How to attach bag bottom

[knightfox]

I'm trying to create a tote bag similar to the picture. I like how the bottom is attached to the top. I'm having difficulty figuring out how its done. I tried with soft leather but I'm no where near this. Youtube tote tutorials all use stitching inside out and flipping out. Could anyone point me to steps or videos on how to achieve this? Appreciate any response. Thanks. 

[Boguita]

Hi @knightfox, with my limited knowledge in the subject, i guess that this kind of bottoms are made with some kind of long-post bed sewing machines.-

i remember seen thouse infomercial shorts in youtube from asian factories building up some vinyl totebags like thouse you show and also carry-bags (those little ones that you can take inside the cabin in comercial flights), sewn with that machines.-

That's all i know.-

[Garyak]

Gotta have some sort of cylinder arm machine, or hand stitch. 

[toxo]

8 hours ago, knightfox said:

I'm trying to create a tote bag similar to the picture. I like how the bottom is attached to the top. I'm having difficulty figuring out how its done. I tried with soft leather but I'm no where near this. Youtube tote tutorials all use stitching inside out and flipping out. Could anyone point me to steps or videos on how to achieve this? Appreciate any response. Thanks. 

 

 

I would suggest you need a template or a pattern or a hell of a lot of trial and error for this bag. Measurements have to be precise. I don't know what machines you have or if you intend to hand stitch. If you can't find a pattern maybe you could adapt one. I made some of these from a Dieselpunk pattern a while back. All hand stitched but I guess you could machine it. Most of Dieselpunks patterns come with a video tutorial.

[knightfox]

@Boguita @Garyak Appreciate the response. I'll be hand stitching. 

@toxoIll be hand stitching. I'm doing trial and error but unable to get it even close to what the bag looks. Your bag looks so good. Let me check Dieselpunk pattern and see if I can find one. If you have any other tote bag pattern, could you please share. 

[toxo]

1 hour ago, knightfox said:

@Boguita @Garyak Appreciate the response. I'll be hand stitching. 

@toxoIll be hand stitching. I'm doing trial and error but unable to get it even close to what the bag looks. Your bag looks so good. Let me check Dieselpunk pattern and see if I can find one. If you have any other tote bag pattern, could you please share. 

OK, I'll sort out some old Tandy patterns that I'm sure were free but for now -

If you want to do the bag you're showing, Start out with the bottom. Find something stiff and thick maybe 5/6mm. Get it the size and shape you want then glue/stitch/rivet a piece of the bag leather to it leaving about 10mm overlap all round. Fold the overlap over, this will give you the size of the panels. Make sure you mark the center both ways. You will eventually insert this from the bottom and the overlapped leather will allow you to stitch from the outside instead of having to get one hand inside and stitch blindly. Use the circumference of this bottom piece as the size of the front/back panels with some overlap. (The size of the top of those panels is up to you, as is whether you make them out of one piece or two.) clip the two panels in situ and make sure you have a tight fit with the bottom piece. if happy the stitch up the two panels, insert the bottom and stitch from the outside. This will ensure the bag will sit on the rim thus keeping the bottom clear of the ground. You might want to fit the handles and anything else whilst the panels are flat. If fitting a fabric liner you could skive the top of the panels so you can fold over and trap the liner in between.

Let me know if anything is unclear. Good luck.

[knightfox]

Thanks for the suggestion. I was trying with veg tan since I dont have chrome tanned and it was hard to align and maybe Im not using right technique. I have ordered soft chrome tan leather to play with.

If I'm using 2-3oz soft leather, should I glue the liner fully or only the edges. Do you think adding an enforcement like cordura or canvas between liner and outer will prevent stretching?  

[toxo]

1 hour ago, knightfox said:

Thanks for the suggestion. I was trying with veg tan since I dont have chrome tanned and it was hard to align and maybe Im not using right technique. I have ordered soft chrome tan leather to play with.

If I'm using 2-3oz soft leather, should I glue the liner fully or only the edges. Do you think adding an enforcement like cordura or canvas between liner and outer will prevent stretching?  

•  

Nothing wrong with veg tan. 1mm is a bit on the thin side but that depends on the size of the bag. Don't see why it would stretch but it won't hurt to fully glue a backing onto it. I'll dig out some pics of my big ole stripey tote. This tote is ultra soft and is only about 1.5mm even with the pigskin liner. It's almost 2ft across the top. The backing was needed for strength because I used the French seam throughout.

[knightfox]

@toxo Awesome. Thanks for sharing the pictures. This is very helpful.