I posted last week about buying everything to make my son's girlfriend her purse. I am using a different pattern than what I have used for all of the previous ones. I decided today I would cut everything to have it ready to sew. I am reading all of the instructions too...thoroughly for the first time and I come to the section about making the handles. My other purses used 2 long strips...here is how I am supposed to makes these handles.

I know how to prepare the strips...it's like making bindings. But what follows I don't quite understand. You have a piece of webbing cut 1" X 34" for one handle. You start 2" from the right end and about 1" from the bottom you secure/sew it, then you begin wrapping diagonaly around the webbing overlapping it and pinning it every so often to the webbing.

I pretty much understand all of that but...now comes the part I can't do. The author says to use a serpentine stitch...5 rows to secure the folds...no way would I be able to make this look right. So...my question (finally LOL) would 5 rows of straight stitches look dumb? Or...would zigzag stitches look better? Those are the only stitches I have ever used on my machine...have had it 12 years. I just checked my manual and I do have a triple zigzag stitch on this machine...that???

I really like the look of this handle compared to what I normally make...just 2 regular handles using a contrast fabric from the bag body.

I don't want to screw this up since...if you read my post about buying the fabric and supplies...it cost me about $65.

I think that rows of stitching would do just fine. Choose to do something that you are comfortable doing, especially with the amount of time and MONEY you have invested. I am sure it will be just beautiful.

I would think any kind of stitching would look nice. What is the name of the pattern, maybe if we can google it and see what the handles look like someone might have a better suggestion for you.

i don't see anything wrong with the straight stitching

Picture worth a thousand words....a serpetine stitch I would guess is snake like in a curved manner.....
Does the designer has a website ????

yes i would think a serpentine stitch is like an S stitch. just curves to the right and left over and over.

I agree

I use 3 rows of straight stitching on a lot of my handles. 5 rows would just be more of a good thing!

I would think that 5 rows of straight stitch would be fine.

Would love to know what pattern, so we could see a picture.

I'm sure rows of straight stitch will be fine. I looked at the stitches on my machine and seem to have a stitch that might work as a serpentine stitch so I'm going to try it for some variety. Look at any fancy stitches your machine might have built in and see if there is a curvy one, if so try a sample piece to see if you like the look. I would have never thought to try this if not for our post so thank you.