How to Add Magnetic Snaps to Your Bags

I am back with a tutorial all of you newbie bag makers will enjoy... "How to add magnetic snaps to your handmade bags/totes".  This is the first hardware I learned to add to my bags because it is so simple.  Believe me, once you learn how to add these little guys, you will be wanting to add them to everything!

Magnetic snap tutorial

Materials for adding a magnetic snap

You will also need one magnetic snap.  Jo-Ann's has a lot of handbag hardware right in their store, including magnetic snaps.  I know Hobby Lobby does not have any, unfortunately, and I have not looked at Michaels.  (I doubt they have any.)  There are also a ton of Etsy shops that offer bag hardware.

Lastly, you will need a seam ripper, fabric pen, and small scrap pieces of fusible interfacing and/or fabric scraps.

Magnetic Snaps: Male and female w/ washers

This is what a typical magnetic snap looks like.  The thinner piece with a little bump is called the 'male' part of the snap and the thicker piece with a recessed center is called the 'female' part.  The two other pieces are the washers where the prongs on the snaps will be pushed through and secured.

Now that you have your materials, let's get started!

Use the washer to mark correct placement of snaps on fabric.

A magnetic snap usually gets used a lot, so it is important to reinforce the area with some extra interfacing or fabric.  In this project, I fused some mid-weight fusible interfacing over the area where the snap will be inserted.

Then, I take my fabric pen and mark the area where the prongs of the magnet will be pushed through my fabric pieces.

Marks where the fabric will be cut.

Use a seam ripper to make tiny slits in your fabric.

Now, use your seam ripper to very carefully create little slits in the fabric on your markings.

Prongs from snaps should fit snugly into cut fabric.

If you are making a tab closure for your bag, the male snap (thinner piece) typically goes on the tab, and the female snap (thicker piece) goes on the base of the bag.  Gently push the prongs through the holes to the other side.  Do this for both pieces of fabric.

The tab holds the male part of the magnetic snap.

The base of the bag gets the female snap.

This is what your snaps should now look like from the back.

This is what your snaps should like like from the front.

Washers help secure snaps in place.

At this point, for added security, you could also cut a small fabric square, make slits and place it on top of the prongs before adding the washers.  I usually do this, but I must have forgotten!

(Another alternative is to use two pieces of fusible interfacing instead of one.)

Use a few gentle taps from a hammer to fold down the prongs.

With the washers on, it is time to fold the prongs down.  Oh!  I forgot to mention that you will need a hammer!  Gently press each prong down and then give it a few gentl taps to secure.

Fusible fleece is an added security that your snaps will last a LONG time.

One final step, that I like to do, is to take a large square of fusible fleece to cover up the entire back of the snap.

This is what my tab looks like once it is snapped into place.

Now, that was pretty easy, right?!  If you have any questions just shoot me a comment or you can find me on twitter or facebook.

Are you ready to add eyelets/grommets to your handbags?  If you are, I'd love for you to check out HOW TO ADD EYELETS TO YOUR HANDBAGS.  It is super easy and fun!

Thanks for stopping by!  I'll be linking up to some of THESE great parties!

Blessings,
Gina

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