Making bags: instructions/tutorials

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 16 Mar 2008 17:51

I feel Tom is right, but he shouldn't have said NEVER. I would start off with like the first 2-3 bags with markings for the holes.

Although i never did actually start stitching with marking my stitches, but i did also have to make 60-70 bags until i got a decent shredding bag. its ultimately your decision, and you never have to listen to everything someone says. Its your bag, your style of stitching and your creation.

Wasabi · Post by **Wasabi** » 16 Mar 2008 20:55

I have to agree with Tom that marking holes isn't such a good idea, and I agree with his reasoning. Sometimes you have to learn from your mistakes, instead of abstaining and avoiding them. But of course, I have to add that I don't like ink stains showing on my fingers or on my panels too often, because hands tend to get clammy sometimes, and clammy hands often leads to smudged ink. You get the picture.

I think a picture is worth a thousand words. Here's a good example:

Picture brought to you by Jay Boychuk.

This is how I learned how to sew 32-panels (or any bag in general). I looked at a picture for hours and critically analyzed on a method to how to produce this result. I challenged myself with a sharp needle and painstaking hours. This is the consistency that you want to achieve. The journey will be hard and arduous, and you will experience failure occasionally. But if you keep training yourself with your consistency and hand-eye-needle coordination to a tee, you will get to this fine degree of stitching.

Just keep at it. It's all about repitition and uniformity. Train your eyes, train your grip, train your needle. You WILL make the greatest footbag ever.

SergeyKozlov · Post by **SergeyKozlov** » 17 Mar 2008 23:42

http://www.footbag.ru/index.php?option= ... &Itemid=31

On Russian, but u can still watch pics.

3gr8kids1120 · Post by **3gr8kids1120** » 19 Mar 2008 05:39

If only I could read Russian....

The pics are great though! Thank you all, I think I am going to try it this weekend,a nd will post o picture of my 1st creation next week!!!

Peace!

3gr8kids1120 · Post by **3gr8kids1120** » 12 Apr 2008 08:25

Greetings all,

So I have made a few footbags, I would rate them a C at best (thus no pics) however, now need to know what is the best type of filler? I still cant do the "blind" stitch, or last panal, but that is what one of my sons firends is for, so no worries!

Any info on filler, would be appreciated. I am going to go sew crazy in a few weeks, since I will have a few weeks laying around doing nothing, and would love to get the product prior to.

Also, any thougts on teh best type of string, and best needle to use?

Thanks!!!!

Peace

3gr8kids1120 · Post by **3gr8kids1120** » 12 Apr 2008 08:33

One more request for advice/assistance; the website that you can input numbers to get hex/pent patterns, is not working; does anyone have a PDF that they can email me, for a good size bag, not too bog, not too small, just right (said baby bear), that I can print and use as a template?

Gracias!!!!

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 12 Apr 2008 15:11

32 Panel generator. http://modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.ph ... 58&start=0 First Post's link

I use steel shot, its relatively cheap, its non-toxic and it works. BB's in my opinion are too big. lead is toxic, but i use it sometimes, i love its density. Tungsten is good if you are rich, denser than lead.

ballisticsproducts.com is where i buy my steel. Size 7, or the smallest they have i think it is 7, not sure..

get pics up! this way we can help you and see your mistakes thus decreasing the amount of time it will take for you to get better. "

Glad you are sticking with it.

mikep · Post by **mikep** » 12 Apr 2008 15:20

3gr8kids1120 wrote:Any info on filler, would be appreciated.
...

Also, any thougts on teh best type of string, and best needle to use?

All these things are personal preference, so with the caveat that your milage may vary:
I use mostly #7 steel shot (the higher the number the smaller the ball) from precisionreloading.com + "seed beads" from joann fabrics to take up more room + a bit of #8 tungsten alloy shot.

I use upholstery thread (many others use dental floss or button thread) and a "glovers needle" (I know there is a 'best' size, but I switch between the three that came in the pack.

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 12 Apr 2008 18:31

oh yeah, i use floss and a regualr needle. You want a pretty small needle, one that is about the thickness of your thread, but not that thin. I've heard that glover's needles actually cut the fabric, rather than wedge their way in and push the fibers away like regular needles.

3gr8kids1120 · Post by **3gr8kids1120** » 13 Apr 2008 21:08

Thanks awesome peeps!

Mike, by the way, Obara LOVED the bag I bought for him from you, which as you are aware, is quite a testiment, since he is relatively (to say the least) picky regarding his footbags!!! He's a great kid though, picky or not, its pretty impressive that he loved your bag!

Just finished a teeny 12 panel, not sure what I was thinking since the panels were so small, I guess I will put it on a hemp necklace, since I have no clue what to do with it otherwise.

Pics of my next bag will be posted, promise, and I will look forward to the constructive critisism!!

Peace to all!

Jazzkid · Post by **Jazzkid** » 22 Apr 2008 12:37

Thanks so much for the great video instruction. I will make a shredable bag, I will make a shredable bag, I will make a shredable bag. I will fill it with 57 grams of tungstin and love it . THanks...

jspan1013 · Post by **jspan1013** » 22 Apr 2008 18:33

Hey guys i didn't know whether to post this in the getting started section or here so i chose here.(Forgive me if it's in the wrong section, anyway-.) I want to start freestyle but don't wanna order a bag or shoes from the internet. (I could order from the internet but i prefer to start out this way.) So i'm gonna get a pair of Lavers at a near by tennis store that i know sells em.Now for a bag i wanna learn how to make them and eventually make decent to great footbags.Now i've read Erick Chan's (Forgive me if typed your name in wrong or mis-spellt it.) guides to stiching and a lot of other threads about makng bags but it still mistifys me, i get confused when Erick talks about patterns and goes more into depth in stiching.If it's not to much trouble could someone post the items i need to start stiching, and places to get them either at stores or sites.And a site or guide for a complete noob like me to actually stich or sew (Because i have absolutley no idea on how to start either it just boggles my head when i see Andrew's bags and i'm like how the hell does he do it they look frickin' awesome.Thanks a ton to everyone who replys. - Joe (Please be specific Thanks Again.)

jspan1013 · Post by **jspan1013** » 22 Apr 2008 18:37

Any help at all is deffinatley appreciated and feel free to post opinions or any tips at all. Sorry for the double post.

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 22 Apr 2008 18:53

http://modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.ph ... 42&start=0
that will help for stitchnig, honestly read it. I know it can be annoying but sometimes it just pays not to be lazy. And if you don't know what im talknig about don't worry.

As for not wanting to buy over the internet, you really have no other convienient(sp?) choice. I was like that too in the beginning but you soon realize that you pretty much have to.

jspan1013 · Post by **jspan1013** » 22 Apr 2008 19:14

I think you misunderstood me but i know where your coming from, i wasn't looking for ways for people to do the work for me i'm not lazy it's just i have the tendency to skim through posts like the stiching ones, (Which is a bad habit of mine.) and now from reading just part of that thread i have a pretty good idea on how to get started thanks ben.Oh and when i go to the Nj Spike and Shred next month i'll be gathering up as much info i can on stiching and footbag.Thanks again. - Joe P.S And if you go to the NJ Spike & Shred's (Even tho your in ny.) it'd be cool if we could meet up.Sound's good?

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 22 Apr 2008 19:38

Never heard of that jam, i'll look it up, if i can't find it i'll pm you.

Wasabi · Post by **Wasabi** » 22 Apr 2008 19:42

I'll be at the Jersey Spike & Shred this year, if it comes up.

I would gladly do a stitching tutorial.

jspan1013 · Post by **jspan1013** » 22 Apr 2008 19:50

Thanks Wasabi, that would help tremendously.And if i get a ride i'll see youu there.

Zeb Jackson · Post by **Zeb Jackson** » 22 Apr 2008 21:08

USE

THE

SEARCH

BUTTON

Muffinman · Post by **Muffinman** » 23 Apr 2008 14:59

Yeah, someone else started a thread exactly like this one a few days ago. I'm gonna go and merge a bunch of these. There's an older one too. I will see about making a sticky.
(Also, I don't remember ever writing a tutorial

)

Some stuff you will want with which to stitch:
-"Ultra Suede Lite" fabric from FieldsFabric.com (different manufacturers have different names for fabric, so this isn't necessarily a universal name (as I have been told by a local distributer of ultra suede))
-a nice needle or two (or more if you tend to lose things) -- I think most footbag stitchers use "Glover's Needles" which are for sewing with leather
-thread (most stitchers use either upholstery thread or dental floss)
-fabric [or otherwise sharp] scissors
-maybe a gather tool (something you'll understand better when either you read a good tutorial or have someone show you in person)
-filler stuffs (beads, shot, etc)
-a thin sharpie or other marker for tracing panels on your fabric
-templates cut out of a solid material (something that you can trace around) -- there is a "template generator" that Mike Hansen made that is on the forum here.
-a little scale would be helpful

Okay. So I've just merged together, like, 7 threads that all basically talk about the same thing. This original thread that I started 4 years ago was 5 pages, and now everything together is 14, so all questions are probably answered here, and if not, or you can't be bothered to read through it all, then at least please post in this thread and do not start another.

And also, "Use the search function".

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Making bags: instructions/tutorials

Making footbags

Pattern maker not working

Re: Making footbags

Stitching/Getting Started?