Thanks for the continued advice! My goal is to use "stuff" I already have in the house, like the macrame cord. I don't have any fusible interfacing, that's why you see I didn't use it. I am totally getting away from using the macrame cord for the handles, at least on it's own. As I mentioned, I did braid it. I found that it stretched even then. Using it inside a fabric handle is intriguing. How exactly would I do that? Would I try to insert the cord into a tube of already stitched fabric or would I create the handle around the piece of cord? Thanks again!!