Don’t let the need to buy a tool for grommet installation keep you from a needed project. Grommets are a good way to get a purchase on a piece of fabric, but there are other ways that do not require tools and offer some other advantages as well. Consider a loop of webbing or even a simple loop of regular canvas or sailcloth folded over three times or so. These loops can be sewn in place along the edge of the fabric without any tools at all. If a "box-X" stitch is used, i.e., a square or rectangle of stitches with two diagonal stitches to boot, there will be as much strength as any grommet. When used on sails these attachment loops offer the additional advantage of lighter weight. This can be especially important in spinnakers where every ounce saved increases efficiency in light air. These loops will tend to wear out as a consequence of abrasion, but they are easily repaired or replaced while a failed grommet often requires a good deal of effort including layers of additional fabric to repair torn areas.