Beginner Bag Makers: 10 Tips You Need to Know

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

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[@bccabernet]

Great tips! I always wash my woven fabrics and iron my seams. I also iron my fabric before cutting. I never thought to steam my finished bag though. I am guilty of not reading my pattern thoroughly. I skim it to see the material and hardware requirements and then head off. But I have started making notes on my printed patterns. And I now only print the pattern I intend to make now. Printer ink and paper are expensive and if you have 20+ patterns to print, it all adds up. That's great advice about buying what you need and not necessarily what you want or think you will need. I was thinking that today about upgrading my sewing machine. I have a domestic that sat in my storage for over 15 years and recently got back to it. While I love making bags, I am going to see if I still love it a year or so later, then look at a semi-industrial. I sew in my tiny living room, so no industrial for me. But just make bags that is suited to my machine and work on my skills with what I have.

[@RachelToman-i8w]

One way to help with seam allowance accuracy is to put a piece of masking tape on your machine with the different measurements marked. Place it where the measurements would be if you don’t have them. Also this helps those of us with more mature eyes.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Greta tip 😊❤️

[@bccabernet]

I do that -even though I have a magnetic seam guide. I also have a seam guide plate, but my measurements are metric and a lot of patterns are noted in imperial. So I use the magnetic guide and tape my seam allowance all the way down my sewing machine. That way I am not looking directly at my needle.

[@paulasews]

Great tips! I am so very guilty of not reading the pattern thoroughly. Love the idea of watching the video while reading it and making notes! There are often some real gems to be found in the videos. I don’t usually print out my pattern instructions and just read from my tablet but I am going to come up with a compromise to handle making notes both before and while sewing up the bag.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Sometimte you can make notes on saved version on your phone worth looking at 😊

[@susiesquiggle7604]

Hi Deb, many thanks for your brilliant site, the tips will be so useful. I (impulse) bought a piece of fabric over a year ago but I've been too scared to have a go at making a bag, but seeing your site has given me the push I needed and, as soon as I've found a pattern I'm going to start a bag! Thank you so much, Sue xx

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

I am so pleased you found the video helpful. Good luck with your bag 😊

[@kj3d812]

16:32 Oiling the machine is HIGHLY dependent on the make/model of your sewing machine. I have a Brother ST371HD, and when I looked up "Oiling your machine" and it said: "In order to prevent damaging this machine, it must not be oiled by the user. This machine was manufactured with the necessary amount of oil applied to ensure correct operation, making periodic oiling unnecessary by the end user. If problems occur, such as difficulty turning the handwheel or an unusual noise, immediately stop using the machine, and contact your authorized dealer or the nearest authorized service center." IF my machine needs oiling, Brother says to take it to an authorized service center. So always check the manufacturer's recommendations regarding oiling your machine.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Very good tips machines are so different my Janome needs to be oiled every time it's used and I often forget. Getting to know your individual machine is key 😊

[@RachelToman-i8w]

Thank you for your wonderful tips!

[@CarolGoff-j3z]

Thank you from the US for the great tips! I am newish to bag making, coming over from garment sewing for years, and have found there is a lot to learn. I have been using steam (and lots of it!) to apply my woven interfacing...oops! I also never let it cool for any length of time...maybe this is why I notice it peeling back at times, which is so frustrating. On another note, one reason to prewash your material is that I have found I just cannot iron/steam out creases on some cottons, especially the fold down the middle from where it has sat on the bolt. I wash my fabric as soon as I get it home on my shortest cycle on cold with a tiny amount of soap, then dry on a short permanent press cycle. I then fold it up and it is ready for when I am ready to start a bag. I also love the idea of reading the pattern while I'm watching the tutorial. There are often a lot of hidden gems in the tutorial and, as as you said, you can then make notes right on the pattern instructions at the appropriate spot. I have subscribed to your channel! Thanks again.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Thank you so much for watching and your lovely comment its really appreciated. Great tip about washing the fabric for ceases. Thanks for subscribing and I hope you enjoy my other videos 😁 x

[@sueclarke3559]

Fantastic tips. My machine doesn’t need oiling so always check you machines manual. I alway clean my machine after every project, especially if I use the embroidery side of it. Never thought about steaming fabric will definitely be using that tip. I always iron my seams, think that comes from doing patchwork, it certainly does make a difference to your bags. Loving all the videos. Thank you for taking the time out to produce them. Forgot to say, when reading patterns I use highlighter pen to mark important points

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Yep machineS can be so different my Janome needs piling every time she is used she's a thirsty beast and I don't always remember. Thank you for your lovely comments and support I can't tell you how much it means and is appreciated ❤️

Thank you for this video!!😊

[@Liz-yt4xb]

Thank you - learned several things today.

[@nancy9478]

I use mostly quilting cotton and always wash it first to remove some of the chemicals and the fumigamts they use in shipping. The trick is not over drying it, and using starch (I like best press). I love buying remnants, especially for new patterns, it saves me a ton of money and if I mess up, its not on expensive fabric. And if its good, I have a bag to use or gift.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

@@nancy9478 I discovered best press recently I love it it's amazing x🙂

[@bccabernet]

I started off sewing clothes and I always wash my woven fabrics- whether I plan on washing the bag or not. I've never used starch before though.. I always press my fabric before cutting it. Does the starch really make a difference? I love your idea of using remnant fabrics to make a test bag. Even if I use cheap thread that I have laying around, I can get a feel of how the bag is made and do I like the end result?

[@paulaford1133]

Great tips Deb. The final tip is so important to follow. My printer defaults to letter size and I’ve forgotten so many times to change this to A4, and it really does make a difference. 👍😊

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Mine has a mind of it own and I sense of humour too thinks it funny to just randomly change settings 😂

[@peggyferguson5149]

Glad I found this site. I have been intimidated by bag making. I especially like the tip about marking the seam lines. I seem to have a problem with it. Also reading the entire pattern and instructions before even starting. Great tips.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Thank you for watching and for your lovely comments x

[@queenslanddiva]

I'm so glad I found your channel. I've been making basic bags for a couple of years, but I feel I must up my game and these tips are really timely! Cheers from Australia.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

You're so welcome and I am glad they have been helpful. Hello from a very cold north east England 😂

[@dboutine]

Great video and tips. Thank you so much, Deb.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Thank you 😊

[@IamAlwaysRight100]

1 Reading a Pattern 2 Choose your fabric wisely 3 Pre- steam Fabric 4 Use your iron 5 Seam allowance, be consistent 6 Use good interfacing 7 Know your sewing machine 8 Know your needles 9 Don’t need all the tools 10 Print pattern accurately

[@eh1702]

OK, I had to pause this one minute in. You reminded me that I do in fact have a bit of cake. And it is even four o’clock. Ba k in a minute… 😁

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

My work here is done 😂😉

[@DawnParker-kj4nl]

Awesome tips! Thank you.

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

You're very welcome thank you for watching x

[@sandrataylor540]

Very helpful tips. Thank you!

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

Thank you so much for watching ❤️

[@sylviaedwards451]

Thank you for tips, would be helpful to see video on pattern printing, especially when pieces need to be joined ie adding overlap and markers ❤️

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

I will add it to my masterclass list and do it the next couple of weeks ❤️ thank you so much for watching 😊 x

[@nancy9478]

​@@TheBagMakersSewCietythank you, I too struggle with this! I have been sewing for decades, but these print at home patterns can be a pain.

[@patriciaclampett1236]

Thank you for the tips. Very useful. Just one query regarding pressing seams. I find i really difficult to press seams in vinyl. Any tips to help with that?

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

I use a seam roller when using vinyl or I butterfly the seams and top stitch them. If it isn't somewhere you can topstitch you can use double-sided tape on each side of the seam to keep it flat to the back of the pattern piece. Hope that makes sense x

[@amandacope7287]

Good morning.I hope you don’t mind me contacting you but I have watched your KZbin video on the jack industrial and I’m looking at purchasing an industrial. I currently use a juki tl2200 and have issues with skipped stitches when top stitching. With the jack do you ever have this problem and how many layers can it handle. Many thanks Amanda

[@TheBagMakersSewCiety]

I don't mind at all Amanda. I love my Jack and I rarely get skipped stitches and if I do it's user error either I need to change my needle as it's old or I need a bigger size and then no more skipped stitches. If you are looking at machine drop me an email at [e-mail] and I can put you in touch with someone at tysew they do packages for my followers if I refer them and give you deals. They can also talk you through their machines and offer their expert advice. ❤️