Bag Help

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 26 Nov 2009 16:44

Hey guys, I've read every page on stitching help, and even watched "skillteacher"'s video on making 32 panel footbags on youtube, but i just cant figure out exactly how to get down to the last panels.... I got to the "turtle" looking part, and then added from there, im down to 4 pentagons, and only 2 hexagons, which seems right to me... but how to get them all connected, and i cant find any pictures of what the footbag should look like after you have the"turtle" Jerab showed some good photo's but not anything after the "turtle" that i could understand...

I hope the"turtle" part is understandable, cause i dont know how to describe it! Any help and hopefully pictures is appreciated!

Toasty · Post by **Toasty** » 26 Nov 2009 20:51

4 pents and 2 hexes? I'll try and explain as good as possible without using pics. If it's not understandable and someone doesn't beat me to it, I'll put some pics tomorrow. If I understand correctly, if you flip the bag right-side out, it should like like there's 4 "prongs," the prongs being hexes. All you have to do is keep stitching like normally: Take a pent and sew it to any of the 4 hexes already on the bag and add one more hex to it. This will bring you down to 3 pents and 1 hex. Same as the previous step: Take a pent and sew it to the 4 hexes already on the bag and add one more hex to it. Doing so will bring you down to your final 2 hexes. Just take a pent and sew it to any of the 5 hexes already sewn onto the bag. Then the last panel should be pretty straightforward.

EDIT: Here are some pictures.
4 pents and 2 hexes left.

3 pents and 1 hex left.

2 pents left.

1 pent left.

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 14 Dec 2009 21:13

Very nice pictures, thank you

but I finally figured it out after looking at the bag for 10-15 minutes!!!! Its tough to get the hang of it, but I think with mine I get 3-4 pents left and only 1 hex left near the finish, I dont keep count of them so im not too sure! I've made 4 bags so far and they dont look the greatest yet but that comes with time

my last pent and closing the bag needs the most work!
Thanks again on the pictures!

Toasty · Post by **Toasty** » 14 Dec 2009 22:23

I'm glad the pictures helped. Just remember you need 12 pents and 20 hexes. 5 hexes to 1 pent. Next bag I make I'll take some pics showing how I close my bags. In my opinion, 32 panels are easier than 12s or even 4s.

will_T · Post by **will_T** » 15 Dec 2009 12:03

wow, great post brandin. i would also have to agree that 32s are the simplest (at least to wrap your head around) because you sew the 12 pents in pretty much identical fashion. with a 12 panel you have to gather and add a running stitch for every edge, and there is no set path you are required to take.

and richard, if you've got 1 hex left and 3 pents remaining, you're right where you're supposed to be

post pics of your bags in the 'bags you've made' thread, i'd love to see them.

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 16 Dec 2009 12:28

Yea the 32's seem easy to understand, just keep adding pents, surround them with hex's... when your working with 2 colors its easy as pie, but with multi colors i think it'd be hard to get the hang of it!!!
And Will i'll post pictures when i get my facile in (its getting shipped tomarrow) flash red, midnight blue, white, burnt orange, and purple (cant remember which purple right now though)... i cant wait to get them!!! But i've just been sewing on microsueade, and the bags actually dont look to bad, just a few things wrong with them, one the last stitch pulled through the fabric, I wasnt sewing deep enough on the first 3 bags, and now i realized that my bleed holes are HUGE cause i wasnt closing off the last hex when sewing it to the pent... but now that I got those corrected, i'll try one more microsuede bag and then see how i do on facile

Thanks for the insight guys!

will_T · Post by **will_T** » 16 Dec 2009 13:48

awesome, you'll love working with ultrasuede light. flash red is a solid color, goes well with most anything and it's relatively strong without being overly stiff.

as far as multicolored bags, to achieve symmetry just imagine what colors and how many of each you want surrounding each pent, for instance a blur pattern would be 2 of one color and 3 of another. as the bag comes together, it sort of tells you which colors you need to add. simply make sure that each pent has the correct number of each color around it and you'll be smooth sailing. it's also a good visual aid to have a bag with a particular pattern on hand for reference, as your collection grows you'll start to be able to create new concepts based on physically holding one in your hand and figuring it out.

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 16 Dec 2009 14:03

Yea the flash red just looks amazing, Though I wish they had a nice green so i can make a christmas bag!!! Here in Illinois, Ilini is BIG and their colors are orange and blue, so I have a few people at work wanting me to make them an orange and blue bag... Forgot to post that I also got blue (atlantis). Then my daughter wants a purple and blue bag

But the multi color deal wouldnt seem that bad when you get the hang of it, but when you get to the sides of the hack that have 3 hex's and you add 2 more hex's to the pents would seem alittle difficult, but i'll stick to 2 color hacks for a while until i improve!

Donovon · Post by **Donovon** » 16 Dec 2009 17:48

I am really into color patterns. There are so many different ways to organize a 32. And there are soo many pics of bags on modified, look under "bags ive made." I wish i had enough time to try out all the ideas i have.

There is a really cool thread on color patterns that break some of the harder ones down.
http://modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.php?t=13863

The best advice ive heard is to have a pic of a bag (or concept drawing or whatnot) or a real bag, and take it pent by pent. After you sew a few bags, you get a system on how to put one together and just take it pent by pent as you would a two color bag, looking at the hexes that surround it.

I've been able to figure out any pattern this way, and im not the only one. If you have any questions, most everyone will help.

I just bought some more facile today too. Put pics up when you can.

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 17 Dec 2009 03:20

Good info Donovan, Im sure i'll get down some of the multi color's although im big on just 2 colored bags right now, they just look good... And i will deffinately post pics but only after im comfy with the end results on the bags!!!

Donovon · Post by **Donovon** » 17 Dec 2009 13:33

Its pretty cool to have pics of nice bags, but any pics, even just on this thread, will allow everyone to spot you advice.

~Donovon

will_T · Post by **will_T** » 17 Dec 2009 13:39

Donovon wrote:Its pretty cool to have pics of nice bags, but any pics, even just on this thread, will allow everyone to spot you advice.

~Donovon

very true

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 21 Dec 2009 19:23

Hey guys figured i'd keep all my questions in one thread instead of multiples..
Does anyone have any photos of their fabric after they traced out their templates?
laid out my fabric and it just seemed like the hex's and pent's were leaving behind alot of fabric that could've been used if I spaced it out right... So i was just curious since you've guys done this alot more than i have just how you draw out on fabric without waisting as much fabric...

cutting each panel with siccors sucks too! just takes too long, After I settle with a template size im thinking of taking a razor and trimming each razor to the sides of each pent and hex, that way i can stack a couple layers and whack it with a hammer and they'd be perfect! Because i've tried folding and cutting with siccors on the microsuede but each peice had a different length because i'd pulle the fabric with the siccors (even though im using a good pair of fiscars that are shap as heck!) so i thought the razor idea might work better for me!

will_T · Post by **will_T** » 22 Dec 2009 12:33

this is the way i do it. it leaves little scrap, particularly with the hexagons. this is how they arrange on a normal 1/8th yard strip

your razor blade idea sounds dangerous. cutting the stuff with regular household scissors can be difficult, i recommend finding yourself a pair of sewing scissors, such as these

they're much smaller, as well as sharper and generally more precise. mine still cut all the way to the very tip, even after a year. just don't use them for anything but panel and floss cutting. precise tracing and cutting lends to consistent stitching and round bags, so i tend to be meticulous in this stage. hope this helps

EDIT: a little trick i employ is to cut hexes from one end of the strip of facile, and pents from the other. since the pents lattice you can just pick up where you left off with minimal scrap.

mc · Post by mc » 22 Dec 2009 13:11

I make 4 layers of fabric, put the template on top, hold it together with magnets on either side, and cut around the template with sewing scissors like the ones posted above.

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 22 Dec 2009 14:03

Great advice Will_T, I had alot of access scrap on my first go around, But i'll draw it out like the picture you posted!!!
And my pair of fiscars were so damn sharp, I wish i didnt loose them! They felt like they'd be able to cut through scrap metal! But i'll take a trip to the fabric store this week and see what they got... The razor blade idea was my frustration with odd looking pentagons! I just have to take my time more...
And I read in the bag stitching guide about people using glover needles, but a few people said they didnt like the idea of actually removing fabric from the needle, like it takes away from the strength of the facile? I just wanted alittle clarification on the glover needles cause pushing a regular needle through facile is TOUGH! microseude was much easier to sew!

Thanks again for the advice!

mc · Post by mc » 22 Dec 2009 14:06

I love glover's needles! I use John James brand, size 10.

They are the best!

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 22 Dec 2009 14:32

do they sell those at joann fabric Matt? Thats the only fabric store in town besides a hobby lobby which i dont like going to, stuff is just scattered everywhere there!

mc · Post by mc » 22 Dec 2009 15:32

I believe joanne fabric has larger glover's needles, which I use for 2-stitch bags, but the skinny needles are really nice for 3-stitch bags. I buy mine on ebay. search john james glover needle size 10.

Richardlss · Post by **Richardlss** » 22 Dec 2009 16:13

Thanks Matt, I'll check ebay..
And you reminded me of another question... Whats the difference between a 2 stitch and a 3 stitch? is a 3 stitch stronger?
When i first started stitching it seemed like there wasnt ANY room to put 3 stitches, but now it seems like theres too much space to fit in 3 stitches

well exept the last side of the pent..

Bag Help

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