Making bags: instructions/tutorials

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Muffinman
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Making bags: instructions/tutorials

Post by Muffinman » 01 Dec 2004 22:56

Here is where experienced stitchers can teach us their techniques, give us tips, or at least the basics for those who have no idea what they're doing.

Please post only helpful, informational subject-matter -- I will weed through replies which say things along the lines of, "That is a cool idea" and delete them.
Consider this in the same manner as Matthew Cross' stitcher info thread. Users can come here to learn to stitch bags. It should be a library of information. Please post direct questions and comments to other users via PMs. Thank you.
Last edited by Muffinman on 08 Nov 2013 07:08, edited 7 times in total.

ShredNJ
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Post by ShredNJ » 02 Dec 2004 08:24

This is a good thread, This will also be a good place to list of some of the FAQ.

1) Start off with an easy bag! Not a 32. An 8 Panel bag is really easy. The panels are easy to cut out, and you can sew the whole bag with one thread.( or so i've heard? ) Than move up to 14's and 12's.

2) Cut up an old t-shirt at first, Its cheap. Than look up Feilds Fabric's online. You want ultra suede light. I would buy a sample pack for $15(US), This will show you every thing you need to know about ultra suede - Vinyl Animal Print.

3) All purpose button thread works great for beginners, so does dental floss. (HE hE Minty Fresh). Surprisingly dental floss works really well, go figure. Alot of stitchers also use Upholstery Thread,

4) Fil la so fee - There is alot of different kinds of things in which you can fill a bag with. most importantly is plastic pellets, "Poly pellets" is a brand name. or go to a craft store and ask for doll fill. Than theres weight: DO NOT USE LEAD it is toxic, long exposer is bad. Use steel shot, or copper/zinc Air gun pellets. Sead bead(tiny glass jewelry) should be noted as good but breaks up over time and and might be harmfull to the performance of the bag.
The Point is: any thing will work, just try it out.

5) Ive alway made my own patterns from scratch. With a ruler, a 60 degree triangle, and a compass (for drawing circles)
Or try looking up things like.....
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Po ... gle+Search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... tnG=Search
Footbag world wide has a thing...
http://www.footbag.org/faq/show/941277223
And Daniel Botkin... http://www.valinet.com/~dbotkin/daniel.html

Um okay... i just drew a blank....[/b]
Last edited by ShredNJ on 18 Dec 2006 23:38, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by LittleBoy footbag » 04 Dec 2004 16:34

These bucky balls... are they those Buckminter Fuller designs?


As for my tips, I'm just starting to stitch but what 'NJ said is right an old shirt is good trainer material...... I prefer to use a mix of


BBs
and rocks I find near my house

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Post by Michal (Hadul) Hadas » 11 Dec 2004 12:33

There are my tips, I'm stiching 4 pannels bag:

1). Fisrst print a pattern. 4 pannel patter like mr. sandman /

2). Cut the t-shirt and draw the pattern down on the matterial. Then cut all the pannels. Then yoy should try with microsuede or crushed panne.

3). I'm stiching with thin thread. It is realy strong ant thin.

4.) You can feel the bag with sand, teeny tiny rocks (I do it). That's the best way for 4 pannels.

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Post by LittleBoy footbag » 16 Dec 2004 16:42

It's been like six days and no post so I'll get the ball rolling again.....


I'm stitching my first 32 and I try the entire chunk thing. No three-piece sew together later on for me but I just try to use about 3 threads that are really long. However, my bag always ends up flat and I don't know which end to connect to the other end.............i.e, I'm finished with one side;s pentagon. Should I use the hexes on the other side directly across it or the ones roughly along side it? examples!!!!!!


PS: I've only stitched 4 panels but I'm trying to switch to 32s. Thanks for the guys who've given me instructions on how to stitch!!!!!!

:)
:?
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:?
:?

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Post by LittleBoy footbag » 28 Dec 2004 07:21

Since I'm now moving on to facile, I'm wondering....I've been using twine to hone my skills on shirt bags but onw, since it's with facile, I have to use upholstery thread. This then, reminded me of a psot by someone.....LIke ShreNJ or Ovetin...or someone.....aynway, they said that it (the thred) should be stretched.......how does one go about doing that? Letting it hang for a while stright or something?

:?

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Johnny
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Post by Johnny » 28 Dec 2004 07:40

I'm not sure about pre-stretching the thread, but I do know that if you want the footbag to be easier to maintain then you should use more than just three pieces of thread. If you use one piece of thread for each pentagon then if it ever breaks all you need to restitch is the ONE PANEL. if you only use three pieces of thread then you will have to restitch quite a bit more.

I've had good experiences with dental floss for stitching, and by the looks of the stuff I'm using it doesn't stretch at all during breakin, so you don't need to worry about pre-stretching it. Just something to consider.

Also have you considered trying to make a 12 panel? Maybe the transistion inbetween bags would be smoother if you move from 4 to 12 and then to 32. Again just a suggestion.

Hope this helps,johnny (:P)
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Post by mosher » 28 Dec 2004 08:20

Johnny wrote:Hope this helps,johnny (:P)

ahhhhhahahahahah I hope other people get that too.
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Post by LittleBoy footbag » 28 Dec 2004 09:58

Yeah. i've tried with 12's I got instructions from I think ovetin.............................keep in mind that all the bag i'm making are just not facile yet. They're still out of old shirts...

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Post by LittleBoy footbag » 07 Jan 2005 15:38

how many threads do you guys use on your bags? I thread a needle with upholstery thread, get it in the middle and get both end tied together in a knot..........I don't know why it's just me but in the blind stitch, that's where I fuck up the most. It just tangles like hobo hair......I just need to know how you guys inside stitch without it tangling up so much. I've puleld of a good inside twice but fucked up a third time.....

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Post by crazydwarf » 07 Jan 2005 15:43

if you only use three pieces of thread then you will have to restitch quite a bit more.
Note I don't stitch I'm just repeating what I've heard I think... if you don't want to use that many pieces of thread you can just knot after each side but not switch thread, so if a piece breaks you only have to replace one side still..
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Post by Guest » 07 Jan 2005 15:50

LittleBoy footbag wrote:how many threads do you guys use on your bags? I thread a needle with upholstery thread, get it in the middle and get both end tied together in a knot..........I don't know why it's just me but in the blind stitch, that's where I fuck up the most. It just tangles like hobo hair......I just need to know how you guys inside stitch without it tangling up so much. I've puleld of a good inside twice but fucked up a third time.....
try threading your needle so you just have one thread that you're sewing with, and push the thread through the needle so it only comes out a little bit.

Gaa, it's hard to explain. I hope you understand. maybe this diagram will work.

Okay, diagram didn't work. :oops:

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Post by LittleBoy footbag » 07 Jan 2005 18:35

That's ok. I'm just using all the Info I saw when I made my own 4 panel from WFA. I guess that one was used on the 32? Maybe it's more durable that way.....

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Post by Psyc » 08 Jan 2005 08:05

Ok, some of you really need to get aquainted with google..

The Art of Blind Stitching

I know it doesn't have any text but a picture is worth a thousand words. :D
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Post by Psyc » 13 Jan 2005 17:15

Triangles Footbag (crochet):
http://home.swbell.net/amjack/hackytri.htm

Spiral Footbag (crochet):
http://home.swbell.net/amjack/hackyspi.htm
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Post by ShredNJ » 16 Jan 2005 11:59

Johnny:
I'm not sure about pre-stretching the thread, but I do know that if you want the footbag to be easier to maintain then you should use more than just three pieces of thread. If you use one piece of thread for each pentagon then if it ever breaks all you need to restitch is the ONE PANEL. if you only use three pieces of thread then you will have to restitch quite a bit more.

I've had good experiences with dental floss for stitching, and by the looks of the stuff I'm using it doesn't stretch at all during breakin, so you don't need to worry about pre-stretching it. Just something to consider.
Yeah, you should only pre-stretch enough to take out the curl in the thread. To much stretching would be bad, this is why dental floss is great.
Like johnny said.

Fill - And as far as seed bead being not so good, ive seriously been shown the light. Sead bead is a great fill, you just have to find the right kind. Cheap glass beads are cheap for a reason, and can break. The big beads will definitely break. You want tiny, very tiny glass beads.
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Post by LittleBoy footbag » 17 Jan 2005 14:28

ok, very tiny.....try 4 mm? Hardly able to see if you didn't know it was there? It's about 1.99 for about 200 or so

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Post by splatdome » 04 Feb 2005 11:53

i just recently started to learn how to stich bags. i did a few 4 panels and found them easy. i made around 6 12 panel bags and they all turned out great! i'v been realy happy with them.

i do have one problem however. they seem to fall apart after around a day of kneading and kicking. i'l notice that a piece of thread will be sticking out of the bag, and then it will unravel and that panel side will come unstiched.

i have a feeling i'm not tying the knots correctly. i was wondering if anyone had some advice on making a good solid knot that won't come apart. once i get these knots down i have a feeling the bag won't fall apart. i'v looked closely and the thread isn't pulling out of the fabric, and the thread isn't snapping, so it must be the knots coming un done after time.

any advice?
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Post by Psyc » 04 Feb 2005 11:58

Make sure that when you're stitching you pull the thread somewhat tight. To make the knot, just wrap the thread around your finger and then pull the thread through the loop.
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Post by LittleBoy footbag » 04 Feb 2005 11:59

personally, I double knot, and, being the paranoid moron that I am, I put a dab of like, freesole on the knot just to keep it from moving at all.

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