If you've been following us for a while, you'll know that Mrs H's second favourite saying is, "Stick a rivet in it!"
We just love adding shiny, shiny hardware to our handcrafted bags. Bag bling can give your handmade bag a little boost - whether it's enhancing your professional finish, giving it a bit of extra reinforcement, or just showing your bag how much you love it!
If you're new to bagmaking, then rivets can sometimes seem a bit intimidating. You have to punch a hole in your bag - what if the hole is the wrong size? What if the rivet doesn't go in right and ends up squashed or wonky?
Don't worry; we're here to help! In this riveting masterclass, Mrs H discusses how to use a rivet press, how to use a rivet anvil and setter, how to choose the right size rivets for your handmade bag, the difference between single-cap and double-cap rivets, and how to avoid squashed rivets.
Riveting FAQ
What type of rivets should I use?
We recommend double-cap rivets, as the back of single-cap rivets can look a bit ugly. That's fine if you're not going to see the back of the rivet, but if it will be visible then choose double-cap rivets.
For the best results, we recommend rivets from Emmaline Bags. If you're in the UK, Emmaline Bags hardware is available from Sew Hot. Other rivet suppliers are available, but please bear in mind that good quality rivets are less likely to end up squashed.
Should I use a rivet press or an anvil and setter?
If you're on a budget, look for a rivet anvil and setter. If you have a bit more flexibility in your budget, then look for a rivet press. Rivet presses will be more expensive, but we have found that some cheaper rivet presses may have sharp edges or a sharp pin coming out at the top of the spring. If your rivet press has flaking bits or sharp bits when it arrives, please contact your seller. Remember that safety never takes a day off!
Which rivet press is better - the blue rivet press or the green rivet press?
Mrs H's blue press is from Green Grizzly and one of our team members has the green press from Trimming Shop UK. We've tested both quite thoroughly at The Bag Retreat and love both! Generally, we think that the blue press is prettier, and the green press is more functional. Also, bear in mind that dies for the green machine will not fit in the blue and vice versa. If you need more information, Mrs H talks about the difference between rivet presses and demonstrates how to use one in our riveting masterclass starting from just under the 31 minute mark.
Have we missed something? If you have other questions, please give us a shout on our Facebook group, in the YouTube video comments, or by email to mrsh@mrs-h.com
Will you be adding rivets to your bags now? We'd love to see your makes! Tag us on Instagram, pop your photos up in our Facebook group or on our Facebook page, or send them to us by email at mrsh@mrs-h.com
Happy riveting! xx
N.B. The masterclass is an abridged version of our "Stick a rivet in it!" livestream from 14th May 2020. The full video is still available to watch in our Facebook group.
