Tips for Using Bias Binding in Bag Making

Afraid to try bias binding in bags? Think it's just for quilt making? Heck no! Here you'll find a great demonstration on how to apply bias binding techniques to your bags to give you more finishing options!
Bag Pattern used is the Purrfect Pouch by moi: shop.fiercekit...
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[@jeannemohr776]

Thank you for explaining that we are 'covering the seam allowance and not stitching at the construction seam. I was trying to 'stitch in the ditch' on that seam, and kept biting into the actual bag material. What a game changer! A little more practice, and I will be binding all the bags.

[@iviolanti6836]

After doing bags for about 10 months, I really like binding, it is so much easier than squeezing 10 Ibs of fabric and 5 feet of zip through a hole, kind of like me squeezing into a pair of skinny jeans .. never good ;)

[@MEC03]

You’re a hoot. I’ve been binding bags tons but have never used FOE. I’m going to try it. Thanks for the laughs tonight.

[@EvilShenangans]

I’m so glad I found you and this video! What I expected: to learn about FOE as a binding. What I did not expect: your hilarious personality throughout each step. Thank you! 😂

[@amyherstad3955]

Omg, thank you for this video. I've been struggling with another pattern that uses fold over elastic to the point that I ordered all new materials and am starting over!!! This helps so much ❤

[@micheleharrison5696]

Thank you for NOT fast-forwarding through your sewing. It is really hard to see what is happening when they do that! Happy New Year!

[@annieoatly]

You produce great videos full of helpful information. Thank you! Love the idea of using fold--over elastic instead of bias tape!

[@MaryJoD]

I love your videos and your "flawed" personality. You're real. Love ya girl.

[@dorothydishman4664]

I'm looking forward using up my leftover bias bindings from quilting. Another level of design as I use alot of stripes and plaids in binding quilts and they are so cute in finishing. Thanks for your clever clues.

[@seamsswell7771]

Can I just say how awesome and informative your videos are? 💖 I’ve been following you since 2016! You were actually the first person I ever saw make a bag (discovered you on Twitch and was so clueless back then, didn’t start sewing until 2018, fast-forward to today and now I have my own bag making business!) 🥰 Keep doing what you’re doing! 💕

[@fiercekittenz]

Thank you so much!

[@seamsswell7771]

@@fiercekittenz No problem!

[@robinbebbington7063]

Already ordered some fold over elastic before the end of the video. Perfect for me thanks. So much easier and cost effective than making bias binding from expensive fabrics

[@fiercekittenz]

Totally is!

[@MaryJoD]

I know this is an old video, but I was just reviewing it once again. You make sewing the binding look so effortless. Love your red stapler, too. Thank you.

[@aliceapjohn9218]

I just found you on YT and I wanted to say you are my sewing spirit guru and thanks for being real and relatable! ❤

[@louparsons]

Just thought I'd say 'thank you' for the contrasting thread, and your opinion of people fast-forwarding a demonstration. Great little video. Thanks. YVR

[@fiercekittenz]

Oh it's so hard to follow a tutorial if they just blaze through stuff or speed it up! Sometimes I'll do it - but only if it's something I've done SEVERAL times throughout the video already.

[@elizabethellingham6930]

Loved the tutorial. Thank you. 😊

[@susan1620]

You are the best teacher, and I love your honesty which makes me smile. I've been adding bias for the last couple of months, and it always buckles. I didn't know how to fix that since I was so careful in pinning the bias to the fabric. From now on, I'll follow a MAJOR TIP of not pinning the entire project.

[@fiercekittenz]

To be honest, I waffle back and forth on it. If it's foldover elastic, I don't clip/pin. If it's cotton bias, like that prepackaged stuff my quilting friends love to hate, then I will clip it down, but only because the folded edge will sometimes sneak out thanks to the walking foot.

[@lauraroberts2250]

'Fleeting and flawed'! 😆 Love your personality.

[@Tori-of9dt]

I haven't tried fold-over elastic as binding, but I'm definitely curious. Oh and your personality is the best! Reminds me of me when I make videos

[@iriswidelski8215]

Love your videos. Your presentation is great and when life gets messy know you can always find us here waiting for you. No we’re not stalkers...just FOFk’s🤣🤣😂Friends of Fierce Kittenz

[@fiercekittenz]

AHA! See! I'm not dead! Just been busy :)

[@bestprintableprint5248]

Lazy!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@juliepearson5880]

I dreaded and hated binding until I found this! Now I love it you’re a genius! 😍

[@kimberlybirk]

Love the bag and tutorial on binding! This looks like exactly what my boys want for their treasures!

[@brendaeves3236]

Another great technique explained, thank you

[@jonathanfelso]

Beautiful video, beautiful bag, and awesome commentary! And thanks for skipping nothing; this helped a lot for beginning sew-people like myself ❤

[@PatchworkPirate]

Bias binding is my jam. Saves so much time.

[@mariettevanaswegen3834]

You are such an awesome teacher!! I recently took up sewing, battled with some designs and how to finish the product neatly. You make sewing easy. I wish I could find some of the stuff you use more easily in South Africa, but I work with what I can find 🙂. Thank you for the tips!!

[@lucythomas3782]

Thank you. You think outside the box. Never would have thought of elastic for binding.

[@cathykirkland2969]

Thanks so much! Been looking for a good method to add binding to the interior of my bags! ❤

[@kathleenmartin2448]

You and your videos' are so much fun! Thank you!

[@RogueStitches]

I will absolutely do a video on the staples! Now that holiday commissions are done, I have a bit more time. ;) (For anyone who isn't aware, I am LadyCrafts.)

[@barbarahickley9914]

Awesome thanks for showing, I'm definitely going to try this as the bias binding with cotton is all I've known. And yes, amazing how sweaty one gets just trying to keep the rest of the bag away from the needle! 😅 It feels like a work out so no having to go to the gym 😂.

[@teresadejong3011]

So good to see you again!

[@fiercekittenz]

I'm alive! Life is just a hot mess and I usually prioritize getting Twitch streams done as opposed to YT videos.

[@boxersom]

Thank you for showing this metod with the elastic, that`s so helpfull, I never thought of that. Thank you, now I may not hate bindings anymore 👏🙃

[@fiercekittenz]

Absolutely! Some people have also used a 1" strip of waterproof canvas, but you'll probably want to steam the mess out of it to get a crease you can follow. It's also not terribly easy to lay flat as you go around corners.

[@nicholezornes8614]

I am new to your KZbin and love u already. I am getting ready to make the convention raider for my motorcycle purse. I have made my own without a pattern and it is ok but just ok. I am really excited to start that one.

[@fiercekittenz]

NICE! I have a whole video that walks through the pattern construction. The only part I am going to make a new video on (as soon as I can get to it) is to advise bias binding the front pocket and also putting the pocket onto the front bottom panel piece by cutting a hole from the front pocket piece and sew them together right-sides. Boom. A LOT easier.

[@sandybassett4901]

Hi! My first time viewing one of your videos. You are entertaining, funny humor and make learning new techniques interesting. Thank you so much for your help. I have subscribed! StitchedbyMimi

[@jaydescott8737]

Love this video. Thanks hun

[@jessicablevins185]

I love using the bias tape in purses and bags. It's a lot easier.

[@fiercekittenz]

It IS. So many people are hesitant due to post-quilting trauma. Can't convince me otherwise :P

[@tmackie1694]

Shape and stiffness of the bag looks like it would work well as a cosmetics/toiletry bag, or a lunch box! 👍

[@fiercekittenz]

It does! Might want to upsize it a bit though if you go that route. It's only 7" wide, 5" tall, 3" deep when finished.

[@cornwasher]

Have you ever laminated together (wrong sides) Ottertex and sandwiched non-fusible interfacing inside? The Ottertex panels are cut to the exact same size with about an inch of seam allowance around the interfacing to undergo the lamination. Works really well on the heat press at 385 degrees for 40-45 seconds. Creates a nice stiff bag, side or bottom panel....

[@fiercekittenz]

Oooh, no I haven't!

[@rachaelb9164]

I learned to quilt before making bags so bias tape doesn’t scare me but the food over elastic is brilliant for this use.

[@fiercekittenz]

I have used both and still prefer the FOE because it doesn’t fuss at me as much haha

[@tielewis1856]

Can you do a video showing how to close a bag with pipping

[@BeautifulOaks]

Great video, content with entertainment. Have you made a video replacing a backpack zipper, yet? Thanks

[@fiercekittenz]

Not yet!

[@ParchCraftAustralia]

I totally lovedddddd this video...I love your personality! Are you an Aries? I ask because your inner but mostly outer monologue and train of thought remindme so much of well..me! Lol I also branch off in to voices and songs and sound effects lol ahhhh well.. someone has to! I had occasion to do binding tonight...wish I'd known about that sort of elastic! Do now! Thanks so much...Lindy in Australia at 4am... oops.

[@fiercekittenz]

HAH! No I'm a Taurus :)

[@ParchCraftAustralia]

@@fiercekittenz close lol I’m on the 20 th so on the cusp of Taurus

[@kittybrowning]

I have a few dif colours of strap webbing stuff was wondering weather that cud be used but it is prob a bit thick

[@fiercekittenz]

I think webbing might be a touch too thick. I wish I could source the stuff that Loungefly uses in their bags. It looks like webbing, but it's very lightweight.

[@kittybrowning]

I norm do all mine birthing thru a pocket but I hate the way it creases all the fabric I've been looking at other ways to do it and also looking for a interfacing which will help stop all the fabric creasing as well. What I'm not sure about it weather the fusible fleece will stabilise the fabric enough that it won't crease it loads when turning right side out

[@fiercekittenz]

I have to use fleece with a layer of woven interfacing first. I have yet to find a fleece that can be used on its own without causing all of the wrinkling. It is prone to shrinkage, so once I press it, it shrinks all around about 10% and that's where you get the first set of wrinkles. The second set is due to birthing the bag, because the glue isn't evenly distributed on the fleece, causing pockets of uninterfaced fabric to scrunch up.

[@susanarendas]

? Where did you get your tag on the front if your bag from? I’m also a fan of the fold over elastic. Just also bought some cork fabric to try for the bottom of some bags.

[@fiercekittenz]

I did a video on this in my Q&A that covers the details!

[@ninibartolome5666]

Damn near squeeled when this vid came up in my feed! Love your vids, fk! -nerds

[@fiercekittenz]

I'm letting more of my personality fly with these videos :P

[@norma6743]

Will fold over elastic work if i don’t have a walking foot ? Thanks for the tutorial

[@fiercekittenz]

Absolutely!

[@norma6743]

@@fiercekittenz yay 😀 thanks for replying

[@LisaMayfield]

Random question about bag fabric: I'm about to acquire a bunch of free fabric, mostly quilting cotton. Is there a way to use it for making bags? I mean, I'm primarily a quilter, but some of the pieces are pretty small, like fat quarters or smaller scraps, and I'm picturing little bags. I see you using vinyl, even for your small bags, but I don't have vinyl (yet).

[@fiercekittenz]

Piece them together and make quilted totes?

[@LisaMayfield]

@@fiercekittenz Oh, well, sure! But I was curious about which interfacing to use? I have several different Pellon interfacings, but I don't think I have a woven one. I have featherweight to Peltex (fusible and sew-in). What do you recommend for interior/exterior?

[@mlburdei]

What is the benefit of using the folding elastic instead of cotton for bias binding? Would it work in place of the bias binding on all projects or just certain ones??

[@fiercekittenz]

For bags, it offers a good amount of extra firmness and stability to the seams. Usually the bags that have the bias binding are fairly deep and need that extra bit of stability to keep their shape. The foldover elastic is a lot thicker than the cotton and oftentimes the prepackaged cotton bindings have one edge that's folded less than the other, so you have to attach it more like you would to a quilt than you would the way I do with the elastic here.

[@trishvernon]

I found some “placemats” that are kind of a “tapestry” material. (wish I could include a picture) I think they would make awesome tote bags as they are 18” squares. I ordered some duck cloth to make the sides and bottom and also handles. Do you have any tips that I should do to help these turn out ? I’m thinking of gifting them for Christmas! Please help!

[@fiercekittenz]

How loose is the tapestry weave? I'd interface them as much as you can to help strengthen them, because they'll likely stretch out. Duck cloth is a GREAT idea for the sides and bottom for sure. You could sandwich embroidery board or cut/sand a plastic placemat to put at the bottom between two pieces of the duck cloth, too. That would help strengthen the bottom.

[@trishvernon]

@@fiercekittenz they are lined and seem to be a pretty tight weave. Thanks for the tip on the plastic to strengthen the bottom. I am making them for my daughter in Washington State to use as grocery bags since we have to bring our own bags or pay 8 cents per bag bought!

[@rachaeldelvaille3886]

👛👛👛👜👜❤️❤️❤️❣️❣️❣️😍😍

[@amyherstad3955]

Omg, thank you for this video. I've been struggling with another pattern that uses fold over elastic to the point that I ordered all new materials and am starting over!!! This helps so much ❤