While brainstorming for my macrame satchel, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to make the satchel or this macrame strap bag with the cotton piping I bought. Luckily, I had enough cotton piping to make both and this fabric I have saved for a while now was begging to be used.
Materials: Cotton piping (about 30 yards), Leather, Upholstery fabric, fabric for lining, sewing machine, zipper
Steps for macrame strap: Cut a five inch piece of piping and tape it to a table horizontally. Cut four pieces of cotton piping into seven yards. Fold each piece in half and knot it onto the piece that is taped on the table. Now it is time to start knotting your strap into a design. Take the furthest piece on the left and the third to the left and make a knot. Do this again with every other piece of piping, knotting all the pieces together. Take the two middle pieces of piping and cross over a piece on the right to make a “P” shape. Cross the piece on the left through the “P” and pull tight (refer to photos 2-4). Continue to do this with the other pieces of piping to make a design.
Starting on the far right, take the last strip of piping and knot it around the piece to it’s left. The left piece will be the “holding piece” meaning the piping on the right is the one wrapping itself around the piece that is held in place. Repeat this across to the middle inching your way down in a diagonal line. Repeat this once you get to the middle by making the diagonal line go up the opposite direction.
Steps for bag: Fold your upholstery fabric in half and draw a U shape and cut out of the fabric. Repeat this again twice for the lining. Cut a piece of fabric 3 inches wide that will wrap around the shape of your purse (I did this in two strips to save fabric). With your main fabric facing up, sew the long strip along the side. Sew this onto the other side as well. Repeat this for the lining as well. For the zipper, lay the patterned shape inside out and lay the zipper on top with the right side facing up. place the lining on top and sew across. Finish with a top stitch and repeat on the other side. Turn your purse right side out. Sew your strap on the bag by taking a rectangle of leather and folding it around the end of the macrame. Sew around the edges of the rectangle onto the purse and you are finished!
*Optional: Sew on a small leather patch when you are finished!
I love how it turned out and I can’t wait to carry it with me to the beach this summer!