Sewing shoulder straps together neatly is a key step in creating finished garments, bags, or accessories. While various methods exist depending on the strap construction and attachment point, a common approach involves sewing fabric pieces together to form the strap and achieving a clean finish by turning it right side out.
Common Method for Sewing and Finishing Straps
One frequently used technique for creating and finishing fabric shoulder straps involves sewing two pieces of fabric together and then turning them right side out. This results in a strap with no raw edges showing.
Here's a basic breakdown of this method:
- Prepare the Fabric: Cut two strips of fabric for each strap. The width will depend on the desired finished width of the strap (usually cut at least twice the finished width plus seam allowances) and the length required.
- Sew Right Sides Together: Place the two fabric strips for one strap right sides facing each other. Pin along the long edges.
- Stitch the Seam: Sew a seam along the pinned long edges, leaving the short ends open. Use a standard straight stitch.
- Trim and Clip: Trim the seam allowances to reduce bulk, especially if the fabric is thick. Clip the corners diagonally if you plan to close one end later.
- Turn Right Side Out: Carefully turn the sewn tube of fabric right side out. This is often done using a loop turner, a safety pin attached to one end, or simply by manipulating the fabric.
Achieving a Neat Finish
The process of turning the strap right side out is crucial for achieving a neat finish. The provided reference snippet highlights the outcome of such a technique, describing it as a "fantastic neat way to sew together your shoulder straps."
The reference specifically mentions a step that involves "pull[ing] it all the way through." This action is consistent with the process of turning a fabric tube right side out after sewing the long edges, effectively hiding the seam inside the strap.
While the reference shows a final step and result rather than the complete sewing process, it emphasizes that techniques involving turning (like pulling through) contribute to a very clean and professional appearance for sewn shoulder straps.
Once turned, the strap can be pressed flat and then attached to the garment or item using various methods, such as sewing the raw ends into a seam or attaching them with hardware.
