familyfun

Ok.. so I spent a really really long time turning the handles of my new purse right side out. They finished at an inch. I used a dow rod to assist me but it took forever.. and I pulled and pushed so much they were a little wonky even after I pressed them..
Is there a trick to pulling them thru easily?? I saw a gadget on fons and porter once. I accidently deleted the episode and I dont know what it is called
Any one have any tips or tricks ?

okiepastor

Yes, the easy way to do it is to sew a fabric "tab" into the seam, then put a big safety pin into that tab, slide the safety pin into the inside and begin to pull it through and turn--voila!
then cut the tab off--done in about two minutes....hope that makes sense to you.....

Quilter7x

I do something even easier. I use cotton webbing and instead of creating a tube, I take a strip of fabric maybe 3" wide and press over a half inch all the way down. Then wrap it around the handle so that the fold is in the middle on the underside. Then sew a decorative stitch from the top. Works great and saves my hands from cramping from trying to turn handles right side out!

Up North

I do not sew my Bow Tucks ones inside out I top stitch along the edges and down the middle. They star out 5 and a half inches wide folded over and then the edges to the middle. Easy and a nice size handle.

familyfun

I Love everyone on this board. Your all so helpful
Thank you for the advice.. I will try these methods on my next one.

oatw13

I was also going to suggest top-stitching. It is so much easier.

I sew two long edges together then fold wrong sides together, turn under the raw edges, glue or pin in place and top stitch.

nativetexan

i've used this product for years.
http://stores.quiltcrafts.com/-strse...%2C/Detail.bok

LovinMySoldier

This is how I do it! Easy easy! If you want them to finish at an inch wide. Start with 4 inches fabric. Soooo Much easier! And I prefer the finished project this way as to the other.

QuiltE

The LQS told me to take a piece of fabric, double it and then fold three times (six layers now) .... then do several rows of top stitchings along it. The extra layers help strengthen it, plus stiffen it as does all the stitching.

AlienQuilter

I agree with the others about not turning the handle.

Topstitching is so much easier also gives you the chance to use some of those fancy stitches on your machine. A inch strip of fusible fleece also works well. Put it down the center and fold the fabric over.

This is a neat tip for turning (when you just have to!):
Make your long tube 1/4" longer than needed. Before you start sewing down the side, insert something long and stiff (I used some stiff rick rack left over from another project) down the center. After sewing down the side (make sure you don't sew the rick rack!) then sew across the end securing the rick rack.

Then, just pull the rick rack through. Then snip off the end. You will only loose a little bit of the rick rack and it can go back in your stash. Easier than trying to use a safety pin. I've done this, it actually works and you don't have to buy yet another notion that you will only use once in a while.