Knitting Tutorial: How to Sew a Strap Onto a Knitted Purse

Learn how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse in this step-by-step tutorial! See even more tips on my knitting tutorial page.

If you’ve ever made a knit purse, tote, or crossbody bag and then stared at your strap wondering, “Now what?”, you are not alone. I’ve done it too! In today’s tutorial, I’m walking you through exactly how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse, and we’re using the upcoming Peter Purse pattern as our example.

This is one of those finishing touches that sounds scarier than it actually is. Once you understand how the strap, tri-glide buckle, and side buckles come together, it clicks—and your purse is not only functional, but sturdy too. Whether you’re using Lion Brand Coboo like I did (affiliate link), or another cotton-blend yarn, this method will give your handmade bag a polished and professional finish.

Let’s dive into how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse—step by step!

Why Strap Attachment Matters

Before we jump into the actual sewing, let’s talk about why this matters. A poorly attached strap can stretch, sag, or even detach with use. But when you know how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse properly, your bag is going to last way longer—and look way better.

You’ve spent all that time knitting the perfect purse, so it’s worth an extra 15 minutes to finish it strong.

Materials You’ll Need

To follow along with this tutorial on how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse, you’ll need:

Now that your materials are ready, let’s get to the part you came here for—how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse from start to finish.

Step-by-Step: How to Sew a Strap Onto a Knitted Purse

Here’s my exact method for attaching a knit strap to a knit purse using buckles and a tri-glide buckle for adjustability.

1. Prepare the Strap

Before you even pick up a needle, take a look at your knit strap. If it’s super stretchy (like mine was), consider sewing a piece of canvas strapping to the back side. This step is optional but highly recommended—it adds structure and helps the strap hold its shape over time.

Simply line up the canvas with the back of your knitted strap (wrong side), then hand sew or use a sewing machine to attach it with a straight stitch. Make sure your ends are secure.

2. Thread Through the Tri-Glide Buckle

Next, take the left end of your strap and thread it through one side of the tri-glide buckle (affiliate link). Pull about 2–3 inches through.

3. Attach to the Left Side Buckle on the Purse

Now take the opposite end and thread it through the left buckle that’s already sewn onto your knitted purse.

Make sure the right side of the strap is facing you and that it lines up neatly with the rest of your purse. You’ll want the wrong sides of the strap touching when you fold it over to sew it in place.

Use your needle and thread (or machine) to secure the end. Stitch it down well!

Congrats—you’re halfway through learning how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse.

4. Thread Through the Right Side Buckle

Now take the right end of the strap and thread it through the right buckle on the other side of your purse.

Let it hang loose for now—we’re about to loop it through the middle of the tri-glide so it becomes adjustable.

5. Loop Through the Middle of the Tri-Glide Buckle

Here’s where things get fun. Bring the right end of the strap up to the top from the back bar of the middle of the tri-glide buckle and thread it through.

Then loop it down through the bottom bar of the tri-glide buckle.

Now fold down that end over the center of the tri-glide buckle, wrong sides together, and leave about an inch of overlap.

6. Sew the Final End

To finish, sew that folded-over end in place. Again, use either your machine or a strong hand stitch. Make sure it’s firmly attached—you don’t want this coming loose while you’re out and about!

Now step back and admire your work—you’ve officially learned how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse and it looks so good.

What If You’re Making the Cable Cross Body Bag?

Good news! This same method for how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse works perfectly for the Cable Cross Body Bag too. If you’d rather knit your strap instead of purchasing a premade one, now you know exactly how to finish it.

👉 Cable Crossbody Bag Free Pattern

Want a Visual Walkthrough?

Sometimes seeing it in action just makes more sense. I’ve got a full video tutorial on my YouTube channel where I walk you through how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse with the Peter Purse as an example.

You’ll see exactly how the buckles come together and how I make sure everything is lined up and secure. Pause, rewind, and follow along as you work!

Coming Soon: The Peter Purse Pattern

This tutorial was designed with my upcoming Peter Purse in mind, which uses Lion Brand Coboo (affiliate link) and features the same cable design as the Peter Socks, Youth Peter Pullover, and Peter Vest.

It’s sleek, modern, and functional—and now that you know how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse, you’ll be able to finish it like a pro. The pattern includes detailed chart instructions and a link to a tutorial for sewing a lining into a purse.

A Quick Recap

If you’re someone who likes the TL;DR version, here’s a quick checklist of how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse:

  • (Optional) Sew canvas to the back of the strap for reinforcement
  • Pull the left end through the tri-glide buckle
  • Pull the other end through the left purse buckle and sew
  • Thread the right end through the right purse buckle
  • Bring the right end through the top back of the tri-glide, then down through the bottom
  • Fold over about an inch, wrong sides together, and sew it down

And you’re done! That’s how I do it every time, and now you can too.

Let’s Chat

Have you ever sewn a knit strap before? Do you have any favorite purse patterns you want me to turn into tutorials? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

And if you try this method for how to sew a strap onto a knitted purse, tag me on Instagram @knitinthewomb so I can see your work!

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I actually use and love. Thanks for supporting my blog!

The post Knitting Tutorial: How to Sew a Strap Onto a Knitted Purse appeared first on The Knit in the Womb Blog.



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