Making my own bags without a sewing machine?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Feb 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Aure	03 Feb 2004
I'm seriously thinking about starting to make my own tarot bags since the store I last bought some (where the sales ladies stare at me weirdly because all I ever buy them is scarves, wooden boxes and bags... :rolleyes: ) bags ripped me totally off! 9 € for a small silky bag that doesn't even have a lining?!? :mad: I still have some really nice white silk brocade that has golden yellow celtic crosses and crowns on it, actually leftovers from my bridal gown (which was a version of Queen Elizabeth I's coronation gown :D) and I'm thinking about making a bag from it just to see if I can. The problem: I have no sewing machine!! I've been meaning to buy one for ages but seems I never have the time or the money to do so. Can I somehow sew it by hand? What to do with the edges to prevent it from coming apart?

Astra	03 Feb 2004
Incredible what our ancestors managed without sewing machines, yes? The answer to all your questions is, of course you can. A needle and thread is a great way to go. To keep the edges from ravelling, you have several choices, the simplest of which is some goop from your local crafts store that will bond them for a loong time. If you want to forego the goop in favor of craftsmanship, then you can either catch-stitch the edges first, or (more elegantly), you can sew the bag and then turn the raw edges under and stitch the fold down to the inside of the bag. If you simply aren't sure enough to take on your good material on the first try, get a nice solid piece of plain cotton and try making it up first - it's amazing how many fewer mistakes you make when you're not worried about ruining expensive material.

Imagemaker	03 Feb 2004
Handcrafted bags from that elegant fabric would be wonderful -- "untouched by machinery." The process of doing a test sample may start you off on a whole new product line.

Majecot	03 Feb 2004
That is a wonderful idea, handsewn!!! That would make the bag very special indeed!

miss_apples	03 Feb 2004
I make my own bags and I dont have a sewing machine...and I can barely sew. What I do is turn sew it with the inside of the bag on the outside then when Im finished I turn them right side out, that way all the sewing stiitches and edges are inside the bag so they cant be seen. The only problem Im having is doing the drawstring part. Theyre not too pretty because like I said...I cant sew hardly at all...but they work. I understand why you'd want to make your own bags too, bags can be expensive! The store I used to buy them from sells them from $17 to $25 per bag...thats a little much for something to simply tote your tarot cards in.

Alissa	03 Feb 2004
I knit my own bags at times, from my own handspun yarn. The bags you knit like a mini scarf, then fold over, sew up the edges, and turn inside out. A drawstring is easy to include, I have two different types of drawstrings I will put on a bag (a simple, and a fancy one), but both include weaving the yarn through the fabric to create a (single or double) cinch.

Emily	03 Feb 2004
I've hand stitched most of my bags, I did make a couple on the sewing machine but it wasn't as much fun - I either catch stitch the inside seams down to stop them fraying or use pinking shears - with pinking shears the edges can still fray but it also depends on the material. With something white and lacy or silk like it would be better to just catch stitch the inside edges down. A long time ago, I don't have the website address now or I'd post it, I found a pattern of a drawstring bag and most of my bags were based on that design. But just by looking at a shop made bag you can get the basic idea. I've seen some very badly made bags at a very high price, and not even lined. My best buy were two blue silk cosmetic bags, lined, lightly padded and zipped - these are the two I use the most, I didn't make them but they do the job. :)

Moonbow*	03 Feb 2004
I don't sew bags at all, infact I don't have bags unless they are bought ones. I get a nice piece of material, like voile and wrap the cards up and put a pretty ribbon around them. Voila, no sewing Moonbow* You could even use a nice silky scarf

miss_apples	03 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Alissa I knit my own bags at times, from my own handspun yarn. The bags you knit like a mini scarf, then fold over, sew up the edges, and turn inside out. A drawstring is easy to include, I have two different types of drawstrings I will put on a bag (a simple, and a fancy one), but both include weaving the yarn through the fabric to create a (single or double) cinch. well yeah...putting a drawstring in a knitted bag is no sweat...theres already holes in the fabric to thread the string through. Other types of fabric are a little more tricky.

Alissa	03 Feb 2004
I'm thinking you could fold a flap of material at the bag's edge and thread a drawstring through, right? More sewing, I agree, but equally doable, I'd think.

Nevada	03 Feb 2004
There's also a type of tape similar to fusible interfacing, that has the iron-on adhesive on both sides. This can be used to make seams with a hot iron rather than with a needle and thread. I haven't tried it, but you might want to ask in your fabric store whether they have something like this. Your fabric sounds lovely, and that must have been some wedding gown! :) Nevada

sharon	03 Feb 2004
I've been planning on making a bag for my reading deck of the moment for a while now. As i do cross-stitch and like celtic knotwork - i've got to do the design and then stitch it and make up the fabric into the bag. I know what kind of design i'd like and have seen things that are similar but just don't hit the right spot somehow. However, that project is on the backburner for the minute - replaced by tarot! I'd also thought of scanning in one of my favourite cards and making a design chart to stitch onto for a bag for that deck. Sharon

HudsonGray	03 Feb 2004
That fuseable webbing is a great idea! That way a hot iron & a few minutes would take care of it all. But do the turndown at the top first, I think, to make it easier. Instead of a drawstring, you can have a 24" piece of cording doubled over & the end stuck into the side seam about 1 1/2" down from the top, and it would tie the bag nicely. That's how I do the cords in the bags I've run off. Trying to thread drawstrings through channels takes forever.

Star Spirit	03 Feb 2004
When I had my first deck, it had a scarf and a box. All this was very expensive and once I started collecting a few months ago I began using bags, but I have yet to buy one. I've made all my bags myself, with linings, sewn by hand. If you know what you're doing the end result is pretty good. Obviously a sewing machine would be better, but I certainly don't know how to use one ;) I have to train myself first. Sewing by hand produces fine results if you do it right, I have no fear that any of my bags will ever fray...if you use the right materials and don't sew too close to the edge they should be fine. As for strings, I weave my own with a double knot technique and just tie them on the outside. I wouldn't sell bags that I've sewn by hand because the stitching isn't as even as it could be, but I must say the ones I've made look pretty darn good :)

Agathe	04 Feb 2004
I was thinking that I could start making such bags. First for myself and my friends as presents. If it turns out I'm actually talented, then who knows? :D I think it would be a great fun!!! You gave me a wonderful idea to think about people :D. Thanks so much!!!! Blessings, Agathe

Emily	04 Feb 2004
Just to add that I've made drawstrings from embroidery cottons plaited together to make them thicker and then used a darning needle, or a big thick sewing needle, to make the holes in the fabric. The embroidery cottons come in some lovely colours to complement any fabrics and if you double back through the holes you can do a double drawstring. Also for bags that have a turn-over and a drawstring inside the turnover, use a large safety pin to take the drawstring through, it makes life alot easier. :) The first bag you make is always the hardest, then you learn from your mistakes so before cutting into your wedding dress fabric it might pay you to use cheaper material first just to see how the bag will turn out.

tabbycat	04 Feb 2004
I've made a couple of bags by hand - I found some really cute fabric with wolves on that I couldn't resist. Now I just need a deck to go with the bag... Here's a few tips - I picked 5 by 7 inches as a good size, then added half an inch all round for seams, but an inch at the top to turn over a hem to put the cord through. I ironed the seams and then stitched them as if I was doing patchwork, and as I lined the bags, all of the raw edges are out of harm's way. If I was mass-producing them for sale I think I'd use a sewing machine, but the hand-sewn ones came out pretty well. Jilly

skytwig	04 Feb 2004
Great ideas!! Hand sewing actually adds more of your personal energy to the bag... making tings by hand is highly preferred in any type of magick work.... I also buy old fancy dresses at thrift stores, especially when they have 50% off sales!! I get some great velvet that way!!!

inanna_tarot	04 Feb 2004
I've created 3 bags for some of my decks. I went to my local fabric shop and looked at the cut offs they had - cheap end of the roll squares of fabric, more than enough material for a deck bag. I normally get a white one (for the lining inside) and pick an outer fabric, one that calls to me. I then sew the lining first , then the outer bag and then sew one inside the other. I cant give you measurements because i've never used them! I just go by looking and by the size of the deck around the fabric. They arent super quality, but they are my best, and very creative and full of your personal energies! For the drawstring, i braid 3 colours of yarn (always some around the house as i knit alot too) so all my bags have unique drawstrings. They've never frayed or split and never got lost either (but thats coz i afterwards i put a "stay close to me" charm on, the first i ever created). They always say close to me and once they are in a bag i've made they dont feel "strange". Untill they have an individual bag, i put two in the same bag, well, if the owner allows it lol. All this is an exception for my Thoth, because at the moment, it feels too big for a bag lol. Talk about egos! Hope thats another insight. Sezo x

Bean Feasa	04 Feb 2004
I've recently discovered a shop in Dublin that sells very pretty bags for half the price of the ones I was buying before then in a shop in another part of the city. The more expensive ones were made in Nepal, the better value ones in China. But I always worry they're the product of sweatshop labour, particularly when they're very cheap. I hope nobody had to suffer long hours and dreadful conditions for my little luxuries. This preoccupation and the helpful ideas on this thread (many thanks!) are inspiring me to try to make my own. Sounds fun - after all I have two more decks in the post - and there's that purple velvet shirt that I've hardly ever worn...;) Kate

Emiac	06 Feb 2004
it doesnt matter if you can't sew you know, you just gotta do ya best. i make my own pouches, it feels more satisfying when you do everything from scratch, feels more personal. if you value time and money more than your tarot then maybe you should start to try & get closer to them before you really can't be bothered.

Deneb	08 Feb 2004
I've also bought fancy silk/ velvet clothes from flea markets and some beautiful sale fabrics from draper's to make tarot bags. I'm quite awful with sewing machine, lines just won't go straight no matter how hard I try. Sewing without machine takes more time and effort, but as some of you already said, it give's the bag more value and energy. I'm making some of my tarot bags with machine and the really special ones (for my favourite cards perhaps) with basic needlework.

Phoenyx*	08 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Alissa I knit my own bags at times, from my own handspun yarn. The bags you knit like a mini scarf, then fold over, sew up the edges, and turn inside out. A drawstring is easy to include, I have two different types of drawstrings I will put on a bag (a simple, and a fancy one), but both include weaving the yarn through the fabric to create a (single or double) cinch. That's a great idea, and you can also knit bags in the color that most goes with the deck :) *gets ideas now*

c0de	17 Feb 2004
hey i play a little "Hacky Sack" in my spare time and i make them by hand so a custom made bag should be no big deal :-P

inanna_tarot	20 Feb 2004
After you've made a bag, maybe you should think about a tarot spread cloth/matt sort of thing? Thats my latest project (thanks t CJTarot!). My mini try out one has worked perfectly and is a good size for a mini deck!! Next stop - proper big one :P Sezo x

Diana	20 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Emiac it doesnt matter if you can't sew you know, you just gotta do ya best. I am probably the worst sewer in the world. I had to make some bags recently, and my family thinks they are hilarious! :D I don't have a sewing machine, so I did them by hand. But the cards fit in them and they serve their purpose.

skytwig	20 Feb 2004
Pockets from jeans or jackets make good bags too..... pre sewn! :) Also, jewelry bags, that you can pick up at thrift stores, make good bags..... :)

Cocobird55	20 Feb 2004
I do have a sewing machine, and a serger. I've been buying a lot of decks lately, so this weekend I have several bags to make. I went to the fabric store and bought some beaded trim that's very pretty, some faux leather trim, and a few other things. I also got some frogs, so I don't need drawstrings on all of them. Frogs are a fancy sort of button and button hole that you can sew on the fabric to use as a closing. Fabric stores that sell quilting fabrics usually have fat quarters, which are quarter yards of material, and a good size for a bag. I agree that there is something very special about hand-sewn bags. I'm just too lazy to think of doing one... Sue

Marion	20 Feb 2004
Hi folks, I am going to move this thread into Chat tomorrow. This Forum is for discussing aspects of Tarot. Though I suppose tarot bags are sort of an aspect of tarot. :) Thanks. Your co-moderator, Marion

The Making my own bags without a sewing machine? thread was originally posted on 03 Feb 2004 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.