Chaylor-Fenneli Clutch Purse Interior

[Bob Blea]

Hello all,

I am looking at making a clutch purse for a customer using a clutch purse interior from Springfield Leather. Here's a picture of the one I have in mind.

I'm wondering if anyone out there has used this and attached a shoulder strap to it. The strap is a requirement from the customer, and the purse will also be laced around the edges. Most of the clutches with a similar interior I've looked at would have the strap attached (usually sewn) under the closing flap but I'm not sure there is room for that with this interior. Talking to the folks at Springfield they weren't sure there was room for that either. Has anyone tried attaching a strap to this interior in this manner?

Another idea we came up with was using D rings sewn to the back near the top and attaching the strap there. The concern with that is the purse might hang funny. And the lacing rules out adding the D rings between the interior and the carved exterior leather, unless I began and stopped the lacing on either side of where the D rings attach. I don't think that would look very good.

Has anyone out there dealt with this problem already? Thanks in advance for your experience and advice.

Bob

[Ferg]

Bob,

I have used those interiors, they are a bit difficult to do much additional to them. I think your best bet is to start from "scratch"

making the interior similar to this liner but accommodating whatever you need for a strap connection.

ferg

[Bob Blea]

Thanks Ferg, looking at them that's just what I was afraid of.

Bob

[electrathon]

All you should need to do is make a should "loop" of leather. Put the loop between the leather back and interior when you assemble it.

[Ken Nelson]

I used to use that companies products but the last few I ordered which was a couple of years ago were JUNK! Ken

[Bob Blea]

All you should need to do is make a should "loop" of leather. Put the loop between the leather back and interior when you assemble it.

I'm not quite following what you have in mind. It will need to have laced edges so I'm not seeing how I would lace around the loop. Are you saying make the loop small enough that I would just lace around it? Sorry, being a bit dense right now.

Bob

[electrathon]

I'm not quite following what you have in mind. It will need to have laced edges so I'm not seeing how I would lace around the loop. Are you saying make the loop small enough that I would just lace around it? Sorry, being a bit dense right now.

Bob

The shoulder strap is usually only about 3/8" wide. The shoulder loop is a big circle. Lay it in position along the fold. Glue the interior in. When you are lacing around the perimiter just go behind the shoulder loop. There will be a 1/2" area that is unlaced holding the interior in, not enough to matter and it will hold the shoulder strap in place.

I think that makes since, but I know what I mean. LOL

Aaron

[Bob Blea]

The shoulder strap is usually only about 3/8" wide. The shoulder loop is a big circle. Lay it in position along the fold. Glue the interior in. When you are lacing around the perimiter just go behind the shoulder loop. There will be a 1/2" area that is unlaced holding the interior in, not enough to matter and it will hold the shoulder strap in place.

I think that makes since, but I know what I mean. LOL

Aaron

OK, I get it now and I see what you mean. That might be the ticket. I'm going to mock that up with some scrap and see how I like it. Thanks for the suggestion!

Bob

[TwinOaks]

Or you could make a little tab that's attached to the outer piece of leather - sewn, riveted, etc. Set it back from the edge just a little bit and you'll have room to lace the edge.

An alternate to the tab is to forego the use of D rings at all, and use a small slot in the outer piece. You simply feed the strap end through the slot and rivet/stitch in place with the end of the strap between the cover and the liner. Again, do this so that the edge is still available for lacing.

[Chief31794]

You could also put two line 20 snaps (male part) in the interior just below the fold, then put two line 20 snaps (female) in the strap and make the strap a solid loop, then she could wear it with the strap or remove it when she wanted to use it as a true clutch.

Chief

[Bob Blea]

Thanks Mike and Chief! Mike, I was stuck on the idea of having the attachment point on the back that I didn't even think of having it right on the top, attached to the carved outer part, until you posted your ideas. Thanks, I think I like that idea the best. Doesn't require any modification of the interior. I'll try to mock this up in cardboard and see what my wife thinks of it. When it comes to purses she is my design and usability expert!

Chief, I had considered putting the snaps in the interior but after talking to Springfield and also based a bit on Ferg's comments, I'm not sure there is room inside to allow for them. It looks from the way they did the seams that it might be hard to fit the snaps inside without punching though the seams.

After Aaron's post I had the idea to insert a D ring between the layers and lace around it. I first tried it with the D ring right on the edge as shown in the picture.

That didn't work to well and I tried setting the ring further back, using a round ring, etc., but never got the lacing to look all that great. I'm thinking adding the attachment tabs on the very top makes the most sense. That design could come with either a short purse handle for carrying by hand or a shoulder strap. I think maybe we're on to something!

Thanks all for your help!

Bob