• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sew Fearless

overcome your fear of needles

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • About
  • Contact
  • Cart
You are here: Home / Tutorials / Tutorial – How to Install Metal Rivets

Tutorial – How to Install Metal Rivets

October 15, 2012 by Jodi 8 Comments

Parts of this post were original published as part of my “Quarter Keeper Tutorial” guest-post at The Southern Institute. 

I like shiny things and few things makes me happier then working in some metal hardware into a project. Luckily, with the right tools and know-how, they aren’t really that difficult to use. Really. Take rivets for example…

Not only do rivets add serious bling to your project, they are handy for attaching things when it is difficult to sew – like when there are more layers than your sewing machine can handle, or the location is prohibitive to sewing. I used them for my Pleated Clutch Wallet because it was making my machine cry like a baby. 

Buying Rivets and Rivet Setting Tools

Where do you get them? I found Etsy to be the easiest way to shop for them.
Searching for “rivets” under “Supplies” will reveal rivets of all sizes and shapes. (Skulls, anyone?) The ones I used for this project are “double capped, rapid rivets, 6mm”.

You will also need some setting tools.  Suppliers like to sell them as kits and you will need one appropriately sized for your rivets. It doesn’t hurt to ask the seller for help if you are confused by their options. I needed to. 🙂 Included in the kit, is a hole punch, a setter, and an anvil. You will also need a cutting mat or something to protect your work surface, and a hammer. I went with a rubber one because it was quiet and I didn’t want to wake up napping babies. The cutting mat I am using is one from a dollar store. I didn’t want to destroy my good one with the hole punch.

Installing Rivets

To install the rivets, lay your project on the cutting mat and position the hole punch (pictured on left below) on top of where your want your hole to be. Hit the hole punch with your hammer until it pierces through all layers.

Next, we poke the “post” half of the rivet through the hole. Then snap the “cap” onto the post. It will stay on, but be wiggly until our final step.

Place the post half of the rivet on your anvil. The top of the anvil is curved to protect the shape of the rivet while we are hammering. Then, place the concave end of the setter onto cap.  Keeping the setter as straight as possible, give it a good whack with your hammer to set the rivet.

And that was it! Not so scary right?

Ready to give a project a go? Hope over to The Southern Institute to make a Quarter Keeper Keychain!

 

Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: hardware, metal, purse making, rivets, setting rivets, tutorial

Previous Post: « Roses for Gianna
Next Post: Mother-Son Crafting: Homemade Leather Sword Sheath »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rachel says

    October 15, 2012 at 3:57 pm

    You’re right that is much less scarey than I would have thought! Thanks for the tip I wouldn’t have thought of Etsy for this.

    Rachel

    Reply
  2. nissaMade says

    October 18, 2012 at 12:04 pm

    I’ve just begun using rivets on my bags and LOVE them! btw I’ve been following your bag board on pinterest for a while.. so happy to have just found your blog

    Reply
  3. Louise Richardson says

    February 23, 2014 at 10:21 am

    Thankyou SO much for this – love it when people link to the actual tools to buy! I have been buying off 3DPatternPaper for years – and only just got into rivets and never thought to go back to them! Im using rivets with flat backs at the moment and their seriously week. they take about nine hits before the rivet does pop off the top like the way you pop it on, by which point the ‘flat’ back is a crumpled mess. Ive even bought a rubber hammer and a rubbersteel block to hit against. Gah! I will buy a 3DPatternPaper bundle right away 🙂

    Thanks again 🙂 Really appreciate this. off to go check out your whole blog! Louise x

    Reply
  4. Mary Ellen Costa says

    September 11, 2017 at 6:08 pm

    Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I’ve been making bags all year but haven’t used rivets yet, though I have plenty of them including the kit! There are so many times my machine also cries because the layers are too thick and thanks to you, now I will use blingy rivets!!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Mother-Son Crafting: Homemade Leather Sword Sheath - Sew Fearless says:
    October 16, 2012 at 6:02 am

    […] Then, he got to work with my stash of scrap leather and rivets…. (More info on how to use rivets in this post.)  […]

    Reply
  2. Geek-Chic iPad Case / "A Bag For All Reasons" Book Review / Giveaway! - Sew Fearless says:
    November 5, 2012 at 5:25 am

    […] – Finally, you will need some metal rivets. I shared how to install rivets before, but I have never used such a large size! I ordered a set of medium and large double cap […]

    Reply
  3. Hardware for the Mommy Poppins Bag says:
    April 18, 2013 at 9:33 am

    […] The pattern has an option for attaching the handle straps to the d-rings with metal rivets. If you are interested in trying that out in your bag, I would recommend reading my experiences buying rivets and how to install them. […]

    Reply
  4. Can you name these bag making hardware? - Sew Some Stuff says:
    February 13, 2016 at 8:43 am

    […] How to install metal rivets […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Jodi

Jodi - Sewing Advocate - Mother of 7 - Lover of Swings and Deadlifts - Catholic

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Top Posts & Pages

How To Finish A Shaped Quilt Edge Without Binding
Miniature Vestments
Stretch Yourself: Working With Stretch Lace
Convert A Bra Into A Nursing Bra

Subscribe to The Newsletter!


Categories

  • Announcements & Site Updates
  • Baby
  • Bags
  • Blog Crush
  • Children's Clothing
  • Clothing
  • Crafts for Kids
  • Embroidery
  • Featured Fearless Sewists
  • Home Goods
  • Knitting
  • Maternity
  • Non-Sewing Crafts
  • Quilting
  • Round Ups
  • Sew Fearless Original Patterns
  • Sew-Along
  • Sewing Books
  • Sewing Tools
  • Tutorials
  • Updates & Project Progress
  • Vintage (very old posts)
  • Women's Clothing

Footer

Connect

Sew Fearless is about a reckless pursuit of the sewing craft. It is about not letting your fears talk you out of your dreams. It is a place to go for encouragement, information, and sewing camaraderie. It’s a place where “done” is better than “perfect”, and where saying “I didn’t try” is worse than “I failed”. Read More…

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

ABOUT

CONTACT

SHOP

DISCLOSURE

Sharing Policy

I am glad to have you here and happy to have you share my posts and ideas with your friends. However, please respect my content and do not repost it, except for maybe 1 or 2 photos as a teaser. If you do use my photo, give credit to Sew Fearless and link to the original blog post. Please do not use photos of my children.
Copyright © 2023 Sew Fearless · Site developed by Autumn Street