No….I am not referring to my pants! I am refferring to the bottoms of bags! What happens if we don’t give our baggy bottoms some reinforcement? Well….for starters, they just don’t look good!
Who likes the look of a bottom that is saggy and out of shape? BUT not only do they fail to impress in the looks department, they will also fail the test of time! It is essential to give your bottoms the support they deserve…otherwise your bags just won’t be able to hold up to all the things you put in there!
Just how do we avoid saggy baggy bottoms? Eeek….it isn’t a very nice look when the bottom isn’t supported and it just hangs there looking mighty sad with all your goodies prodruding! Well….it is something that I get asked too many times to count ……. “What can I use for my bags bottom?”
The truth is that there are loads of options available to you and your choices are many! Of course it will depend on your bags design and just how much support you are seeking and wether you wish to improvise or upcycle and perhaps save a few bucks and the environment…..
Some of the things I use are:
Peltex. (Or Fast2Fuse!) You can get Peltex either as a sew-in or fusible. It is a firm stabilser which has plenty of uses in bags…one of which is for bases.
I like to use either the sew-in or fusible and for extra support, use two layers! If you use the sew-in version, a great way to keep your peltex from moving about is to quilt it to the bottom of your bag like I have done on Genevieve:
I got this idea from Maria of Mia Creates As I have mentioned before, Maria does the most amazing work you ever did see and so any idea of Maria’s is bound to work a treat! LOL And this one really does! Often when you are turning your bag, if you have just fused the peltex to your bottom, it will come off. Use the quilting method and your base stays put, for good!
You can also hold it in place using purse feet, like this:
Particularly handy for boxed bottomed bags is to wrap the Peltex in fusible interfacing, fuse to peltex, leaving a small amount each end which you sew onto your bags seams to hold in place:
Another product I use often is 7Mesh Plastic Canvas:
You can attach it with bag feet or make a simple sleeve to put it and just pop into the bottom of your bag.
Some people use heavy cardboard in a sleeve so it can be removed for washing as of course, cardboard cannot get wet…..Another option is MDF, plywood or masonite for a really firm bag base that won’t bend!
Template Plastic is also another option. Where I live, it costs about A$2.50 for a sheet of Template Plastic BUT today I was shopping for groceries at Aldi’s and they had plastic cutting mats which were thin and flexible just like the Template Plastic, only it was a pack of 6 sheets for A$5.00 and about the same size as the Template Plastic….what a great deal! LOL
Other ideas are foam core poster board available from art supply shops, Hobby Lobby or even the dollar store. Try mat board scraps from a picture framing business, left over corrugated plastic from sign shops (The stuff used for Real Estate signs etc!), floor vinyl, laminate or even platsic placemats!
Peel & stick floor tiles, plexiglass and I’ve even heard some people use the vinyl strips from vertical blinds! Again just make a simple sleeve to put your bottom in! Whatever you use, just remember to round off the corners so they won’t poke a hole in your sleeve!
Do you have a favourite source for baggy bottoms? Please DO share in the comment section below! 🙂
Happy bag making,
Thanks for all the great ideas for saggy bottoms Christine LOLLL. It’s a shame they only work on bags. LOL I know of a lady here who makes storage cases in different sizes from the vinyl strips from vertical blinds you mentioned, very sturdy. I’m still nervous when it comes to putting in bag feet. I have a real problem with sticking holes into bags I’ve made. LOLL
My favourite method is the quilted one and the mesh canvas one which I sew into my bags so they don’t move around.
Those are some great suggestions, Chris–thank you! I like the look of the quilted option and so I’m going to look for an opportunity to use that one. I like using the bag feet, too, because then you know that that bag bottom isn’t going anywhere.
BTW, (this has nothing to do with bags) I shop at Aldi’s, too! 🙂 I’ll have to check and see if ours has any of the cutting boards.
I have used for bag bottoms plastic placemats. I pick them up at Thrift shops and you can get several pieces out each one.
LOLLL if I could come up with an idea to fix my own saggy bottom I would be RICH from selling the idea! LOLLL less computering and more bike riding would help BUT where is the fun in that? LOLLLL…Yes sticking holes in a bag you have just made can be a little daunting! BUT…you can always apply some fray stopper or glue around the hole, under the feet so you won’t have problems…..Oh and YES….the quilted bottom is now one of my favorite methods too and especially because you know it is going to stay put and looking good through turning AND usage….maybe I could quilt MY bottom? LOLLLLLLL
Thanks Krista….I am glad you found the post useful! I am really pleased I found the cutting mats at Aldi’s actually…..they will come in handy for a couple of designs I have planned for the future….I might even pick up another pack now that I have had a chance to check them out and compare them properly…..I just hope they still have them when I get there next! Aldi’s stuff has a way of disappearing rather quickly, especially when it is something I am wanting! LOL!
Thanks Christine, great ideas. Why did I never think of all these possibilities!
Thanks for the great ideas Christine !
I didn’t know you had an Aldi by you ?? …what a small world ! LOL
I will have to keep my eyes open for those cutting mats…soon half of my kitchen will be in my sewing room ! LOL ..-its amazing what we use for our hobbies !
Thanks Christine it is always great to get good suggestion how to help my saggy bottom.:) I use thin chopping boards, that I can cut to size. That way I can pop them out if I wish to wash the bag.
Glad you like them! Sometimes you just need to think outside the box! I am sure there are other ideas out there too! 🙂
LOLLL yes I think most of us have problems with saggy bottoms so it is nice to share what we do to solve the problem!
LOL….yes it is a small world Liz……We have had Aldi near us now for about 5 years or so and more are cropping up around Australia all the time……Before that we used to drive 45 minutes just to get to Aldi to shop once a week and before that store….we drove an hour once a month to get to Aldi’s …..You save a small fortune each shop on groceries over the other supermarket chains and if you add that up over a year it makes a HUGE difference to your food budget………BOOSTING your fabric one! LOLLLLLLL
I’ve done the Peltex bottoms and plastic mesh bottoms. But I have never quilted the Peltex bottoms, Why didn’t I think of that? Great ideas and excellent article, Christine. I always enjoy reading your posts. Thank You!
Thanks for your lovely comments Paula! It is great to know my efforts are appreciated! 🙂
Great advice! BTW, you can also find those flexible cutting mats at those “dollar” type stores. Everything’s A Dollar, Dollar Tree, Deals, etc. I know some folks use them for bag pattern templates.
Thanks for your input Hope…..I appreciate it! 🙂
I love using the plastic covers off those clear plastic pocket display cases that we can buy for .50cents at the start of a school year. Make brilliant bases and cheap. For rounded edges just use a coin and cut with some dodgy sisscors or Stanley knife.