How to Square Bags
August 24th, 2007 by Jen LoveI had been asked by several to explain what I meant by the term “gussetting” in several of my former projects. It’s one of those techniques that is difficult to describe in words but is really easy to do! I promise if you try this quick tutorial it will change the way you sew, especially the way you make bags!
1. For my example I made a small pouch by folding my fabric in the middle (right sides together) to make the bottom of my bag, and sewing up the right and left sides.
2. Then at one of the corners I put my hand inside of the bag in order to flatten it in the opposite direction.
3. Now you are looking at the end of your bag and it should look like a triangle. Center your seam between the other 2 sides of the triangle and measure down from the peak the measurement of half the width you want the bottom to be when finished. Not hard math- 1 1/2″ if you want a 3″ wide bottom…it will depend on the size of your bag.
4. Using ruler, mark with pencil or chalk a vertical line across your “triangle”. This the line that you sew your seam across.
5. Repeat for the right and left sides of the bag. This is also how you could make ears on hats for kids, but by sewing on the right side of the fabric.
6. When you turn the bag inside out it will have 2 square sides. Cover cardboard and add to the bottom to make your bag sturdy. This same technique can also be used on knitted bags, which is were I first learned to gusset.
August 24th, 2007 at 4:54 am
Thank you for this. I had the hardest time with this for Amy Karol’s pattern. What a great help.
August 24th, 2007 at 5:01 am
Love it!! Thank you, especially for the tip on how far to measure to get the size bottom you want. I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around making a square bottom bag that has 6″ sides and now I know how far down to sew the line!! Thanks again!!
August 24th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Ok, that was a very wonderful tutorial. Thanks for sharing!
August 24th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
I use those flexible plastic chopping boards you can buy in sets of three from the supermarket for my bag bottoms - it means they can be washed…. (I, of course, cut them down to size first!)
August 24th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
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August 25th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Great pictorial instructions!! I really have to see something to understand it and these were perfect. I’m going to be making morse bags but wanted them to have a square bottem. Now I know how to do that. Thanks so much!!
August 26th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
[…] How to Square Bags […]
August 26th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
[…] Hardest Part of the Sunday Bag Click here to find great pictures and descriptions of making the square bottom of the Sunday Bag. Remember, […]
August 27th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
wow, that is a great tutorial. thank you.
August 28th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
[…] Jen at Crafty Daisies shows you the sewing art of making bags square and sturdy. Link. […]
August 28th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Thanks! My daughter and I just tried making a tote bag today (from fused plastic bags) and had to just wing it when it came to shaping the bottom. We’re going to go try a second bag using these directions!
August 29th, 2007 at 1:21 am
Thank you so much! I’ve had pattern instructions for square bags before but never could work out exactly what they were talking about. Seeing the images along with instructions is a huge help!!
August 29th, 2007 at 8:34 am
super)))
August 29th, 2007 at 8:36 am
booom)))
August 30th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
[…] How to Square Bags » Crafty Daisies - I have vague ideas about making some square bags to hold Christmas presents one of these years. […]
September 1st, 2007 at 5:32 am
[…] Jen at Crafty Daisies shows you the sewing art of making bags square and sturdy. Link. […]
September 1st, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Great pictures and explanation. Simple and to the point, thanks!
January 12th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I have always done my bags this way, (It’s the way I was taught by my Granny) but I never knew what it was called. I also sew a “bottom” to my bag to get the measure for my cardboard or whatever I have handy. It’s just squaring it off at the bottom so it sits a little better.
You’re a genius though, dear!