Installing Grommets

I am often asked “how do you _____?”.  (Fill in the blank with whatever you want.)  So, every time I do something special on one of my bags I will do a photo tutorial for it. *KEEP IN MIND* that this is just MY way of doing it, I don’t claim to be a professional and I am just going to show you what works for ME!

Today I am going to show you how I install grommets, so you can do fun things like this:

Firstly, you need to buy grommets, punch, a setter and anvil. The setter and anvil often come as a set, and the punch is sold separately.  VERY IMPORTANT:  you must have a setter anvil and punch for each size of grommet you have (I only install 12mm because I am far too frugal to purchase other sizes of the tools!!).  It also helps to purchase your tools from the same place/brand that sells the grommets you will be installing.  They are not universal (I learned this the hard way). I got all mine on Etsy.  I believe Joann’s and Fabricland sell the Dritz brand ones though so if you are need of doing it TODAY, then try them.  Here’s the tools you will need:

Next,  mark the centres of where you would like to place your grommets.  Then you can use your punch to cut the hole out.  The side of the punch has an opening so you can see your marking on the fabric and get it centred.  You can hammer the top of the punch to cut out the hole. I find on the thinner bag sections sometimes the punch doesn’t go all the way though even after hammering REALLY hard, so I lean it slightly to the side in sections and it seems to cut better…but sometimes it STILL doesn’t cut through so in this case I use my teeny, tiny Tula Pink scissors to finish cutting the hole out.  Life is hard sometimes.

You can treat the raw cut edges of the hole with Fray Check. (this is optional, but I figure if I am going to the work of doing this, I certainly don’t want my holes to fray!).  Take a look at your grommets they have 2 halves to them.

After you have punched your holes, find your anvil and the bigger (post) side of your grommet.

Place your project “Good Side Down”.

Find your “ring side” of your grommet.

Get your setter tool.

and hammer gently.  Make sure to inspect the grommet after you remove the setter tool.  All the edges should be pressed down, if any edges are sticking up then it needs to be hammered a bit more, it shouldn’t be sharp at all.  If for some reason you need to remove a grommet, I do it by prying them apart with whatever tool I can under the edge, be patient…you can usually pry, tear, cut it out and start fresh with a new grommet.

I hope you will find this useful!  I would love to see what you have made!

–Michelle