The Crutch Bag Project – Fabricating The Straps

Next up on this project are the straps. Just how am I going to strap this bag to the crutch?

I played around with a few ideas, pinning, re-locating, velcro-ing and even sewed a version for the bottom/side stabilizer strap below…That was test one. I had only sewed it in the middle and not only was it very difficult to get in the machine (because I had already sewn up the sides) but as it would turn out, this strap was not very stable at all. Conclusion; go with plan B, which would be to sew the straps into the side seams.

So here’s how this came together…

I sewed the bottom together using a 1/4″ seam allowance. I stitched just between the edges. I’m a little over on the rights side as you can see, but that was easily picked out.Then I clipped out a little ‘postage stamp’ from the bottom side seam allowances. This will remove bulk for the next step.

Next…I turn the bag inside out and sew along the bottom again, just in between the side seam lines. That’s very important as I don’t want to catch the side seams!

In addition, this stitching needs to be wide enough to enclose the raw edge, about 1/4″. With your fingers you can feel the width of the fabric. Trim it if it is wider than 1/4″, as the initial seam allowance was only a total of 1/2″.Alrighty then…next I turn the bag right side out to check. Good! The seam is enclosed.I cut and sew up two pieces of fabric 2″ wide by 22″ long (roughly, this is the length of the fat quarter). I just clip and rip… Then fold in half and sew a scant 1/4″ seam.I use the Fast Turn to turn this strap inside out…
Pressing the seam open…then…Folding and pressing so the seam is lined up with the edge…I edge stitch along the edges and then cut one of these into 8 equal sections and one of them in half. I attach velcro (excuse me…hook and loop tape) to the sections (2 of these are already attached to the bag so not in the picture above). On two of the Fuzzy sections (the LOOP side) I sandwich in between the strap and the loop tape the other LONG strap like so…And sew the three pieces together like so…The remaining straps just get the tape sewn down…There’s more to come! Next I’ll show you how I attached these straps to the bag! I’m almost there!