Strap or tie tutorial

I have been making several aprons and tote bags lately....

so here is one of my favorite ways to make matching ties for aprons or handles for bags...

Cut a long piece of your cloth... 3 inches to 5 inches wide. Exact width does not matter with this technique.

Fold in half along the long edge and press a crease.

Open to expose the inside, then fold one edge toward the center, not quite touching the crease. PRESS only the edge.

Re-fold the center crease; raw edge is now inside.

Fold the other raw edge over the strap snugly against the folded edge inside the strap. PRESS.

Open the folds and tuck both raw edges inside. PRESS.

Ready to stitch, from the back side I can see both edges.

How to finish the short ends depends on how they will be used.  If the strap is to be sewn into a seam, the ends will not be seen and need no special treatment. Tie ends need some finishing touches.

These ends could be sewn into a bag.

Here I opened the folds and stitched a small seam in one end of the tie.

Re-folded the pressed creases.

One end with a seam, one end serged.

Finished apron