Need help again

#1

I stitched up my bag and felted it last night. The bag shrunk up fine but to say that the strap looks awful is being so very kind! The strap is a train wreck, and I don’t know what to do about it! It shrunk up curled which in itself is not that bad, but it’s so skinny I don’t know how it’s going to support the weight of the bag. This bag is a gift for someone who carries everything but the kitchen sink in her purse. Also the strap is so long that it hangs down to my knees and she’s not that much taller than I am.

I talked to the owner of my LYS about my lucy bag - the strap was a little longer than I’d like, and she said I could cut and sew it. I don’t know that it would help in this case and I’ve never done it before. If it was for me I might try it, but since it’s a gift… Any ideas?

#2

Anybody?

#3

What if you made two more straps and felted them and then made them into a braid and sewed them on? Just an idea.

#4

I thought about that, but the party is sunday and there just isn’t time. Dang this working for pay thing that keeps me from my knitting! :mrgreen: I’m wondering if I could maybe make a braided leather cord or something, cut the strap off just leaving little ends and sew it together somehow. the closue on this thing is a leather cord, so it would look ok anyway.

#5

The handle sounds like a total loss. Cutting and sewing it won’t solve the skinniness problem.

How about cutting it off as closely as possible to the body of the bag and substituting a ready-made chain or plastic handle (available at fabric or crafts stores, or taken from an old handbag).