Soooo...did you notice my snap obsession lately? I love these snaps and thought I'd share some more tips since the bonus pattern pieces for the Zip Pocket Phone Pouch really require them. Maybe you could use something else for a closure, but I can't think of anything off the top of my head.
Back in January I wrote a pretty long post about using snaps and went over some of their good points, and options for attaching them. This post will discuss how to place them on your projects.
It is pretty important to get them in the right place since they are very visible and part of the overall look of your project.
It is simple to put them on neatly, but you'll need to take a few moments to determine exactly where they go. I made a bunch of mistakes, so you can just read about them and then avoid them! How great is that? It's in my job description to make mistakes and then tell you about them.
So let me yammer on about my deep love for the snaps, share two quick pre-application tips, and then I'll show you how to place them on your finished project like a sewing super star.
Why Snaps are Awesome:
Flow - They are just really satisfying to add at the very end. It makes projects flow nicely, since you can just sew right through to the end, and then attach the snaps and be done.
Quick - Once you have the method down they go right on in just a few minutes.
Looks - I like the way they look--especially these size 24 ones.
Two Tips BEFORE You Apply the Snaps:
Long-Prongs - Use "long-prong" snaps whenever
possible. The extra prong length is ideal when you have multiple
layers, because you can pre-set the caps by pushing the prongs
through the fabric. This makes it a lot easier to apply them exactly where you want them.
Be Gentle - Be gentle on the cap when
squeezing the pliers. You can be more aggressive with the stud, but
you can squish the cap a bit if you are too firm. At the end of the placement process I'll show you how I handle it if the snap parts aren't all the way together.
The Perfect Placement Positioning Process:
Because the snaps are a fixed position they need to be attached
with some accuracy.
Between cutting and sewing things start to shift a bit, so I don't
recommend using pattern guide marks to determine placement. If a
pattern comes with placement guide marks, take them as a suggestion, but
determine where they really need to be by placing them on your finished
project and looking at them.
Below is the general process I use for determining where to place the caps (cap/socket) & studs (stud/prong ring).
1. Decide where they look good.
They look a little different the closer/further they are apart, so I just look and move them around until they look good to me.
After deciding on the cap placement, lift up the flap and make sure the studs are going to be in a place where you can apply them. Most of the time there won't be a problem, but do check so you don't run into an instance where it is difficult/impossible to get the studs in place.
2. Double check the distances between the sides of the flap and bottom of the snap are equal.
You don't want to apply them and then realize one is higher than the other, or closer to the side of the flap. I've had to reapply a few because I didn't take a moment to make sure they were evenly placed on the flap. :0[
Now I look at the distance from the sides and bottom of the flap (or any other applicable reference points), and sometimes I measure if I'm not fairly certain things are even.
3. Apply the cap(s) by pushing the prongs through the fabric, then loading the socket into the pliers, and placing the pliers over the cap.
When I first started using the snaps, I'd load both the cap and socket into the pliers and then try to aim for a predetermined spot. But the cap covers up your marked spot and it is hard to judge the center of the cap since you are looking at the pliers from the side. So put the cap on the fabric and then place the pliers (with the loaded socket) over the cap.
4. Mark and apply the stud(s).
After applying the caps, close the flap and mark the position for one stud. Do just one first--even if you have two or more to apply.
I mark the position by first folding up the sides of the fabric right next to the socket, and marking that spot with a pin or fabric marker. Then I do the bottom in the same way.
Then I apply the stud using the pins/marks as my guide.
If I have two studs to apply I close the flap and snap the applied cap/stud set together. With the first snap closed, I fold up the other side of the flap and mark the placement for the second stud.
After replacing a bunch of studs I learned it works best to do them one at a time. If you try to mark and apply both studs at once, you can easily end up with a bunched up or stretched flap. Small differences in the stud placement = wonky looking flaps. So go slow and do them one at a time for best results.
Finishing
Now if you were gentle with your pliers your snaps probably look fantastic, but the parts might need some additional squishing to make sure they are really attached well.
I cover the front and back with scrap fabric and use regular pliers to gently squeeze the front and back together around the edges.
