Beaded Purse Handles TUTORIAL *** Handbag pictures added on page 1

[Souldier]

Well I'm getting ready for a festival and I have tons of bags to make and I realized that I was in need of quite a few purse handles. I wanted beaded ones but decided that I was too el cheapo to pay so much for something so little. So I made my own. Now I've gotten so much from this place that I feel like sharing... So here is my contribution...



They can be totally customized. Large small, squarish... Whatever! Feel free to march to your own beat with this... With the wire and the beads (wooden beads from the Dollar Store) I can make about 6 or 7 sets of regular sized handles for about $10.

So here is what you'll need:

- some wire (home-depot about $4... I got the 16g)
- some wire cutters
- a pair of vise grips
- a pair of plyers (needle nose is probably better, but these will do as well)
- beads of your choice

*Step 1*

Cut two peices of your wire to the desired lenght of your handle and then some. Make sure you have enough extra lenght because you'll need it.

*Step 2*

Bend it like so...

*Step 3*

And like so.... Or be original and come up with something different.

*Step 4*

Clamp your vise grips down on the hoop you just made. This will make it easier to wrap the hell out of the remaining wire tail using either your fingers or the pliers... (note: I am not one of those wire-wrapping people so I'm sure this could be done in a much more professional looking way, thumbs up to you if you can wrap wire good and all fancy!).

*Step 5*

Beads! Beads! Beads!!! Add as many as you'd like. I'm also thinking that those felted beads would be rather cool for something like this.

*Step 6*

Take the remaining wire and do this. Make sure you leave enough space to wrap the little tail again.

*Step 7*

Now do this. Notice How there is a space for wrapping the wire??

*Step 8*

Basically it's the same as step 4.

Now you're done!
Easy as pie.
Hope I saved you all lots of money!!!


*EDIT*
Here are two pictures of purses I had made using these handles (the pictures aren't very good seeing as I was pretty busy at the festival and took a few quick quick snapshots):

[GeorgiaN]

DAYAM... awesome tutorial! That'll save people a lot of money!

[KittyKurl]

I will be sure to be making some of these! 

[Souldier]

Wowza those are some fast replies... I didn't even get a chance to edit... haha. Thanks!  Glad to help my fellow cheap craftsters. 

[trinnie_doo]

you're my hero for posting this tutorial!  i totally just bookmarked this page...thank you! thank you! thank you!

[Happy Hooker]

Thank you thank you thank you
i would have never thought of this, and those handles are too damn expesnive to go buy!
you're handles look great and an added plus, they're customizable!!!

[Topstitchgirl]

OMG!!! That's awesome, I have tons of beads at home now I know what to do with them. Thanks.

[rhodora]

Those are so beautiful!  Can't wait to see the bags you guys come up with.

[pibbgirl]

These look great!  This is such a good idea

[FireflyFromHell]

 I love you!!!

I was just having this problem because for the first time I made a purse that just wouldn't look right with regular straps. I actually had an idea to do something like this, but my friend said it 'wouldn't be practical'.

Seriously going to Home Depot as soon as I get out of work. THANK YOU!

[Souldier]

Haha no problem girls!!! I owe way more than a simple tute to this place...

My bf came home the other day (he's a transport driver so he's gone for 4 days at a time) and he was like "Woah... Are those the handles you were talking about on the phone because they look really good. Makes me want to wear a purse!" Haha... 

[luciabug]

WICKED!!!!!!!! So you sell stuf at festivals? Cool. I think you're right about the felted beads too, yumyum ^_____^

[krafty_kelly]

Thank you so much for this.  It always kills me to buy expensive purse handles.  I've been racking my brain trying to come up with a cheaper alternative.  This works for me!!

[peardream]

What a great idea! 

What gauge wire did you use? 

[trillian]

I love, love, love you! I'm going to have to try this very soon, I have everything except the beads.

Last time I bought a pair of (plain& boring) handles I had to pay 6 euro (~7 dollars!)

[McJulie-O]

DAYAM... awesome tutorial! That'll save people a lot of money!

Ditto!
 
You are my Hero(ine) of the Day! Thanks so much for the tute!

[KaedeHikari]

Thanks a lot for the tute!!!!! 

[Souldier]

Peardream:
I used 16 gauge wire. 

[beetlepose]

WOW!!!  What a great idea.  The cheapest I've ever got purse handles for was about $3 a pair.  This is way better.  I must try this soon!!!

[silvicique]

Whoa! This is such a great idea! The tutorial is very clear, too. I´ve been wanting to buy wooden purse handles, but in my local store they're so expensive (and boring). I´ll definitely try this idea, and the possibilities are almost endless... Thanks for sharing!!

[jojo9]

felted beads would look great. In fact you could probably sell them on to a store or something.  Have them pay you instead of buying their expensive supplies

[that1spazticchik]

AHHH!!!! soooo glad i didnt give in and buy the stupid 7 buck handles at joanns the other day....YAY thank you for the tute and idea!!!

[darlingbud]

love

[LizLow]

This is soooo clever, and way cute.  I love that you can customize them.

How do they look on the purses?  I wouldn't know how to attatch them.

[Souldier]

How do they look on the purses?  I wouldn't know how to attatch them.

That's the fun part, you can customize them to what you like. You can extend the wire and make them half-circle shapped. I bet you could even do full circle ones.

I use these perticular handles for my book purses, so I'm thinking that they would look fabulous on any square bottomed bag (I can even see them looking nice on a round bag too). Attaching them is simple. I'll have to get around to posting some pictures of what they look like on actual handbags to give you a better idea.

[craftdabbler UK]

I like those a lot.   

I have about 10kg of wooden beads (don't ask!) like those in your tutorial and now I know how to use some of them.   

AS LizLow said, they can be customised to look perfect with anything.

Thank you   

[Daisygirl]

Awesome, amazing, rockin' tutorial!!! You've seriously made my week! I HATE paying for expensive handles. 

  Thanks!!

[viri]

Yeah you shoud post some picks. I really wanna see the bags you make.

[munk_munk]

THANK YOU!! This tutorial is amazing! 

[Souldier]

Hey no problem folks... I too hate paying loads for handles... which is why I decided to share with my fellow craftsters.

I promise that I will get around to posting pics. I just need to upload everything, resize the pics, and add them to photobucket.

[McJulie-O]

Hey no problem folks... I too hate paying loads for handles... which is why I decided to share with my fellow craftsters.

I promise that I will get around to posting pics. I just need to upload everything, resize the pics, and add them to photobucket.

**waits breathlessly**

[snowflake]

This amazing!  I must try them!

[Souldier]

Thanks!!
If you do try the tute, make sure you post pics!

[McJulie-O]

Thanks for posting those!
Verrrrrry nice!

[laurennnnnnnnnn]

i have a quick question about wire size. my dad went out and tried to get 16g wire, but they didn't have it, so he got the closest things which was 18g. i think its to skinny and flimsy to hold my big magazine bag but im not sure. my bag is alot bigger than yours. do you think my wire would work, or i should just suck it up and go buy another size?

[miserylovesme]

I've only made one of these and I used 14g wire. They eventually lost their stiff shape from carrying around makeup products. So I would say 18g is not going to to work for magazines.

Maybe someone else knows for sure. 

[Souldier]

I personally think that the thicker the wire, the better. The handles I've made have never bent out of shape, but then again, the size of the bags I use them on are rather small. I really can't tell you if 18g is thick enough. Use your own judgement... Does the wire bend really easily? If it is too flexible, I suggest buying a thicker gauged wire.

I'm glad that people are still interested in this post! Makes me happy! 

[laurennnnnnnnnn]

thanks for the wire size advice, as soon as i can get someone to take me to the store im going to by some thicker wire. thanks again for posting this tutorial,, im so excited to make some handles!!!!!

[dopey_44]

love the tutorial it is very easy to follow. i used 16 gage for my handles too and it is the way to go i can make them in the color that i need and the way I want

i made this one out of a tie

[Souldier]

Dopey: I'm glad you like the tute! Your handbags are beautiful!

[Aprilio]

the premade handles at craft and fabric stores are RIDICULOUSLY expensive. This kicksass! thank you!

[dopey_44]

THANKS IM GLAD YOU LIKED THEM I THOUGHT THEY WERR COOL ONLY NOT AS COOL AS YOURS MY MAROON PURSE IS A DOLLAR STORE FIND IT IS A COSMETIC BAG THAT I TURNED INTO A PURSE
THE PURSE YOU WEAVED IS IT A MAG OR SOMETHING ELSE

[Souldier]

Thank you! The weaved bag is indeed made with magazines. If I'm not mistaken they have a tute on here somewhere on how to make them.

[Miss World]

this is a great tutorial! thank you soooooooo very much!

[mandodeb]

Your beaded handles are great!  I have a fabulous bead necklace that I'm sure would breakas is if used as purse handles - but with your tutorial, I'm going to just slip them onto the wire and sturdy-purdy they will be!  Thanks!

[average_fan]

Those are awesome!
Keeping them on bookmark for when I'll do my book-handbags