Mending the handles of a tote bag with fabric harvested from a skirt

Date:

2023

What I did:

Before

The handles of my client's tote bag were fraying. She had a skirt, in a similarly colored floral print, that she had inherited from a family member.

Pink tote bag with frayed handles — Before

closeup of frayed handle of tote bag, with hand showing the fraying — Before

Top part of pink floral print skirt — Before: the skirt

After

I harvested fabric from the skirt, wrapped it around the frayed parts of the handles, and sewed it down. The two fabrics are almost the same shade of pink and look great together! (Click on any image to see a larger version and enter slideshow view.)

Pink tote bag, lying flat on a table, with handles covered by matching floral print fabric — After

hand holding handles of hot pink tote bag, which have been covered with almost matching hot pink print fabric — After

Closeup of pink tote bag, with hands holding handles that are covered in almost matching pink floral print — After