Seamrippin': What Makes a Good Bag Pattern?
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2023
- I'm back for another Seamrippin' - the video series where I pop off on a hot topic in the sewing world! Fair warning that this is more of a talky-talky video on the topic of what makes a good bag pattern. I'm not sewing (forsooth!), so fasten your seatbelts and keep your arms and hands inside the vehicle at all times. We're taking off!
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As a beginner/barely intermediate bag maker a few things stand out to me. First one you sorta covered, if you have both pattern pieces AND measure and cut, make sure they are both accurate. I wasted two days of my life on a bag wondering what I did wrong, when I finally checked the measure and cut against the pattern piece and found the two were not the same. Second one, please don't bury pieces that need to be cut (such as tabs, binding, straps, whatever) in the pattern. I've thought I had more than one bag all cut only to find that there was some piece referenced only in the instructions and not on the cut list. And the last one for me is if you have more than one seam allowance, don't make me guess which one you want me to use where. Clearly tell me that this seam allowance is 3/4 and this one is 1/4 or whatever.
Thank you for the time and effort you make to put out content.
I also appreciated that you showed your filming set-up because I've been wondering about that!
Sweety. I have been sewing for 55 years and my grandmother use to sew for movie stars in the 40's and 50's and she taught me when I was a teen. (I am now 70) I am still learning, always learning new things like photoshop and computerized sergers and embroidery machines etc. So don't feel scared. It's just a part of life. Keep up the great videos. Thank you.
I really, really, REALLY, ***REALLY*** love a video tutorial. I don't expect the pattern designer to do this if they're not able. At this point, there are so many great youtubers out there doing bag tutorials that I always wonder when there is no tutorial for a pattern. It makes me wonder if there's something wrong with it.
I've been asked for permission from people making my pattern and wanting to do a video on YT. I always grant it. I haven't heard back from anyone, but I do love putting links to other people's videos on the shop page when I find them!
@@fiercekittenz I would think they'd let you know if they made the video!
I am with you. I asked a designer to allow someone to do a video last year, and they have not. I had to trash the material.
Just call it a podcast and then you can be extra-casual. "Sew What: The Weekly Podcast of Sewing-Related Rants." Or: "Twisted Knickers: The Podcast." Or in keeping with your brand, you could call it a Pod-cats. Because . . . cats. ;-) Also, I would show up for a live video.
Haha! I like Pod-cats! I think "Sew What" may be too close to MoreMeKnow's "Sew Whatever" branding though.
@@fiercekittenz I hate sewing puns.
@@fiercekittenz Yeah, you're right. At this point, any sew puns are prolly taken!
I like a video tutorial, I’m very visual and it saves me a lot of confusion if I can watch and learn. It’s also fun to see the modifications that can be done and the variety of ways to do the same thing. It’s interesting to me how passionate some folks are about measure and cut pieces. It only bothers me if I happen to not pay close enough attention and miss them when I’m cutting. Then I have to drag out all my cutting stuff again, and cut and perhaps interface when I thought I was done with those steps. My sewing space is half of a dining table so I have to put sewing stuff away to take cutting stuff out. Anyway, cute video. And your sewing room is amazing!
I’m watching all of these videos. I don’t care what you pop off about….you’re a hoot.
I enjoy this series and would tune in for a live whenever my schedule permits. One "nice to have side" that is near the top of my list is a set of cutting labels for the cut pieces. Certainly not a deal-breaker as I can just make my own but it's nice when they are already included and each indicates the piece name and quantity to cut with interfacing etc.
YES! Oh that's a good one. I totally missed it... and I can't believe that I did, because I do this with my own patterns! Each piece has checkboxes for how much to cut for each type of fabric.
I watch the video before I think about doing the bag. With some videos I have to check measurements on the written. I use 1 inch twill tape for doing binding and using basting tape to hold it in place. This works great for me!
I love seam rippin, it is great. I look forward to your next one.
That's a valid point. People may want to see how hard the pattern is to assemble before they purchase!
I love your realism.
Love the mug.
I love watching and listening to you. Thank you for all your videos
I always felt that videos were imperative to making bags, until I became a tester and found that even with patterns which had bits missing or errors, I was able to make bags without the videos. Yes, videos are great, makes things easier, but not totally necessary, unless of course the pattern is badly written.
The one thing I find I struggle with though, is where there is too much information and about 50+ pages of instructions, (which would be easier to read if printed, but no way will I print 50+ pages) for different options for the same bag. One day I will get that pattern sewn up, but not today.
If you chose to use sew in foam you can cut from the pattern pieces. If you want to exclude it from the seam allowances you need a pattern which is not always supplied.
I enjoy your channel! You are a Bene Gesserit (only the good qualities) of bag making to me! I also am a Star Wars fan .You've helped me with details to establish my new sewing business. I don't craft bags, but your tutorials are entertaining and helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
Thank you so much :)
I enjoyed this! Thank you. I do refer measure and cut for pattern pieces that can be done that way, so it's nice if both ways are included.
Agreed, wow I say the same about pattern pieces. After you cut out and tape together, they must line up properly. My pet peeve is when the call a pattern piece like front panel a or zipper pocket 1 but when they write it in the instructions the use a different name. In my opinion use that same name and or letter A-Z that you have on the pattern piece on the instructions. I know a lot of people have tags to pin to fabrics so you know what they are but if you don’t use the same name and letter instructions it can be confusing especially if you have multiple pieces with the same or close to the same measurements. Also, it’s super nice to know if your pieces are with x height for directional fabrics.
That's why I stick to "Piece A" or "Piece B" for the naming and don't use just its purpose. Just easier for people to follow along.
Great video! I consider myself as an intermediate bag maker and i have my favorite designers. because of the clear just like instructions, lots of illustrations and specify seam allowance. I always try the designers free patterns to see their style before I purchase a pattern. I did not know you had patterns.
A looot of people don’t realize I have patterns :( I’m not very good at advertising them. I have a free one that people can grab to see if they like my style.
I've been using binding here and there and it seems to me construction with a binding is easier than all the flipped de do with a drop in lining.!
The other thing people forget is that the bound versions of these deeper bags will hold their shape a lot better than the ones with the drop-in linings. The binding acts as another means of shaping the bag. Also the deeper the bag, the saggier the lining. Might as well suck it up and do the binding methods the patterns require than performing witchcraft to skip around it. It just creates more work.
@@fiercekittenz When a bag has a saggy lining it seem home made to me. I think when I can, I will fuse the lining with 2-sided fusing to the outer cloth it's very neat and stiffens it up. Then wrap the seam with a premade binding. It is inside so I feel in most cases the premade, even though never a perfect color match is ok!
I heard somewhere that using illustrations instead of photos helps people with low vision, for some of the reasons you mentioned like they print and zoom better. Idk much about accessibility but that's just another example of how making products more accessible to all sewists selfishly benefits me as well 😅 thanks for doing illustrations in your patterns!
Another suggestion for either step photos or video - don’t use dark colors! Like black or navy blue. Especially if it’s a tricky spot in the construction.
HAH YES! I finally realized this with videos here after a year of creating content on YT. I swear I try to remember to choose light color fabric and dark threads for the tutorials.
I sew quilts, table runners, potholders, and other random items. I love measure and cut. Measure and cut also means I do not have to store any templates. But I also like templates. I’d show up for a livestream. Video tutorials are super helpful. I don’t mind who makes the tutorial. If I see a bag that I love, I check RUclips for a video tutorial. That way o can see how detailed the bag or pattern is before I choose to buy It.
Hate measure and cut as well. I need pattern pieces. Love a good tutorial. Love acrylic templates and will get them made if I plan to make the bag more than a few times. Oops forgot to mention that I love your videos. I just recently watched your binding one and will be trying FOE for my next binding. Thank you!
If FOE doesn't work for you, a lot of people have used 1" twill, quilt binding (do a 2" strip and fold over), waterproof canvas (with the rubberized backing!), or just zig-zagged it!
@@fiercekittenz I've been doing the WPC which actually works fairly well but thought I'd try the elastic without doing the whole clipping it on first.
Unclear instructions are my top beef. What was that ? I read it again. No better. Gotta buy the video!
I would love to do acrylic templates, especially for my bags of holding. They always come out so wonky even with my rulers :(
My husband has a hankering for a laser cutter. I plan on commandeering it every now and again for my own nefarious needs, such as making quick bag-making tools LOL.
Lots of fun to listen to you! Not sure what you mean by acrylic patterns though
OH! Take a look at thattemplateshop.com - they cut out bag pattern pieces in acrylic, so you can use them for tracing, fussy cutting, etc. So much easier to use than paper! I have a video that talks about them and another video on how to make your own with clear placemats.
Love that dune reference!!!
+10 points to Sewhalla!
Great topic, thank you 👍🏻! I personally love paper patterns(over pdf’s)❤; I enjoy using templates whether acrylic or other appropriate material🤩.
I am not a fan of measure cut😝.
I haaaaaaate measure and cut, though if a pattern has it (lots of wallets, as an example), I will go ahead and make my own little templates for later.
Apart from gussets seam allowances should be minimal. Why waste fabric and foam by cutting down seams to avoid bulk when you can sew them the right size to start with.
It is my first bag with a designer and I have 14 pages of directions that give sizes. Now, I am able to measure and cut so just really needed the measurements. I do appreciate the page with the notched bottom but again after taping 4 pages together and matching lines, it would have been just fine to provide the measurements for the boxed corners.
HAH! I think the only ones I am OK with having a lot of measure/cut are wallets. That's kind of understandable. I do still like to cut them out and make my own templates, if I can't find an acrylic one somewhere.
I have to say that the 3 musts on your list are also mine, I don’t so much need a video tutorial to make something or anything. Not to brag but I figured out 40+ years ago that everything has requirements of construction, and anything else past that is a design detail. As long as the front is constructed, then the sides and the back, and then assembled, everything else past that will be design details. What really gets me is when someone writes a pattern with incorrect sewing terms, or makes blanket statements about sewing that I know to be false. I loose any desire to construct that pattern. I believe that a person who writes patterns for sale, should have at least a rudimentary understanding of sewing, sewing terminology and techniques. Sorry for the soapbox, but that’s how I feel. 18:36
I always check the finished size. One bag was supposed to be 10.5” wide but the pattern pieces measured 13” so I queried it. Short reply the bag is 10.5” wide the pattern is correct, I wrote again. I was told 1000s had been sold with no complaints and she had made it at three retreats. So I made it, 13” wide as I knew it would be. I sent photo, no reply and it is still being sold as 10.5” wide. Any designer should be big enough to acknowledge a mistake.
If the pattern is measure/cut, I’m fine. Templates for the ones that are not. If the designers do have the measure/cut templates, put them at the end so I don’t have to waste paper. I just people wouldn’t get their panty’s twisted whether someone prefers one or the other.
I also agree about accurate pieces that should fit. I do a particular, popular, zipper pouch and the measurements are off by 1” at the top and about 3/4” on the front/side panels. It’s like they didn’t account for the zipper size on the front pocket. Cork is expensive and boy was I mad because of the waste!
Because of the waste factor, all new patterns I create will use a 3/8" seam allowance. I started off with 1/2" because it was easier to do the math - for me anyway. Now I'm leaning heavily toward 3/8" because even with bulk or heavy fabrics, that's plenty of room to work with and it actually makes zipper application easier as I tend to use 1/4" for zippers. That extra 1/4" difference was just too weird looking when you have a 1/2" seam allowance.
Oh, this was not even in the seam allowance! Which was 1/4”. I’m fine with the 1/2” as it’s easier to keep under the needle.
I love binding. I love measure and cut. You can't please everyone. Personally, I prefer a lot of diagrams. I can't handle a whole paragraph of text without any diagrams. I don't care if there's a video unless it's a complicated design.
I've been sewing bags for almost 4-years now and clothing for over 40-years. My biggest pet peeve are patterns that are not well written and clear picture illustrations. Take the moment to take pictures vs drawings. Videos are great but if you are not, or can't, offer them, please have clear pictures that were taken with a camera.
Here is one of my life’s mysteries. I watch the video usually more than once. I have all my pieces cut out including the extras. My hardware is in a little box.I am very experienced. How come the video is way less than two hours with a lot of explaining not sewing and it takes me seven on a good day.
curiousity, do you use pair glasses, look cool, if you don't look into them
In this video they're Pair! I sadly found that they slip down my nose so badly, even with Nerd Wax and silicone hooks, that I couldn't wear them. The ones I use now are Gunnar Vertex. I had LASIK done 2 years ago, but about 1.5 years into it, I found that I needed reading glasses again. I don't always need them, but it helps. I have an astigmatism in both eyes and LASIK wasn't a guarantee.
I served my time as a machinist and I'd blow a gasket if pattern pieces and/or measure and cut didn't come together properly; the pattern designer's job is to ensure that what they envision can, actually, be constructed. Both written and video instructions can be great, but they can also be confusing if the end user doesn't 'see' what the designer/writer/video editor sees. I've watched any number of videos (especially on youtube) that had segments I had to play again, and again, and again and I still wasn't sure what I'd just seen. I expect that if a designer goes down either the 'written' or 'video' paths, they may need testers that use those resources while constructing the project. A really experienced person may just use the pattern, look for areas that may be problematic, and then go ahead and construct the project without any significant reference to the additional instructional material.
Metric? Imperial? How many bananas is that? I purchased metric needle plates for my Juki 8700 and DU-1181N because I like working in metric even if 99% of my machinist experience was in thousandths of an inch. And, in either case, you'll run in to frustrations lets say if you're making packsacks; you can design in Imperial measurements but your customer will ask 'how many litres' in reference to capacity?
All told I thought it was a good video. Interesting points, well presented. Thanks for your time and effort. YVR
I make sure to have people who are absolute beginners in my testing groups. It's one of the big reasons why the Convention Raider pattern is so darn complete!
I like a video, but I don't like having to purchase the video. Those designers that will not let anyone make a video from their pattern.
I can see their perspective on it, but it just isn't my way of doing things. I like to share as much information as possible with people. I WANT to teach and help people enjoy bag making as much as I do.
Totally off topic… are you wearing pair glasses?
YUP!!! Blue blockers and not prescribed. The studio lighting sometimes gives me headaches and blue blockers help.
Metric is more accurate and much easier to do the math. Hahaha
OMG!! Pieces that don't fit - I've been sewing for over 60 years (I started in utero) and it drives me crazy when pieces just don't fit. I check that I've done everything right and then things just don't fit - especially gussets. I have made many a gusset in my day and when they don't fit I just get so angry and will not purchase another pattern from that vendor. I prefer illustrations, too, as sometimes in the instructions they use fabric that is too busy or dark and you can't see what was done. I also do not like to measure and cut. I am not a quilter and I prefer using pattern pieces. And in the instructions, telling people to use staples to put in the gusset. That makes my skin crawl. There is a popular bag pattern that tells people to use staples in the gusset - totally unnecessary in that pattern. The gusset fits perfectly. Also, staples can scratch the sewing machine bed. I am off my soapbox now. Sorry to ramble. I do enjoy your videos and would selfishly like to see more - but I know they take time. Thank you so much for your comments and opinions.
I once watched a video where she did not film sewing in the gusset, pinned and finished, voila! This screamed this is so tricky I could not bear to show you. Another tried to show sewing a gusset with piping and she stopped part way round saying her machine could not get close enough to the piping! BTW in my view piping looks great but is not work the time trying to get it the same width.