SoftFab Skills Development: Bag Making

For my Soft Fabrication skills development, I wanted to get very comfortable with sewing and bag fabrication. I prototype a lot, and having the skills to work with a sewing machine confidently makes product design much more diverse from a prototyping perspective.

I decided to make two pieces: a drawstring bag to practice stitching over folds and making sharp lines, and a fabric first-aid kit to practice zippers and experiment with mixed media.

I used an old drawstring bag that I have as a template and as a guide to help me understand the different types of stitching and folds that are utilized in the bag. Overall I am very happy with the way that it turned out!

My second endeavor was a water-resistant bag for first-aid materials. I created my own template to cut out the bag in one piece from a waterproof fabric and then stitched it together using the techniques we learned in the dart exercise. 

Next step was to add the zippers and the organization bags. The hardest part was turning the corners on the zippers. 

I am really happy that I took this course because I think these skills are incredibly valuable in day-to-day life and are also just very fulfilling. I have the confidence to repair clothes, knit a gift, or just relax and felt for a bit. The possibilities are endless!