3 Money Saving Tips for Bag Makers

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Let me know below! What are the two issues you struggle with the most when it comes to bag making.
Apply these 3 money saving tips next time you tackle a new bag making project.
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[@marialovesvictor]

Another place to save is on the hardware, buy ugly and broken purses at thrift store and garage sales. I have bought a $1 purse and salvaged around $25 in snaps, zippers and accessories. Sometimes the bag has tassels, studs and chains that are going to upgrade your game. Give it a try.

[@satsumamoon]

I do that too. I never fancied spending $10 just for hardware and zippers of a bag. Ive got one here for stripping, Im going to keeo the whole interior because its so nice and so well built.

[@jinjarogers1711]

Buy up on CURTAINS and DRAPES at your local op shop (thrift store.) To make recycled bags. Great medium and heavy prints and plain fabrics in huge sizes for bags! While you are there, buy quality sheets for lining fabric. You're welcome.

[@lynnemartin2291]

Great idea. 👍👍👍🙋🏻

[@chrishayden9599]

Thank you wounferful tip

[@vicki8042]

Thank you for saying that. I have a brand new curtain I was giving to goodwill. I was also going to buy some fabric for a tote. It will work perfectly.

[@arrivagabry]

yesterday I bought some cotton for the lining and it was expensive and the piece was not large, today I went to the mall and found some nice medium weight cotton bed sheets, only 12 dollars for a double bed sheet, so much more fabric the colors I needed, at less then half the price. I also use thin felt for stabilizer it works great and gives the bags and wallets body, and best of all it is cheap.

[@danaschaefer6473]

I'd also like to throw out there that fleece is a great sew in stabilizer too and for cheap!!

[@Teresa-L.2024]

I keep everything down to 1" squares of interfacing. You can use those tiny pieces to reinforce snaps, grommets, buttons and buttonholes. I also hunt through my local thrift store regularly. You can find curtain and shower curtain fabrics that are great for bags and totes. Also look in the clothing section for amazing leather, vinyl and vintage fabric finds. The purse section is great for hardware off old purses and often cheaper than buying new. Old jeans and denim jackets are great for that distressed look. I've made several several toddler dresses and outfits from recycling men's shirts... I especially love the seersucker shirts in summery colors.

[@marieintranuovo3808]

Thank you. You’re an excellent teacher, and very talented with all the crafts you make. Thank you!!

[@nicholeyoung1806]

As always thank you for your great video! I was at the store yesterday and the foam for bags was only 20” wide...I needed 24. The salesperson recommended headliner. Headliner is 54” wide and intended for lining the ceiling of cars. It is amazing and I love this option. Thanks for recommending we look at alternative options.

[@margoakley2345]

Nichole Young . Is there another name for headliner, Nichole? I’m in the UK and can’t find it under that name. Thanks.

[@nicholeyoung1806]

Marg Oakley maybe look up foam backed utility fabric? Or maybe look up fabric replacement for car ceiling. Good luck.

[@busyaries]

I also use headliner fabric! I suggest you place the foam side towards your fabric. I found the fabric side of the headliner doesn't catch on the feed dogs of my sewing machine.

[@VicLynn5522]

If you overlap the interfacing pieces a little bit and cut through both, you will have a perfect fit.Just remove the little cut pieces before fusing.

[@1955noname]

Great tips, especially about the felt! Thanks.

[@rebeccawilson4638]

I've been known to haunt the remnants bin at JoAnn's to find bag fabric. Very often you can find home dec and lining fabric remnants that are plenty big enough for a bag. These remnants are sold at super reduced prices.

[@beccaswanson6724]

I do the same thing. 😃

[@mbmochinski]

I also do the same , and when the fabric that the remnant is from is on sale the remnant is even cheaper! A remnant is 50% off of original price, so if the original price is 50% off, such as frequent home dec fabrics sales, the remnant is 50% off the 50% off price!

[@hannahcrumley3103]

Great content as always! I often use drop cloths that I can buy at Home Depot or Lowe’s to make bags if I’m making a bunch of them. I’ve used hardware from old bags and back packs to put in the bags I’m making.

[@TheCraftyGemini]

Yes! I love a good drop cloth bag! Super sturdy canvas and they look great when they are splattered with paint and then cut up and made into a bag. Super funky!

[@Annie261.]

Great idea!

[@beccaswanson6724]

I tend to use heavier fabrics, like outdoor canvas or denium for the outside of the bags. Remnants are great too! They are very popular gifts, but they cost $12 to $15 to make each one so money saving ideas are appreciated.

[@lindacampbell2329]

Just watched you’re bag from 5 years ago I love it you’re so good at teaching thank you or your time on this

[@donnarichey144]

Watch for outdoor fabric on sale. You could use spray adhesive on the felt.

[@kathyf3656]

I love the outdoor fabric. I didn't know about this alternative, but accidentally found a perfect one for my project, just last week, and on sale. I was going to add a comment about it, but you beat me to it. LOL

[@EmmyRose22a]

I'm definitely going to look into that felt to replace the pricey fusible fleece. I'm working on streamlining my processes so I can sell bags, and these tips came at the perfect time!

[@mbmochinski]

EmmyRose22a I have started a part time bag making business and when making a bag I calculate my supplies and often cringe, so these tips are great, and I thought I knew all kinds of ways to save money, but I've learned new things from this video and the comments. Thanks everyone!

[@wandamg8921]

Loved the reminder about using interfacing scraps.

[@umamalwadkar8195]

Beautiful. I love making bags. Thankyou for money saving ideas

[@sylviadumais4898]

I love all the tips, that is awsome, and I am looking so forward to know what options we can use to save money. Thank you so much. Love your videos.

[@ashleyblue3784]

Love these ideas! Can’t wait for the next club

[@maryt2887]

Vanessa! You are so clever! Thank you for these tips!

[@mariahammons6274]

Thank you so much for the money saving tips for bags. I enjoy all your videos.

[@SewNaturalDane]

This is such a GREAT video as I'm just getting more into bag making. Great tips!!!

[@ratlover2243]

New sub. Learned so much. Omg you are a great teacher!

[@NikkiVelazquez]

These are great tips! I second looking at the remnants at Joanns! Thrift stores are also great for fabrics and hardware. I've upcycled jeans from Thredup as well. Buying notions online is the only way to go- those little packs at the fabric store are SO marked up!

[@phyllisb9993]

Great tips Vanessa. You are amazing.

[@montanawendy]

Great tips Vanessa! Thank you for sharing 💖🤩👍🏻!!!

[@stephanniemetz3610]

Thank you! Great tips! And it’s good to know I’m not the only one that hordes stabilizer ‘scraps’!

[@keleeshamarley7178]

I love this Vanessa. Thank you

[@QLT812]

Thanks so much Vanessa for your tips and tricks😃😍

[@deborahwilson3311]

Always good info. Thank you infinity!!

[@gwensmith7024]

Great tips - I’ve been doing the puzzle piecing on the interfacing for a while!

[@SusanSelk]

I do this all the time. Nice video.

[@laurakurtz2276]

I save a TON of my scraps to use for pockets but hadn't thought of the felt... Great tip!

[@crochettimewithdonnaarsena2946]

Great tips! Thanks for sharing!

[@carydelano5484]

Great suggestions, thanks!

[@scollins8840]

Great tips!! Thank you.

[@donnakimball3822]

Great tips. Just a great video.

[@OKLisa]

Great suggestions. Subscribed!

[@cinnie2543]

love thise tips!

[@playme129]

I have reused the silid brass findings from dog collars. Virginia in Ohio

[@Cyrilmc222004]

Thank you so much that’s very very helpful and useful. xxx Mags

[@alicemonkyj1952]

👍😻👏🏻i confirmed by you I already did that i questioned Thanks so great info🤩

[@momsewanddesign9756]

Great idea

[@kimhicks1571]

I make your triangle pouch all the time! It’s a great little gift for kiddos 😀 I almost always put in a few toys or something fun for them too. It would be a great project for learning how to install a zipper too. I didn’t know you had a bag of the month!! Where can I find info on that? Wait! I just read all the way to the bottom 🤣. I’ll watch for announcements on that club!

[@54gravi]

Hi, go to Craftygemini.com You can signup and pay there.

[@charleenwozniak1904]

Very Enlightening!

[@JuteBagTrainingClass]

Thank you very much for sharing Vanessa

[@lynnemartin2291]

Terrific tips 👍👍👍👍🙋🏻

[@joycelondon1639]

Thanks for sharing Atlanta Ga USA helpful 👀 next time

[@elizabethsawyer5906]

Great idea to use felt. Can’t wait for the new club💕

[@copperlotus693]

Subscribed simply because you're a fellow Gem in I

[@aheartofworship27]

Hi Crafty Gemini, you that are so knowledgeable, cold you help me or point me in the right direction of what software I could use to design my own mosaic crochet pattern? Doing this on grid paper by hand is very time consuming. Thanks

[@paulaandrews6376]

You're awesome!

[@triciamcfarland8823]

Thank you for these tips. I do keep my interfacing scraps and utilize them like you suggested. Looking forward to your bag club💗

[@silverdawn813]

bedsheet fabrics are usually 96" width and very cheap.

[@beckypfeiffer392]

I use the sheets from Walmart for lining bags. Cheap.

[@arshcreativecrafts3171]

Super idea

[@cat.lover23]

I love your explanations! I have a question. I only have a woven fusible lightweight interface available in my town. If I want a sturdier interface, can I fuse two pieces on top of each other? Not sure what will happen to it..

[@bethk7648]

Vanessa, what kind of iron did you use in the video? Love these tips!

[@findlayhunter4934]

Two things: 1 - for cotton batting, I have been zig-zagging pieces together to use up the smaller pieces. Works great! 2 - you mention your newsletter. How does one subscribe to that? Thx

[@TheCraftyGemini]

You can sign up for my email newsletter here: madmimi.com/signups/2874/join

[@dotlewallen1489]

What? FELT! That is brilliant

[@terriwaisanen8325]

Does felt need to be washed before using as an interfacing?

[@noreenpackard2800]

Yep the zipper and cutting out pinning out patterns. I do it but hate it any ideas on it.

[@madhumakhi_by_monikagupta]

Hi Gemini,I am into handbag making business...i want to know how can I give a sturdy body to my cloths bag?

[@ScrapYourStory]

Does the felt hold up to repeated washing?

[@rahatkhan4692]

Totally agree for tip # 1 & 2 . Home decor and fashion fabrics are much better quality and more economical. Would you guide us how to save on zippers and buttons and other things . Please and thanks.

[@54gravi]

Amazon is a good place to buy bundles of zippers. ETSY is great for bundles of zippers, fantastic prices!

[@margedummitt6785]

your a genius.

[@ritaweber2807]

I find making the bitzy boxed corners difficult. No matter how I measure they always come out different from one side to another giving it an unsymmetrical look. Zippers might be my 2nd but im getting better at this too

[@love2laughwa]

Me too!

[@mariagalloso4080]

I just sew a video " the secret of making boxed corners"

[@priyankaarora2114]

How to enroll for the class ?

[@dianne57m.shifthappens73]

Just had to tell you i love the iron your using, i have the same iron and its wounderful and its tough, i have dropped mine several times and it still works like a dream!💞💕

[@vivlee3840]

I was looking at that..i don't remember the make??

[@JoVo1111]

I think it’s this one... Sunbeam Hot-2-Trot 800 Watt Compact Non-Stick Soleplate Travel Iron, GCSBTR-100-000

[@lyndapierce2333]

❤️❤️❤️

[@rhaburn1979]

Enjoy your videos. Where and who is the little iron by I need that in my life

[@TheCraftyGemini]

You can get the mini iron here: amzn.to/33nJ2Re #afflink

[@rhaburn1979]

,Thanks for the info

[@54gravi]

@@rhaburn1979 Hi, I have this little iron and it gets HOT! It's a great buy

[@aishaandros2217]

Not using quilting cotton is going to be hard on some sewers because they want originally or have the Vera Bradley like handbag

[@clovisperkins7138]

Thanks.

[@kathleenchamp3764]

Hi Vanessa, Though I have tried to reach you via email regarding dress class. ( purchased a few days before broken hand .. lol just been getting back into sewing space recently) I do need to talk to you!! User for bag making my favorite thing❣ to make. What about size enlarging???? How easy can it really be? Ive needed to change sizes and get a lil lost sometimes. Hugs n blessings 👋😀

[@ljtilmon]

What happened to your crochet tv show? I miss you and your ideas. I watched it faithfully last season.

[@patriciaborron94]

Is that felt washable?

[@melreally]

Yes zip zip zippers!

[@conniebentley8967]

Does the felt inside of a bag shrink when washed?

[@TheCraftyGemini]

Depends on the fiber content of the felt you use. If you use real wool felt that would be too expensive to make it worth it and it could shrink. But if you used felt made from post consumer recycled plastic it probably won't. But I recommend you test it first especially if you plan to wash with warm/hot water.

[@sewawesome3164]

Vanessa, I encourage my customers to wash the bags in cold water and hang to dry. Does felt allow the product to be washed? Really great idea if it does.

[@sandyhearth8249]

I was wondering the same thing. Anyone have an answer?

[@rousingtherelics]

Sew awesome and Sandy, felt is poly so it washes and dries by hanging just fine. I’d be a bit more cautious about using the dryer because, although felt doesn’t shrink, it can get distorted. I love using recycled materials felt. The hand is perfect to use in handbags. Look for a bit denser felt and you’ll not regret it!

[@pamelagahan5601]

How do I watch your bag club please

[@54gravi]

Hi, go to craftygemini.com You can signup and pay on the website.

[@Cocoloba]

Thank you, Vanessa! But, where does one find post-consumer recycled felt? There really isn't a "your local fabric store" anywhere near me.

[@TheCraftyGemini]

Any of the big box craft stores carry it- some may just have it in small sheets but the big box fabric stores sell yardage... you could even find some online. Good luck!

[@connieleemartin5132]

Linda Gombert try going to Walmart. they've got it.

[@Cocoloba]

@@TheCraftyGemini Thanks!

[@Cocoloba]

@@connieleemartin5132 Thank you!

[@rebeccasuzannerustigian1257]

I want to know how to make pockets on top of pockets, example I want an inside pocket for my tablet, with two smaller pockets to hold my small earbuds so I can listen to a program while traveling (while someone else drives) AND another accompanying pocket in the same place to hold the auto cigarette charger and cord. Can you help me design this,,, I also want ditto for my iPhone, and I would like both these to lay next to my body when I am carrying the bag as I shop (which means the bag will also contain a small makeup bag or pocket, a hairbrush/comb and billfold, pen and small notebook.Am I asking for too much? Oh, don't forget sunglasses too!!!!!

[@classykimscrochet1424]

You are Amazing. I've been Scanning through your 9 years of Videos and I must say you are The Bomb at Everything that you do and I'm looking forward to watching and learning from you. Thank you💜💛💚❤ Kim Gough with ClassyKim's Crochet on KZbin and Facebook Group if you want to join us come on in💚

[@msramona60]

Make that 251.

[@jbdeshazo7747]

Try fabricguru.com. That’s where I buy all of my handbag fabrics. If you look carefully, you can get find excellent “home dec” fabric for almost nothing, because these are leftover fabrics from designers. Probably, they would be thrown away, if not “recycled” on this site.

[@queendiy6245]

My machine isnt strong enuf to make bags :( help please

[@ingeneren]

try adding a walking foot instead of a normal sewing foot. It helps feed heavier or multiple layers of fabric through the feed. I have one specifically for each machine I own. They are 20 to 30 dollars depending on where you buy it from. I bought mine at JoAnns. Just make sure you check to see if your machine is a high shank or low shank so that the holes line up.

[@ingeneren]

try adding a walking foot instead of a normal sewing foot. It helps feed heavier or multiple layers of fabric through the feed. I have one specifically for each machine I own. They are 20 to 30 dollars depending on where you buy it from. I bought mine at JoAnns. Just make sure you check to see if your machine is a high shank or low shank so that the holes line up.

[@maryfrausto-raby3099]

I want to make bags for Veggie to take to the store and just house them in my refrigerator, any ideas?

[@samanthabloggins1775]

Sheer curtains make good fabric buy at second hand stores and wash works great.

[@phyllisbrockington5275]

The only fabric store we had here went out of business.😭☹️🙁

[@cinmor7843]

I'm in a rural setting with limited access to decent affordable fabric shops so I just started collecting unwanted clothing to take apart to use for material for quilts/bags.

[@colleenhaithcock216]

zippers!

[@claudettemonty4077]

I am not able to go to your club cuz "error 404 " that don't allow me to go in your club!

[@Kristina-gz2wu]

My biggest problem is getting the fabrics cut to the right sizes, for some reason they are always off.

[@dwalker1095]

Hi Kristina, I went to my local harware store and got wood templates cut of the bigger pieces I use, keeps everything straight and now it's much faster to trace, cut and sew

[@colleenhaithcock216]

We have a place called the Scrap Exchange where we can buy remnants scrapexchange.org/

[@sauolepofaaofo6767]

Was their something wrong with your video ? No voice

[@sineadsimpson3248]

Sauolepo Faaofo it did have sound I heard it all, maybe reboot your iPad or pc?

[@doyoder2776]

Listening to you scream and talk so fast makes me turn you off js

[@6butterflywings6]

Slow the replay down and adjust your volume. Or try somewhere else. Smh

[@mbmochinski]

She is not screaming and if she talks too fast for you put on cc and change the speed, or just move on to a different vloger. No need to be unpleasant.

[@satsumamoon]

A sucessfull vlogger values all.feedback . Saying " go away if you dont like it" is disrespectful. The vlogger does shout. A lot of people dont like this and will go somewhere else....and never communicate this to the lady who constantly turns off viewers for fear of being called "negative " or "not nice" .