How I handled my handle!!

I was lucky enough to have found this lovely soft suede belt to have for a handle on my bag and I could just stitch across the bottom and there was not worry about having raw edges...

 But I realized if  I were making a cloth handle (as I probably will on my next bag) that again there would be extra bulk and/or raw edges... So this is how I covered the straight seam on my suede handle and I could do the same with a cloth handle...

After I stitched it with a raw edge I layered a small round doily, a crocheted medallion and used a spectacular button to attach... the lace trim on the inside of the bag covers the button stitching.

And it turned out to be the  perfect finishing touch.  That metal button is about 1 x 1 1/2" beauty I've had for years and years and it was always just too big for anything...  It was one of three so on my next time I will use the last one on one side of the bag and a mismatch beauty on the other side...

As an alternative you could do it all with buttons... Just use a couple buttons on the lower part and THEN attach   lace and large fancy button. where the arrow is and the lower buttons would be covered and a stitch or two in the lace would keep any raw edges hidden...

Is this clever or what..?  Sometimes I even amaze myself....