This summer I used this linen version of the Belted Tote quite a bit. The fabric was not good quality, so it didn't take long before it wore through and an ever growing hole developed on the back. :0[
But fall is here, so it is time for a wool bag! Yesterday I finished making a Belted Tote shown above. It is a very dark grey Melton wool.
Last week I pulled out a few wools and started thinking about making a bag, but the thing that tripped me up was I wanted the straps to be wool too. Wool is a pleasure to sew, but it gets bulky really fast.
So the method of folding the strap piece and enclosing the raw edges in the center does not work. It is pretty much impossible to get four layers of wool under the presser foot.
The other option of turning a strap right side out is something I dread--I just don't have the patience for it, and it is so hard your fingers.
But recently I saw a tutorial via Pinterest that gave the perfect solution for turning a strap right side out! Sadly, I didn't pin the tutorial. If you pinned it, please drop a link to the original in the comments and I'll link to it.
Here is the basic idea:
Cut a piece of ribbon 1-2" longer than your strap. Center the ribbon down the length of the strap piece on the RIGHT side of the fabric. Stitch the ribbon in place on one end. Sew it down well.
Fold the strap in half, RIGHT sides together, encasing the ribbon in the center. Pin down the length making sure the ribbon stays in the center.
Sew the length of the strap, making sure not to stitch through the ribbon.
Tuck the end with the sewn ribbon down into the tube to get it started.
Gently pull the other end of the ribbon to turn the strap right side out.
