The turn or twist lock closure is one of those finishing touches that looks so
professional, it fools you into thinking it must be crazy hard to
install. We're here to bust that myth wide open. We used this closure on
our sample Ribbon Flap Shoulder Bag with Renaissance Ribbons.
Centered within one of the ribbons, this little lock completed the bag
with high-end style. Read on to see the easy steps to follow. The trick
is to measure one, twice, three times to insure both halves of the
closure are perfectly placed.
This tutorial shows you the
basic steps of installation. The other main component is marking. Most
patterns will include directions for where and when to place a closure.
It is traditionally inserted towards the end of project.
As
mentioned, it is critical to be very careful with your measuring and
marking for both halves of the lock. We recommend inserting the base
first (the actual turning mechanism), then double-checking the placement
for the opposite half. Although there can be many uses, this type of
lock is most often used to secure a flap on a purse or bag. If the
placement is not accurate, the flap will not lay flat. The other reason
for extra confirmation is the fact that the second half involves cutting
a hole in your finished project! That's kind of a no-turning-back type
of step. Measure twice (or thrice), cut once.
A
complete turn lock has six parts: the actual turning mechanism with
prongs, one flat bar with several slots, and the unit that creates the
hole through which the turning mechanism will fit. This unit is made up
of four pieces that will arrive to you assembled: a front finished ring,
a back washer type ring and two screws that hold these rings together.
Keep track of those screws; they are very tiny.
We've
concentrated on the classic gold tone and chrome turn locks for this
tutorial. These are the most common and work well on the vast majority
of projects, but you can find a variety of other finishes, such as
bronze or copper, as well as some different shapes, such as rectangles,
hexagons, and more pronounced ovals. These locks are quite intricate
little notions, and yet are surprisingly inexpensive.
Preparing Your Fabric
Turn
locks can be quite heavy, and so are not the right choice for a
lightweight project. The layers of fabric into which the lock is being
inserted should be substantial on their own. If you're concerned, you
can also add one or more squares of a mid-weight fusible interfacing
behind each half of the lock to provide extra stability. For our
demonstration, we're using Pellon Décor Bond fusible cut into 1½" squares.
Insertion Steps
1. Gather your materials. In addition to the lock itself, you'll also need a pair of sharp scissors, a seam ripper, a marking pen or pencil and a mini Phillips screwdriver.
2. As
mentioned above, most patterns will include directions for when and
where to place the closure. Measure accordingly to find your insertion
point. If necessary, fuse the stabilizing squares on the wrong side of
the fabric, directly behind where the lock will be placed.
3. On
the right side of the fabric, and working with your super-precise
measurements (remember those?!), center the slotted flat bar over the
insertion point. With a fabric pen or pencil, trace the inside of the
two outermost slots.
4. Pull away the flat bar to reveal the marks. Carefully insert the point of a seam ripper, and cut upwards along both marked lines.
5. Insert the prongs of the turning mechanism through the slits from the front to the back.
6. Flip
over the fabric. On a real project, you may not be able to so easily
flip the fabric from front to back. You may need to pull back the fabric
or reach around in some way to access the prongs. Slip the slotted bar
over the prongs.
7. With your thumb, fold one prong down towards the center so it lays completely flat over the slotted bar.
8. Then fold the opposite prong down into place. One prong will lay over the top of the other.
9. Your turning mechanism insertion is now complete.
10. To insert the opposite side of the lock, you'll need your mini screwdriver. Find the assembled unit and turn it wrong side up. Using your screwdriver take out both tiny screws. Keep track of those screws!
11. On
the right side of the fabric, and working with your super-precise
measurements, center the flat back ring over insertion point. With a
fabric pen or pencil, trace the inside of the center oval as well as
both of the little screw holes.
12. Pull away the flat ring to reveal the marks.
13. This
is the point at which you should double and triple check your
placement. Confirm that the oval you've drawn lines up with the already
inserted turning mechanism. If not, wipe away your fabric pen/pencil
marks and try again.
Once you have confirmed the position, and again using your fabric pen or pencil, connect the outer dots with the inner oval, creating a kind of eye shape: an oval with pointed ends.
14. Carefully insert the point of a seam ripper at each outer point, and cut inward about ¼". You just need a small slit on each end.
15. Insert the point of your scissors into one of the slits and begin cutting along your drawn lines.
16. Continue carefully cutting to remove the full "eye" shape.
17. Find
the top ring. Place it right side up on the right side of the fabric,
centering it over the hole. Push it into the hole slightly. Similar to a
grommet, there is an inset ring behind the top lip that fits into the
hole along with the both openings for the screws.
18. Flip
over the fabric. As above, on a real project, you may not be able to so
easily flip the fabric from front to back. Do what you need to access
the back of the fabric. Continue pushing the top ring into the hole. It
should fit snuggly. If necessary, you can trim away a bit more of the
fabric.
19. Still
working from the back, find the flat back ring and place it into
position, lining up the screw holes of the two pieces and centering over
the opening.
20. Replace both screws.
21. Tighten into place.
22. The second half of the lock is now finished.
23. Place the ring over the turning mechanism and twist to lock.
credits to: sew4home.com
Comments
Post a Comment