing machine or sewing new handles is quite difficult.There is a simplified option to give the product a fresh and beautiful appearance. To do this, you can quickly and easily sew covers for pens. The main difficulty with this method is that the resulting cases will need to be turned right side out. Otherwise, this is a fairly affordable and easy method.

To sew covers we need to perform the following steps:

• We take a small piece of thin leather, you can take leatherette and make a pattern for two covers. To do this, draw two rectangles on the fabric as wide as one handle in a square.
• We cut out the blanks and glue thick cotton or any other material onto them from the inside. You can use regular PVA glue or Superglue.
• We wrap the ends inside out and also glue them well. Our preparations are ready.
• Now all that remains is to connect the two ends of one part and stitch them on a sewing machine. If you don’t have such a technique, then you can buy a leather needle at a sewing store and make the seam by hand. We make the seam from the wrong side, after which we turn the parts right side out.

If desired, the covers can be made with Velcro so that they can be conveniently put on and removed from the item. Velcro should be glued or sewn onto the front and back sides of the part. It will not be noticeable on the object, but will help simplify the process of cleaning the model.

Useful tips for repairing bag handles with your own hands

To make a high-quality repair of the handles of a worn bag at home, you should follow several tips:

• If we are talking about genuine leather. Before work, it must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dust. The surface can be wiped with cool soapy water and ammonia. Blot any traces of liquid with a waffle towel and wait until the material is completely dry.
• To update the appearance of a leather product, pre-treat it with glycerin. This will add shine and shine to the model. Lacquered options should be wiped with a soft, dry cloth.
• If an element of the model has become shabby and ugly, replace it with a new element, made with your own hands or purchased in a special store.
• To update the handles of a white or red bag, use leather dye. There are different color options, so you can choose a paint to match the product. The paint is intended only for superficial renewal of the surface, so you should not choose a radically different color. This will only spoil the appearance and the item will become unusable.
• If you don’t want to replace some parts with others, you can always resort to decor. Make knitted covers, painting on the material or embroidery. And the model will sparkle with new colors. You can add beads, rhinestones or seed beads. Don't be afraid to experiment.

If the bag has lost its appearance or the handles have become worn/cracked due to frequent wear. Don’t rush to throw the item in the trash and buy a new one. You can always replace worn parts or decorate them with available materials. A new version of an item can become even more fashionable than the original appearance. There are many ways to correct the situation, from the simplest to the long and difficult. It all depends on your strengths, desires, finances and imagination.