What machine to make this bag?

[centerisl]

Longtime lurker...tried some hand working...would like to try sewing...ironically just sold a Pfaff 545 that I used for making canvas items for my boat...and I'm trying to think through what I should get. As a woodworker I have many saws, so I get know there are machines better suited for certain tasks. And with wood I can program it in my head - but I don't know how to build a leather item.

So...how would I build this bag and what machine type would be ideal? I don't want to build exactly this bag, but I could imagine doing stuff like that. I can see a flatbed for the...well...flat parts, but then...would I need a cylinder for sewing up the side?

Not knowing anything...I think I'd start with that bottom sandwich - smaller liner / side / heavy bottom piece - on one bottom long edge. Then wrap the side and do the other? I think the side is one entire piece with one side seam based on the exterior view, but there could be a second side seam hidden behind that pocket piece. Two side pieces would make the bottom easier, but then leave those two side seams. And...is there some sewing on the short bottom ends? I can't see anything in the pictures but then...it seems like small items would potentially slide out if the bottom distorts. How are those bottom ends secured?

Can this entire bag be sewn with a flat bed? Would a cylinder with an add-on table be more appropriate?

[toxo]

That kind of bag is commonly called a tote. Unless you want to carry extremely heavy items the thickness of that one is well overkill. There are lots of videos that will show you how to do it. The easiest way is to cut your material @ twice the height plus the width of the bottom. 14 inches high plus a 4inch bottom = 32inches x the width say 14 inches. Find the center of the 32 and mark a line. cut a 4 inch square at each end of the centerline using the line as halfway, so 4inches in and 2inches either side of the centerline. Cut out those 4 inch squares. Now you have a shape that you could broadly call an "H". Now put the two top edges together keeping the good side to the inside. sew down each side. when you get to the "Holes" you bring it together in such a way that you have a 4 inch bit with a corner sticking out. You can either sew along the 4 inch line and cut off the surplus or cut the surplus off first and then sew. Then turn the right way out and sort out you handles.

[Spyros]

thats a strange bag on the photos

It looks like whoever made it did a machine stitch along the handles for... no reason whatsoever, and then hand stitched over them for... some reason LOL

And yes the thickness is overkill, and the rivets on the bottom are probably redundant, unless they are there instead of bag feet? which doesn't really work because the leather will always touch the floor first.  And he hasnt turned the fabric pocket on the sides, which means it will fray over time.  And if you're gonna put rivets on the strap, what is the point of stitching around the rivets, I have no idea.

Anyway, this bag raises more questions than answers :D

But a tote is generally a good and simple project, you can follow toxo's advice or simply check youtube for "turned tote bag", there should be many videos.

 

[Wizcrafts]

You would use a post machine to make a bag like this.

[centerisl]

47 minutes ago, Wizcrafts said:

You would use a post machine to make a bag like this.

 

Thanks @Wizcrafts! That was indeed my meta question   

I'll have to dive a bit deeper into @Spyros and @toxo responses as well.

Thank you all - truly appreciate your insight (and design critique!).

[TomMeyers]

That's what you get for 150-200$US in the Will store.

[Matt S]

48 minutes ago, Spyros said:

It looks like whoever made it did a machine stitch along the handles for... no reason whatsoever, and then hand stitched over them for... some reason LOL

I agree with you about how the handles were constructed (machine sewn single thickness w/skinny thread then hand sewn to the bag w/ chunky thread) but there are reasons to sew single-thickness: appearance (to give an increased appearance of completeness, finishedness and matching with other stitched parts), and to reduce stretch. I often stitch single-thickness keeper loops for both these reasons. I'm not too keen on how it was executed here with the thread mismatch, would have been more elegant riveting the handles on IMO.

[MtlBiker]

2 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

You would use a post machine to make a bag like this.

What part of that bag says to you, "post" bed machine?  Is it the side seam which might be hard to reach near the bottom with a flatbed?  I make a similar bag using both flatbed and cylinder arm machines (for different parts) but I'm drooling over getting myself a post machine.  Please... give me more reasons to get one! 

(I'm actually thinking of the Techsew 860 or equivalent, as it uses the same needle system as my other machines plus has a compound walking foot, and takes thread up to 138 and needles up to size 24.)

[centerisl]

33 minutes ago, MtlBiker said:

What part of that bag says to you, "post" bed machine?  Is it the side seam which might be hard to reach near the bottom with a flatbed?  I make a similar bag using both flatbed and cylinder arm machines (for different parts) but I'm drooling over getting myself a post machine.  Please... give me more reasons to get one! 

[centerisl]

5 hours ago, toxo said:

That kind of bag is commonly called a tote. Unless you want to carry extremely heavy items the thickness of that one is well overkill. There are lots of videos that will show you how to do it. The easiest way is to cut your material @ twice the height plus the width of the bottom. 14 inches high plus a 4inch bottom = 32inches x the width say 14 inches. Find the center of the 32 and mark a line. cut a 4 inch square at each end of the centerline using the line as halfway, so 4inches in and 2inches either side of the centerline. Cut out those 4 inch squares. Now you have a shape that you could broadly call an "H". Now put the two top edges together keeping the good side to the inside. sew down each side. when you get to the "Holes" you bring it together in such a way that you have a 4 inch bit with a corner sticking out. You can either sew along the 4 inch line and cut off the surplus or cut the surplus off first and then sew. Then turn the right way out and sort out you handles.

I found a great video that describes exactly the approach you outlined (done with a punch and handsewn but could be machined). And yet...note that on this bag the side seam is overlapped (visible in the interior and exterior). I don't think there's an equivalent seam on the other side. That double row of overlap...I'm thinking that's what @Wizcrafts was saying needed a post machine.

[Spyros]

8 hours ago, Matt S said:

I agree with you about how the handles were constructed (machine sewn single thickness w/skinny thread then hand sewn to the bag w/ chunky thread) but there are reasons to sew single-thickness: appearance (to give an increased appearance of completeness, finishedness and matching with other stitched parts), and to reduce stretch. I often stitch single-thickness keeper loops for both these reasons. I'm not too keen on how it was executed here with the thread mismatch, would have been more elegant riveting the handles on IMO.

It just does my head in Matt, the engineer part of my brain throws a tandrum when I see stitches and rivets that don't hold anything together.  I guess customers don't think like that, so yeah, maybe, ok.

But don't think it will reduce stretching in any meaningful way, the thread will also flex and stretch overtime.  If you're going through the trouble of stitching it, why not line the damn thing, and that really reduces stretching.

Edited November 20, 2021 by Spyros

[RockyAussie]

7 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

What part of that bag says to you, "post" bed machine?  Is it the side seam which might be hard to reach near the bottom with a flatbed?  I make a similar bag using both flatbed and cylinder arm machines (for different parts) but I'm drooling over getting myself a post machine.  Please... give me more reasons to get one! 

(I'm actually thinking of the Techsew 860 or equivalent, as it uses the same needle system as my other machines plus has a compound walking foot, and takes thread up to 138 and needles up to size 24.)

Because of the height of this bag I would not want the Techsew 860 as it has a low height post. For the ease of stitching the base in and getting down low on those long sides I would be looking more at the Techsew 85017 which has a 17" height post compared to the 7" height of the other. Doing this form of side seam and base is quicker than other methods if you have the right machine . This machine can do a very wide range of applications but just a word of caution all the same for the OP ....if I were just starting off with out any other machines I would be looking more at a cylinder machine. You can easily make tote bags with them as well but not with this construction method. If the leather you use is soft and floppy you may get close to doing it but you would want to be pretty desperate to try.

[RockyAussie]

10 minutes ago, Spyros said:

why not line the damn thing

Time and money and sometimes skill..

[Spyros]

55 minutes ago, RockyAussie said:

Time and money and sometimes skill..

false economy IMO... a strap of liner leather costs nothing, and you're already wasting time by stitching leather with air, how much more time is it really to cut a same size strap and hold it underneath while you're stitching?

Different story if you decide to go with plain unstitched straps, that does save time.

[Matt S]

On 11/20/2021 at 3:33 AM, Spyros said:

It just does my head in Matt, the engineer part of my brain throws a tandrum when I see stitches and rivets that don't hold anything together.  I guess customers don't think like that, so yeah, maybe, ok.

But don't think it will reduce stretching in any meaningful way, the thread will also flex and stretch overtime.  If you're going through the trouble of stitching it, why not line the damn thing, and that really reduces stretching.

The engineer part of your brain is running with insufficient data Spyros!  Stitching single-thickness leather will reduce stretch over time. It also increases stiffness which, in this case, might be lacking in the handles. Judging by the rest of the bag I'd estimate that they wouldn't stand erect like that without the stitching. That stitching definitely has a purpose.

From a leathergineering PoV I have a lot more problem with the postage stamp stitching of the shoulder strap clips.

On 11/20/2021 at 4:49 AM, Spyros said:

false economy IMO... a strap of liner leather costs nothing, and you're already wasting time by stitching leather with air, how much more time is it really to cut a same size strap and hold it underneath while you're stitching?

Different story if you decide to go with plain unstitched straps, that does save time.

Having a practiced operator run those handle straps through a machine will take a couple of seconds max. Pennies of labour and an almost incalculably small cost in thread. Lining with leather you have the cost of leather, the cost of the die cutter, the material and labour costs of gluing the liner in place, the drying time, and maybe trimming. Some of those costs reduce with scale (the die cutter will, within its service life, ameliorate to virtually nil) but others (like labour and drying time) are per-unit costs that largely don't scale down with volume.