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How to install a twist lock tutorial

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Installing a twist lock is much easier than one can believe and gives a professional and sophisticated look to your bags.

The twist lock can sometimes replace a magnetic clasp. It would fit the look of the Ava bag for example.

How to install a twist lock tutorial

Some twist locks have front plates with prongs and others have front plates with screws.

Twist lock

The twist lock (with prongs) used for this tutorial will be installed on a clutch (simplified version of the free Cachotin pattern).

The twist lock with prongs has 4 pieces  :

  1. front plate (with prongs)
  2. back plate
  3. twist button
  4. washer
Tuto fermoir tourniquet1 legende
Female half: 1. front plate (with prongs) – 2. back plate – Male half: 3. twist button – 4. washer

 

The twist lock with screws has 6 pieces  :

  1. front plate (with prongs)
  2. back plate
  3. twist button
  4. washer
  5. & 6. screws
Female half: 1. front plate – 2. back plate (with holes for screws) – Male half: 3. twist button – 4. washer – 5. & 6. screws

The female half (front and back plate) of the twist lock is installed on a moving part: the flap of the bag or the flap of a pocket. This flap should already be finished : fabric and lining pieces of the flap sewn together and turned right side out (it may even be already basted to the bag).

The male half of the twist lock is the one that turns and should be installed on a fabric piece of the bag: bag body, pocket… The piece on which the male half will be installed should be unlined.

Tuto fermoir tourniquet31
The female half is installed on the finished flap – The male half is installed on the unlined body.

This type of lock has a significant weight and must be installed on heavy weight fabrics. It is advisable to interface the fabric pieces on which the lock will be installed.

Installing the female half of the twist lock

1. Position

Center a plate on the placement marking on the flap. Make sure the plate is horizontal.

If there is no marking on the pattern, place the plate where you want to install the lock. Make sure that this area of the flap will overlap with the body of the bag where the twist button will be installed.

Positionner une partie femelle sur le repère du rabat
Position a plate on the marking on the flap

2. Trace

Twist lock with PRONGS : Trace the inside perimeter of the hole.

Tracer le pourtour intérieur
Trace the inside perimeter of the hole.

Twist lock with SCREWS : Trace the inside perimeter of the center hole and the holes for the screws.

Connect the lines. This new outer line is the one you will cut along at the next step.

3. Cut

With embroidery scissors cut a cross in the middle of the oval marking, cutting through all layers. Then cut out the area, cutting 1 to 2 mm outside of the line.

Tuto tourniquet couper
cut out the area, 1 to 2 mm outside of the line.
J'applique du "Fray check" côté doublure pour éviter que le tissu ne s'effiloche.
If your fabric frays, you can apply fabric glue or “Fray Check” on the edges of the hole. This is what I did for the lining side of the flap.

4. Install

Twist lock with PRONGS

Place the front plate on the fabric side of the flap, sliding the prongs through the hole.

Tuto fermoir tourniquet partie femelle
Left: fabric side of the flap – Right: lining side of the flap

Place the back plate on the lining side of the flap

Tuto fermoir tourniquet13
Place the back plate on the lining side of the flap

Fit the two plates together and spread the prongs apart over the back plate.

Tuto fermoir tourniquet15
Spread the prongs apart over the back plate.

Tip if once assembled the plates of the twist lock are loose:

  • Disassemble the plates.
  • Cut a small rectangle of fleece slightly larger than the twist lock and cut out a hole in it, as in steps 1 and 2.
  • Slide the fleece inside the flap (through the hole cut at step 2 or through the top of the flap).
  • Align the holes of the flap and the fleece and reattach the plates.

Twist lock with SCREWS

Place the front plate on the fabric side of the flap.

Left: fabric side of the flap – Right: lining side of the flap (yes, the lining side of this flap is in faux leather)

Place the back plate on the lining side of the flap. Install screws.

Place the back plate on the lining side of the flap. Install screws.
Place the back plate on the lining side of the flap. Install screws.

Installing the male half of the twist lock

Installing the male half is done the same way whether the twist lock has PRONGS or SCREWS.

1. Position

If there is no placement marking on the pattern, position the flap properly over the bag body and make a mark at the center of the twist lock hole.

S'il n'y a pas de repère de position tracez-le.
Position the flap properly over the bag body and make a mark at the center of the twist lock.

2. Mark

Centre the washer over the placement marking and mark the two notches.

tuto tourniquet tracer
Mark the two notches

3. Cut

Using your seam ripper carefully and gently nick through the two notches.

Entailler les repères
Nick through the two notches

4. Insert

Slide the prongs of the twist button through the notches, toward the wrong side of your fabric.

Vue endroit
Right side view
Vue envers
Wrong side view

5. Reinforce

To further reinforce the area, slide a small piece of ultra firm stabilizer through the prongs (Jeffytex or Pellon 70 Peltex).

Sur l'envers, glissez un morceau de Jeffytex à travers les patte
On the wrong side, slide a small piece of ultra firm stabilizer through the prongs

6. Secure

Slide the washer through the prongs, over the stabilizer and fold the prongs toward the center.

Tuto fermoir tourniquet fixer
Slide the washer through the prongs and fold the prongs toward the center.

Voilà, you know how to install a twist lock!

You can now sew the lining to the bag body.

Fermoir tourniquet installlé !
Twist lock installed !

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2 thoughts on “How to install a twist lock tutorial

  1. Thanks for your help, unfortunately the twist locks I have are of a different type with the prongs for the flap piece on the outer rim and the back piece fits inside. The twist lock will not work as in this tutorial. Thank you, Lorraiine

  2. I think if you have installed either of the two above locks, you will have no trouble at all installing this lock and will not even need to glance at these instructions. But just in case you haven’t, I am including these for you. It’s a big lock, but don’t be scared. You just really need to be carefully you measure a few times before you cut into that beautiful exterior of your bag – holes are permanent!

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