Best stitchers?

[Kierpca]

I think that there is so may sttichers and so many different bags to make that none would be able to answer who is the best stitcher. Only real competition would be able to give true answer.

Also to think about this you should't compare only quality of created footbags but also for example time of making them and true skills of stitcher (variety - how many different styles and patterns can he create or how good/many solutions can he use while stitching).

[Wasabi]

Its been awhile since I posted on modified, but I still have my way with the needle, and have some hefty knowledge on bag craftsmanship from what I've seen, felt and played with.

First things first: Aidan Clemente knows her stuff. You will buy an Aidan bag. Aidan bags are dope. Doper than dope. Primo cocaine, if you ask me. I have not been so impressed by a person's stitching and consistency for a while. I think she has excelled myself and my expectations. And what I mean by that is... she's wayyy better than me.

Pengpeng Du has got it good as well. I feel as though I only play with Peng bags rather than my own these days, and they're worth every buck. I just don't understand why there would be some negative press on her bags, especially from what I remember about past comments on "bad filler." Right now, today, at this present moment, I think Pengpeng has the best filler combination any stitcher can muster and put it into a 32 panel bag. It's great and functional, and actually helps limit the consequences that come when breaking in one of her bags. A very worthy investment. She's my mentor in stitching. Respect.

Matt Cross is just... awesome. I just got MC #99 at the Cornell Jam and I'm breaking it in at the moment. I don't usually prefer small bags, but his bags are an exception. They work and play very well. In fact, I think he completely replicated my mini pattern from months back. I can't wait for my bag to be broken in. The stitching consistency, template uniformity, and filler ratio is well done. Buy a Matt Cross bag!

Fletcher Funk makes good bags. There's nothing much to say about that. However, I have a funny feeling that he stitches a bit deep, but in terms of break-in, consistency in stitching and fill ratio, he makes reliable bags. In fact, the deeper stitching would compliment the break-in rate of the bags he makes. Nice.

David Clavens: I NEED to get a CLAVENS bag. I just never seem to get one for some reason. I even saw some bags he was selling at the Cornell Jam, but ended up buying a Dada Peng bag. I'm a sucker for Dadas! The only bag I've consistently played with is the one that Drew Martin has, and it's soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo choice! If you ask me, he could be the next Lonn Irish/Vo, but with a much different template. He's a winner. (PS: Brings some bags for sale at the NYFA Invitational, David. )

As for myself, I don't really stitch too much these days due to college, stuff, and a bad arm. Just this morning I've gotten an arthritis cramp on my right index finger. However, I'm trying to get back into stitching, and have already posted some of the bags I made recently on the "Bags made" thread. Matt Cross just gave me an amazing arm stretch at the Cornell Jam, which is helping me go through stabbing the needle at a more helpful pace. I'll try to post more pictures of the bags I made in the future.

Long post!

[Jeremy]

Half the people mentioned in this topic make shit bags. I think there's a difference between being a good stitcher and making good bags though.

I'm not impressed with Abshire's stitching (although it's better than me), but his Abshire mini bags pretty much revolutionised footbags. He's certainly one of the stitchers out there that actually thinks about what would be good for footbag the most. I've never really found that the quality of stitching had much effect on bags, it's the size and ratio of the panels, and the filler details (amount, weight, space in the bag etc.) that are the important things.

[Muffinman]

It's also interesting to me that a lot (a majority?? 75%-ish??) of the more experienced stitchers aren't experienced shredders. Like Jeremy said, there is a big difference between a well-stitched bag, and a well-playable bag.

I'm hesitant about how I feel about bags posted in the "post the bags you made" thread, because so many look so good, but... that really doesn't say much. Having said that, though, now that I stitch myself, it would be hard for me to play with a bag that was stitched poorly... just because I like things to be pretty.

[Zeb Jackson]

Im with Matt, there are a ton of good stitchers here on modified, and like, i like my bags, and i like aiden bags, and i like fearless 55s, and daves bags, thats my preference, and footbag is all about the preferences, there doesnt have to be a clear cut reference to who "is the best", it should be more like "Who you THINK is the best in YOUR opinion"

[Xain]

Bags that I've owned that I've loved(that I didn't make):

Footfighter 2005, bought at chilly philly
Abshire mini 2005- after four months of breaking in
Bag I got through a begginer stitching trade- don't remember the guys name
Pipenberg 2006
Pipenberg 2007
Clavens 2007

Bags I recall playing with at tournaments that I loved

Pipenberg 2006, 2007
Mirken 2006(CSS7)
A ton of Chris Millers bags, most notably the deerskin models 07
Hania 2006-Troy erstling
Abshire 2006- troy's friend
Clavens 2007- Toolans bags
Raye 2007-worlds
Aiden 2007- temple shred? worlds, funtastiks

And that's all I remember

[funklovesfootbag]

Fletcher Funk makes good bags. There's nothing much to say about that. However, I have a funny feeling that he stitches a bit deep, but in terms of break-in, consistency in stitching and fill ratio, he makes reliable bags. In fact, the deeper stitching would compliment the break-in rate of the bags he makes.

Actually, the reason my bags feel so sweet is that I stitch close to the edge. The best bag is whatever type of bag you prefer.

[mosher]

This summer at world's I noticed the sweetest thing. So, coming into world's I figured that this year there would be the most hand stitched bags at a world's ever probably, this was not only very likely the case but also it magically appeared that now every single stitcher is also basically the best in the world. hahah By that I mean that I felt bags from a zillion different stitchers and they all felt sooooooo good! It made me really excited because I recognized that this meant that an important skillset within the community is deepening and we will all be hooked up with sick bags for years to come.

Also, I've known for a while that teaching others to stitch can be really empowering for them and beneficial to everyone else. I know some killer stitchers that have been listed in this thread that were just players or friends of stitchers that wanted to pick it up. They wouldn't exist today as sweet footbag providers if it wasn't for the stitcher that decided to share their knowledge.

Why am I on the topic of teaching stitching? Oh yeah, because it now means that there are a zillion 'best stitchers' now, and that is super sweet and we should all rejoice and shred up some choice bags.

[Benzilla]

I think that the title "best stitcher" can only be an opinion as people may like certain qualities in a bag that other people dislike.

Tom taught me how to stitch, well...he really helped me understand how to make my bags feel or seem professional. Without his help i probably would have quit eventually out of frustration. People teaching other people is necessary to keeping the sport of footbag alive. I taught Eric Weber how to stitch after i learned it and he is really improving, he's not quite there yet but soon he will.

[Eskimo Joe]

Best stitcher eh? I think that there are so many skilled stitchers that all offer a wide variety of bags.

Personally, I liked my bags the most until I got my Wasabi bag. As shameful as it is, I now play with this bag over my own facile and amaretta bags

But I have received bags from:

Holly:a really early bag that has a few exposed stitches and is a little full, but it is well made and kicks good.
Brian:badass, nice size, good fill amount and good playability.
Toby: outstanding craftmanship, a little big and a little light
Waylon: my favorite, flies so nice, looks so good and kikcs/stalls like a dream
Shortis: older bag, pretty good, was a little too full, pilly
Dave Clavens: amazing bag
Peng: great bag, really soft, a little full, but not too rolly
Abshire: one of my favorites, although it seems to need a little more fill
Travis Iden: perfectly stitched, a little full and a little light for my taste, but excellent quality
Matt Cross: super bag right form teh get go, great stitches, nice fill
Julien Cote-Bouchard: one of my favorites too, really nice stitching, great fill amount and weight
Footfighter: wonderful, a little too full, and a little too light; the streetfighter is awesome, I re-weighted it and made it heavier and is super soft and shreddable
Mr. Sandbag: floppy but fun
Cuddle Bag: amazing, did not expect such shredability
Hania: mini was too full but perfectly stitched. The reg was amazing, but a little too fullas well. But one of my favorite bags
Johnl583 (##'S ?) great 14 panel, pre-Nick Landes and street fighter, haven't heard or seen this guy on modified forever
Erik Chan: great bags, nice fill amount, nice weight, getting better each bag too!

And all have their merits and differences. But the most reccomended from me (in order from most to least reccomended) are: Eskimo, Waylon, Dave, Hania

[Wasabi]

Actually, the reason my bags feel so sweet is that I stitch close to the edge. The best bag is whatever type of bag you prefer.

It's funny that you say that, because of the panels that i bought from you at Worlds, as I stitched them out into my own personal Dada bag, the 32 turned out much bigger than I anticipated! It was much bigger than golfball size. I'll see if I can take a picture of it and show it.

As far as I can tell, there are two possibilities:
1) You gave larger panels than the ones you usually stitch out for your 32s.
2) I stitch much closer to the edge than you.

There may be other variables, but whatever.

Tom, I'm sending you a PM about "teaching stitching."

[mahhkohh]

well, the way i see this thread right now it is only u.s./canadian stichers in the lists. exept for hania.

but what about all the wicked stichers over in europe? i am pretty sure that there are super bad ass stichers in japan, australia has some big talents....

i just wanna say,and it has been said before, footbags are a matter of preference, and noone can judge preference. i for my turn love my bags, i just dont want to use anything else, since i can make my bags exactly the way i want them to be. and all the guys that own bags i made are 150% happy with them and they keep coming back.i guess that makes me a good sticher.

there would be one way tho, it just came to my mind, gather a big pile of bags, one from every sticher in the world, break it in fully, gather also a group of footbagers, beginners and "pros" and let them play with the bags, then judge them somehow, a list, with school grades, and then take the papers and count all votes then decide who has the best votes by the most people. that would be most democratic.... :D:D

[Moxie]

As far as I can tell, there are two possibilities:
1) You gave larger panels than the ones you usually stitch out for your 32s.
2) I stitch much closer to the edge than you.

There may be other variables, but whatever.

Like the amount you each gather.