Rounded Gusset On A Soft-Sided Bag?

[DoubleC]

I know when you have a flap on a bag, the front panel is supposed to be rounded at the top, which I've done. Yet the flap still doesn't want to flop over easily, have to situate it over and around or between the 4" gusset. The flap is not a separate piece but part of the back panel. Should the gusset be rounded too in the front or even on the front and back so it doesn't interfere with the flap? This is my first messenger bag and with the gusset squared off it looks like things could fall out. Thanks so much, Cheryl

[Tree Reaper]

I'm not much of a bag man but the bags I've seen with that type of gusset have a top flap shaped to fit the gusset.

[DoubleC]

That's not the type of bag I'm making Keven. Mine is all soft and the gusset gives it form but it's soft leather too. I used 1 & 1/2oz pig for the gusset lined with 3 oz embossed veg tanned and the panels are 3oz lined with the same 30z veg tanned. It stands up by itself but all floppy like and the flap I left in the natural state, way if came off the cow, uneven. This is going to have a strap and handle. It's a combination of this bag:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=42470&pid=264209&st=0entry264209

with this flap

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=42383#entry264760

It's not molded or that 'formed.'

The gusset is now trimmed even with the panels, waited to make sure I had enough to do the bag first.

I just think the flap shouldn't have to kind go up and over the gussets the way it does Kevin.

[Tree Reaper]

I'm guessing there's too much slack in the gusset, the flap isn't wide enough at the base or more likely a combination of both.

[DoubleC]

It's the flap isn't really wide enough except well it's kinda too wide, well lets say the cow didn't give it up exactly even it's wide enough to begin but narrows pretty quickly on one side. And there probably is a lot of slack in the gussets if you mean their softness.

So if we assume it's both, and I know you don't do bags, does that quick silver brain of yours have any ideas on how to fix it? Do you think rounding them like the panel in the front would help? I have a lot of time and effort invested in this so don't want to do anything irreversible at this point. But I don't want to proceed with the handle and strap yet and have them in the wrong place when I figure out how to fix it. OH and the flap isn't lined with anything, maybe it's just too floppy, but I am lining it where the handle is going.

[Tree Reaper]

I couldn't make the flap larger and have it look good too so I would probably try and make the bag smaller if it was my project.

If you just tried to make the flap larger it would most likely look like an add on in my opinion.

This is where having a template before you start is most important.

[DoubleC]

LOL Kevin, I had a pattern......uh, well kinda, a little bit. I cut the panels out the size of a large priority mail box. If you noticed on the one link I gave you the guys flap was smaller than the bag although that wasn't my intention. I hand sewed 4 layers of leather inside out and had to use a hammer and nail to make the sewing holes, my awl just laughed at me. The pig and rust colored, being thin and soft were stretchy. The embossed veg tanned lining wasn't. Even though I glued then all together first, it was a waste of time. My awl went through the veg tanned and hit either the rust or the pig depending on which side I was sewing, and those leathers just stretched. My point kinda being I'm not resewing this beast again.

If you look at this again http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=42470&pid=264209&st=0entry264209 mine looks just like that. I mean when the flap is over the gusset. To me it looks like things would fall out of it, well ok, maybe only if I turned it upside down but still. Maybe on a soft sided bag there's no way to prevent that or maybe as it get broken in and the shaped to it's natural rectangular shape even that wouldn't happen. I don't know, I just wanted to fix it if it was a gusset problem before I got more of the trim on it, but I'm going to go ahead with it, and stamp, dye and sew the strap and toggle holders on and actually fasten it with something in it and see where it looks like it needs to be fixed, if it looks like it needs it at all. Because it's for me and if it isn't exactly perfect I'm ok with that. If it was for someone else, I wouldn't be ok with it.

[TwinOaks]

I think the issue is that the gusset is bowing OUT instead of IN. There's also a small point that many of the bags I've seen (and one or two that I've done) the flap part of the gusset is a little longer than the panels so that it can fold in. You could dampen the vegtan side of it, pinch it together (front to back), and let dry. That should 'set' the gussets that way. Orrrrrrrrrr......You could punch a hole in the gusset just off the corner (two per side of the bag) and reinforce each hole with a grommet. Then, put a length of bungee cord (I'll let you decide on what size and color) through the holes to act as a closure. If you start from the inside, go out one hole and in through the other....back to the inside of the bag and just tie off the ends with a knot....you'd have an easy to make elastic closure that will keep the front and back panels pulled together with the gusset bowed in and under the flap. You could also add a couple of additional gussets and do the whole top of the bag with a drawstring if you don't want to sacrifice a bungee.

[DoubleC]

I think I'll try the wetting part Mike. And clamp it bent inward until it dries. I just can let myself sacrifice a bungee and I already have holes in it and a round braid to hold the toggles I'm putting on the flap (did you really suggest I use a bungee? Nah I know you too well and that wicked sense of humor you have.) Thanks, I didn't think about the gussets just bowing the wrong way. Cheryl

[Tree Reaper]

Something else that might work is putting a strap inside the bag, draw the gusset in towards it and use an eyelet, rivet or stitch to secure the gusset to the strap which will hold it inward.

[DoubleC]

I'm trying to understand where the strap is Kevin because I have very little spatial relationship abilities. Do you have the strap going the width of the gusset at the top and then the gusset being pulled inward with the stitch, or etc. Or do you have it going from back to front panel in front of the top gusset and then the stitch, etc. I think my brain is leaking out of my ears now. Not from what you said but I've been working on this bag all day and thinking about the flap at the same time and I'm having a hard time concentrating at this point. c

Oh and Mike you really weren't kidding about the bungee cord were you? I had it positioned wrong in my head too where it went from gusset top to the other gusset top and back which is why I thought you were joking. c

Edited September 27, 2012 by DoubleC

[Tree Reaper]

Front to back then pull the gusset into it and join the two to keep everything in place.

[TwinOaks]

No, not from gusset to gusset....from front to back. I meant that you could put the holes in the gusset so you don't have to punch a hole in the front/back/flap panel. Just go to the corners where the gusset meets the front/rear panels. That way it pulls the sides of the top together. And if you bow the gusset in, it'll return to 'tucked in' under the pressure of the elastic.

[DoubleC]

Yes I figured it out when I thought about it a little Mike and a friend mentioned a similar method in PM. She said you can get a type of jacket drawstring elastic at a notions store. I think that would work well.

And Kevin I'm sorry I was so dense before but I just could not figure it out exactly, I was just too tired by then. I had someone stop by for a guitar strap fitting in between me working on this and it kinda freaked me out. Not the person, LOL, he's a friend but the whole someone at my house type thing.