Tote bag: important lessons from a simple project

On Friday I turned in my tote bag, the first project for my apparel construction class. I do not think anyone at my school harbors dreams of becoming a tote bag designer, but we all begin our apparel design studies by making one. Tote bag construction is a simple process, but in making this bag I learned some valuable lessons that will serve me well throughout my sewing career. Making this bag seemed to serve some additional purposes too: it introduces students to the apparel construction process, and it marks us as apparel design students.
Sewing the bag seems to be a rite of passage for apparel design students at UW-Stout. There are other items we will all make, but the bag is the one I hear mentioned most. I do not know if construction students all have a special tool or if education students all have a special red pen, but every apparel design student has a tote bag. I see students in their fourth year of school use the tote bag they made as freshmen to carry the supplies for their senior projects. Had I know that I am destined to develop such an intimate relationship with my bag I probably would have used a different print.

We were not given enough time in class to complete the bag. The only way to finish the project was to work on it in the open lab sessions. Students are permitted to work on their projects at home too, but at certain points in the construction process an instructor or lab supervisor must sign off on our work before we can continue. I finished my bag well ahead of schedule as did some of my classmates, while others are struggling to finish it on time. Late assignments are not accepted. I hope everyone in class finishes the bag and that they now understand the importance of good time management for our sewing projects.

Before this semester I would not have thought of a tote bag as a college level project, but I now understand that a simple project is the best way to teach the important skills that form the basis of advanced techniques. We had one lesson just about pressing fabric. Everyone knows how to iron, but there is a lot more to it that most people realize. We learned about pressing equipment (ham, sleeve board, point presser, pounding block, needle board, seam roll, press cloths) and how to press fabrics without damaging or distorting them. I did not know that I should iron in the direction of the fabric grain, nor did I know to press seams flat to set stitches before pressing them open. I have a few yards of corduroy at home. I knew about nap, but I had never heard of a needle board. I am glad I did not try pressing my corduroy before this lesson. I used to think I knew how to iron, but now I worry about what I do not yet know.

My fabric is a 60% cotton, 40% polyester blend. It took a while to find a setting on the irons that would not damage the fabric. I was smart enough to test the iron on scrap pieces first. I found the fabric in the drapery section of Hancock Fabrics. It was on sale for $3.00 per yard, down from $12.00. Nobody wants drapes with a print that is five years old.

The measurements for the bag’s pieces were posted to the class web page. All the pieces were rectangles. It would have been easy to measure the rectangles onto the fabric and cut them, but we were not allowed to do so. We had to make pattern pieces, pin the pieces to the fabric, then cut. Learning how to make a tote bag was nice, but learning about patterns will be more useful. I do not expect to make too many more tote bags, but I will use lots of patterns.

Before we could lay out the pattern pieces we had to ensure that our fabric was on grain. Last semester I could simply measure from the grainline on the pattern piece to the selvage, but that method is no longer good enough. Now I begin by pulling a crosswise yarn and cutting along the line it makes. I then fold the fabric so that the selvages are parallel and see if the crosswise cut I made is perpendicular to the selvage. No one in class had fabric that was perfectly on grain. What can you expect for $3.00 per yard? The way to straighten the fabric is to have two people grab the short corners of the folded fabric and pull in the direction of true bias. Fold, check, pull, and repeat until the fabric lines up right.

The bag’s seams were finished with a serger. I would have preferred to make enclosed seams or to hide the seams with a lining, but my ability to follow directions is a large portion of my grade. Projects I work on now must be made the way their designers intended. Once I begin designing my own items I will be able to make them as I please.

The straps were the most difficult part of the project. Sewing them was easy as was attaching them to the rest of the bag. The problem was turning them right side out. The pattern pieces were 3” wide and 31” long, and we used a ½” seam allowance. Turning each strap took more than 15 minutes. The rest of the project seemed quite easy. I worked slowly because I wanted to do everything as best as I could. I do not yet know how demanding my instructor is. I hope I get a good grade on the bag. I may need it to balance out my grades for the other projects which will be a lot more difficult.

Yesterday I began work on a shirt at home, and in class today I will start work on a skirt, but the next item I finish will be another tote bag. My instructor is allowing me to use the industrial lockstitch machines in the lab so that I will not lose the skills I picked up last semester. I may not use the industrial machines for class projects, but I can use them for my own stuff. I bought some nice fabric for a shirt, but the first thing I will make is a tote bag. Every industrial machine has a unique personality, so I want to become accustomed to the lab machines before I start work on something complicated. A tote bag will let me do this. It will be my fourth tote bag of the semester. I made two at home as practice and one in class. I have no idea what I will do with all these bags. Anyone need one?

The semester in review, part 2: the important stuff

In part 1 of my semester review I wrote about what I needed to know for my final exam. All of that will be useful as I progress through school, but some of the other things I learned this semester are much more important. I did not take this class for the credits; I will not be transferring them to UW-Stout. I took this class to confirm that this field is the right one for me and to gain a little experience before I start my studies in earnest. I now know that I chose a good major. I love sewing. I am excited about my upcoming studies at Stout and my eventual career in the apparel industry. The lessons taught in class were important, but the other things are learned are what really matters most.

Experience counts - Practice, practice, practice. What is difficult at first becomes easier over time. Sew a lot and your sewing will improve. Complicated procedures become easy with experience.

Muslin is cheap - Play around with it. Sew stuff. See what happens. Make stuff in muslin first to learn how to do it. Big mistakes in muslin are no big deal, but big mistakes with expensive fabrics may make you cry.

Sewing requires a lot of attention - If you become distracted as you sew you will probably need to rip out some stitches. Pay attention. I often listen to my iPod as I sew. Classmates are more distracting that music.

Mistakes happen; it's OK - My seam ripper may be my most important tool. I tell myself that every mistake is a learning experience. It is a good idea to have some extra fabric. Remaking a small piece is sometimes easier and less time consuming than ripping out stitches.

Sergers can screw you - A mistake on a serger can cut your fabric. Stitches sewn in error can be torn out, but cut fabric may be beyond repair. A lockstitch can put a needle through a finger; a serger can cut off a finger tip. Sergers are fun, but please be careful.

Don't sew angry - Sewing angry as just as bad as sewing distracted. Relax. If I make a small mistake I deal with it and keep going. If I make a big mistake, or if I continuously make the same small mistake, I will stop work and take a small break. I leave the lab and eat a bag of Skittles. After I calm down I can think about what I learned from my mistakes, and hopefully they will not be repeated.

Press everything - Press your fabric before tracing your pattern pieces, after you cut them out, and again before you sew. Press open seams as soon as you finish sewing them. Press everything, then do it again. This brings us to my next point...

Irons are hot - We all know this, but it still needs to be mentioned. Be careful, but no matter how careful you are you will still occasionally singe your finger tips. First degree burns are part of sewing. Stop complaining and just deal with it.

Industrial machines are fast - I learned to sew on a home machine. At the start of the semester industrial machines intimidated me, but now I love them. I need a lot more practice, but I will eventually become adept.

Work at your own pace - We have deadlines to meet, but if you go too fast you may screw up. It is better to spend a few extra seconds sewing slowly than minutes making repairs.

Machines have personalities - I am not referring to the differences between different makes and models. Every machine is different. Find one you like and try to use it as much as you can. I used a few Juki DDL 5530N machines at school. One of them is my favorite machine in the lab, one I hate, and the rest are OK. If you are using a machine for the first time you should spend a few minutes getting used to it.

Sew on a piece of scrap first - Before starting work you should test your machine on a piece of scrap fabric. The machine may not be threaded correctly, the tension may be off, and there may be other problems. The scrap should be the same type of fabric that you will be using.

Watch your bobbin - No matter how much thread you think you have on your bobbin you really have less. It is not fun to have a bobbin run out of thread halfway through a seam.

Help your classmates - Maybe someday you will be on Project Runway, but until that day comes you should not think of sewing as a competition. We are all in this together. All of us need help at times. Today you help a classmate and tomorrow someone helps you. Play nice.

Watch your tools - Share your tools and supplies with your classmates. Sooner or later you will need to borrow something from one of them. But keep an eye on your stuff. You will spend a lot of money on equipment; try to not lose things. This semester I had to replace a clipper, a seam ripper, and two rulers. They were not stolen, I just left them behind. Write your name on your stuff.

Pins are your friend - There is no such thing as too many pins. Difficult seams become simple with lots of pins. It is easy and quite tempting to sew over pins, but you should not do it. You can usually get away with it, but the first time your needle hits a pin you will understand. Keep the pins away from the seam line if you are using a serger.

Don't give up - Some things are easy, some are not. Ask questions, seek help, and keep trying. Even the most difficult tasks become easier with experience.

Sewing is fun - You should enjoy what you do. You need to love sewing in order to devote enough time to it to become proficient. If you hate to sew this might not be the right career path for you. Perhaps you are better suited for a different area in the fashion industry, or perhaps a different industry entirely would be best for you. Fortunately I find sewing to be exhilarating and enjoyable.

I learned a lot of other things too, but these were the ones that came to mind as I wrote this blog entry. The two most important pieces of knowledge I gleaned are the first and last ones mentioned: Experience counts and sewing is fun. Tasks that at the start of the semester seemed impossible are now easy. I am confident that as I take more classes my skills will continue to improve. This was one of the most the most enjoyable classes I have ever taken, and I am excitedly looking forward to my future in fashion.