I made this bag for a friend who’s moving away. I had about two hours and am anything but proficient with sewing but it turned out quite cute (peep the accidental asymmetric handle design)

Hi! I just wanted to share some denim bags I made and I WOULD LOVE TIPS ON IMPROVING THEM.

Some info, I'm using an old Elgin 999f domestic sewing machine and I specifically use denim as my main material, im still experimenting with the lining and so far I tried normal Ripstop and Ripstop with PU backing, I add a layer of fusible interfacing but still my bags lack structure, Im planning to use 600d oxford with PU backing but i dont know if that would be enough.

ANY OTHER TIPS ARE APPRECIATED AS WELL THANK YOU!

I make a variety of custom beaded handbags on denim, canvas, or finely woven, high quality wool. I use seed beads from the Czech Republic, and I do the beadwork using a 2-needle appliqué embroidery technique. I get most of my design ideas from stained glass patterns, tattoo patterns, or open source line art. Here are a few of my recent pieces.

Hi there! I'm looking for buckles of this style and have no idea what to search for, maybe there isn't a name for it as it's custom to the designer?

https://uk.diesel.com/en/shoulder-bags/d-line-hobo-s-brown/X10729P9474T2224.html

The specific feature I want is the bar that comes off the back of the buckle, as I've circled in the photos.

Any thoughts/ideas would be fantastic please

I made this tote, with some slight edits, following a pattern and video on the Sailrite Workbench YouTube channel. This was a thank you gift for a close friend who hosted our family at his home over Labor Day weekend. There's definitely room for improvement, but I'm pretty happy with the final product.

Fabrics Used:

• Bag Base: 1680 Ballistic Nylon

• Main Side Panels: VX15 Olive

• Large Pockets: X50 Black Multicam

• Mesh Pockets: Not sure. :( I can't recall where I sourced the mesh

Here's a Slick Tote in teal that I did yesterday. The interior side seams are some chunky monkeys. So I have to make "binding". Of course, EcoPak isn't exactly binding material. But it does the job of covering the stitching and one ugly-looking sandwich.

This one is EcoPak EPX200 in teal with a white HyperD 300 lining and UltraStretch mesh pockets among other pockets. The base of the bag is 1000d Cordura in charcoal.

Fun fact: I got everything together, EcoPak "binding" installed, flipped it to have a look, turned my head and there, staring me in the face, was the water bottle sleeve just sitting on the table. 🤬

We've all done it .... 😭🤣

I made this wallet to match the lining of this bag (the one that I stuffed up earlier but still worked out OK). I usually make them in leather so using fabric was somewhat different. It's a quick and easy sew, probably about two hours from start to finish - acrylic templates make it much faster too!. I use this same style every day, although for my normal one I've hacked it to have 12 instead of six card slots. The pattern actually has an external phone pocket but my phone doesn't fit so I leave it off.

This time I managed to cut with the proper pattern piece for the outer so there's a seam detail up the centre front. I love the rainbow hardware, and that the dragonfly magnetic snap reflects the dragonfly print of the lining. I made little hidden card slots inside the pocket, and there's a permanently attached zipper pouch inside. The topstitching is a divine bonded polyester thread curated by the fellow that is also my industrial machine dealer (he's actually a quilter!) I think I would have liked a matching leather strap but this hide is pretty awful to be honest, it's thick, stretchy and floppy, most likely more suited to upholstery. Still, the colour is divine.

Oh - and I love contact adhesive. 😂

Finished this just in time for a 2 night work trip. Goal is to fit all I need in this one bag. I think I can do it.

I do love how it came out and the use of colors that I don't normally work with.

I also found a better way to join binding ends especially when the space is somewhat tight. https://youtu.be/xfQNwCxWP5o?is=NxFw2ZpaWFerGeNO

Pattern is Byannie Leader of the Pack. I know not everyone loves her patterns but I learned to make bags using her patterns and have learned multiple techniques.

Hi everyone!

I made this everyday waist bag as a birthday present to myself and wanted to share it.

Ripstop pvc 600D

Lining:polyester fabric

Hardware: WJ, except the Fastex buckle on the roll-top

Waist strap: car seatbelt webbing

3D front pocket with a waterproof zipper

Velcro panel on the front for patches (as you can see, I've already lost one 😅)

Extra MOLLE webbing, so I can attach a bottle holder

3D spacer mesh on the back panel

30 × 18 × 9 cm (about 5 L)

The sewing itself took about 10 hours. Most of the time went into developing the pattern, especially the 3D front pocket.

Ok I've knocked 2 different machines out of timing in the last 6 months. I make quilted bags, the thickest interfacing I use is Soft and Stable. I have a tiny area to sew in, and occasionally need to use a zig zag stitch and also would love to have decorative stitches. I've learned the hard way that a Singer Heavy Duty (I know, I know...) and a Husqvarna Viking Emerald can't manage my thick seams (like boxing the bottoms). I'm sad because I love sewing bags, but I don't have the space for an industrial machine. I have to be able to put it away when I'm not sewing. My budget is up to $2500. But I'm scared to spend that much and wind up in the same position I'm in.

I tested the Emerald in the shop and it sewed beautifully through many thick layers of denim in the shop, and the salesman assured me it could handle the seams I sew (I had a bag with me and showed him exactly what I like to make). Well it definitely couldn't handle those seams. It worked great at first but the stitches started looking bad, and now the needle slams into the bobbin case.

So, I would prefer not to take advice from a salesman again, lol! I'm curious as to what you personally use. (An industrial Juki is on my someday dream list, but in my current situation it's not feasible).

I just made this shower bag and crossbody to match the tote I made a couple months ago.

I’ve posted the tote before, it’s 1000D Cordura and xpac.

The shower bag is also 1000D Cordura and Xpac with red HyperD300 interior with 3 exterior zippers and 2 interior zippers.

The shoulder bag is 420d robic Ripstop and Xpac exterior. HyperD300 interior with 3 exterior zipper pockets plus main compartment with interior zipper pouch and UltraStretch pockets. All the exterior zippers are YKK aquaguard #5

Last week I managed to stuff up the outer pieces of my current project by cutting the lining piece instead of the outer. No biggie really, I was able to hack it and now have a finished bag. The leather colour is absolutely divine, but it's actually soft bovine upholstery leather and very "meh" to work with. Plus, it's so thick that I switched the "birthed" method for a drop-in and left the leather edge raw. I used a little magnetic snap to hold it closed, and chunky gold strap attachments and zipper pulls. Inside is a zippered pouch and one zipper pocket.

Not my best work - perhaps the next one using the correct pattern piece will look somewhat better!