Bag #27: Duffel Bag

I wanted to make an old fashioned duffel bag this week.  You hardly ever see them now but they used to be really popular – in old films, sailors used to carry them.  I have seen bags labelled as duffel bags but they are really just holdalls, not the real thing.  What I like about duffel bags is that they look great whether you are carrying a lot in them or a small amount as the bag can expand or contract due to its shape and versatile closure.

I had a duffel bag as a teenaged which I loved.  It had a drawstring channel for the cord which also served as the strap.  However, a cord strap is really uncomfortable when carrying a heavy bag – it cuts into your shoulder – so that was a no no. Duffel bags aren’t usually lined, nor do they usually have wadding or foam.  This is a luxury version!

As a homage to its sailor origins, I decided to use a seaside fabric.  I shall probably use when I go to the beach (weather permitting) this summer which makes it doubly appropriate.

I wanted a firm base which retained its circular shape but softer sides.  To create this, I used bag foam for the base and a low loft wadding for the sides.  When using the contrast fabric, I wanted a stabiliser which would give the fabric a bit more strength without bulk so I used a medium interfacing. 

Usually, if I want to fuse the interfacing/foam/wadding, I buy a fusible version, but I decided to try using some non-fusible products but fuse them using a spray on fabric glue.  This worked well if you ignore my mistake at the start when I used a spray designed for paper by mistake.  The cans all look so similar!!  Luckily I realised in time or I could have damaged my sewing machine.  I tried both permanent and temporary glues and they both did what it said on the tin, so I was very pleased with them.  It also enabled me to use up some existing fabrics from my stash rather than spend more on new interfacing.

The eyelets need to be slightly bigger than the rope/cord.  I chose 12mm cotton rope and 14mm eyelets, but smaller ones would work just as well.  The seaside fabric is an upholstery cotton.  I used a plain cream cotton for the lining and the contrast fabric was a linen look cotton.

I needed a yard/metre of the outer fabric and lining, but only about half a metre of the contrast fabric.  I also had enough fabric left over for make another small bag – a mini duffel would be fun to make.

I had to rack my brains to remember how to work out the circumference of a circle.  Believe me, school maths lessons were a very long time ago. In the end, Mr Google helped. Anyway, you multiply the diameter (the distance across the circle at the widest point) by 3.14 (π).

The finished size is 19” high by 12” wide (approx. 48 cm x 30 cm)

I used my normal stitch length (2.5) throughout but increased it to 3 for topstitching. Most of the sewing was done using my normal stitch foot but I used the zip foot to get close to the piping cord when sewing around the circle.

I have included metric and imperial measurements but they are not exactly interchangeable, so you should stick to either one or the other.

Skills used in this project:

• Using eyelets

• Using a range of stabilisers to create different effects

• Using fabric glue to make fusible fabric

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following:

12”/30cm diameter Circular base (cut 1 outer fabric, 1 lining, 1 bag foam)

18” x 38¼” /46cm x 95.5 cm Side panel (cut 1 outer fabric, 1 lining, 1 medium        interfacing/wadding – the 18”/46cm is the height, if using a directional fabric)

4½” x 38 ¼”/ 11.5cm x 95.5 cm Eyelet panel (1 contrast fabric, 1 medium interfacing)

4½” x 5”/ 11.5 cm x 12 cm Cord holder (1 contrast fabric, 1 medium interfacing)

8” x 30”/ 20cm x 76 cm Strap (1 contrast fabric, 1 medium interfacing)

¾”/ 18mm bias binding to match lining (cut at 45º from selvedge of fabric)

2” x 39”/ 5 cm x 48 cm bias strip of contrast fabric to cover piping cord 

38”/95 cm length of ¼”/6mm piping cord

60”/ 150 cm length of ½”/12 mm Cotton rope

8 x ⅝”/14 mm Eyelets

Step 2: Making the piping

Join any short strips of bias cut fabric by overlapping them at right angles, sewing diagonally across.  Trim these seams and press them open.

Fold the bias strip of contrast fabric over the piping cord so that the raw edges meet.  At the start, fold the end under and leave a gap of about ½” or just over 1 cm before the piping cord begins.  Do not sew along this part of the piping yet.  Using a zip foot, sew close to the piping along the rest of the piping cord.  

I usually cut the fabric back along the whole length so that it measures about ¼”/ 6mm from the piping and this will match the seam allowance, but this is not essential.

Step 3: Attaching the piping to the base

Prepare the circular base by fusing the wrong side of the outer fabric to one side of the base and the wrong side of the lining to the other side of the base.  This will make a sandwich with the foam in the middle and the right sides of both fabric facing out.  If not using fusible foam, use spray on fabric glue for adhesion.

Pin the piping to the outer fabric side of the base with the raw edges of the piping matching the raw edges of the base.  When the piping is pinned all the way round, insert the end into the gap left at the beginning, trimming to size so that there is no gap in the cord.  Sew all the way round.

  

Step 4: Making/Attaching the strap

  

Attach the interfacing to the wrong side of the contrast fabric.  Fold in half lengthways so that the interfacing is on the inside and press, then fold the edges in lengthways so that it looks like bias binding.  Press.  Topstitch along the long open side close to the edge and then along the other long side.  

Sew one end of the strap to the right side of the base with the raw edge at the end of the strap facing out.  This goes over the piping. 

Step 5: Making/attaching the sides

Attach the wadding to the wrong side of the outer fabric side panel.  With right sides together, sew the shorter sides together. 

With right sides together, sew the shorter sides of the lining together.

Place the lining inside the outer fabric side panel, wrong sides together, matching the side seam.  Pin to hold them together.

Pin so that the bottom edge (one of the long edges of the side panel) is attached to the right side of the base (the outer fabric side) over the piping.  The lining and outer fabric of the side panel are attached to the base at the same time with a single row of stitching.  Sew all round.

Step 6: Neatening the internal seams

Trim the edge of the foam base all the way round to reduce bulk.

 

Using bias binding, attach one side of the binding to one side of the base’s raw edge all the way round as shown in the photo.  Fold the binding over the raw edge and sew the other side in place all the way round.

I made my own bias binding by cutting strips of fabric at 45º and then pulling them through a bias binding tool.

   

Step 7: Making the eyelet panel

Attach the interfacing to the wrong side of the eyelet panel. 

Join the side seams (the short sides) right sides together.

Place the eyelet panel over the top of the side panel, right sides together, side seams matching.  Sew all round to attach and press so that the seam is closed and facing towards the top of the eyelet panel.

Fold the top of the eyelet panel under by ¼”/ 6mm and press.

Fold the top of the eyelet panel in half all the way round so that it turns in towards the lining.  

Pin it so that it just overlaps the join with the side panel and hides the seam. 

Top stitch all the way round the top and bottom edges of the eyelet panel.

Step 8: Attaching the strap holder

Decide how long you want the strap.  Cut off any remaining fabric.  This will be used for the strap holder. It needs to be just a little longer than the strap is wide to allow for room to sew it in place.  Trim as necessary. 

Position it just below the eyelet panel above where the strap is attached to the base of the bag (see image at the start of this post). It needs to be positioned horizontally with the raw edges at the sides turned under.  Make sure that there is sufficient room for the strap to pass through.  Sew down each side to attach.  

Pass the strap through the strap holder before progressing to the next step.

Step 9: Attaching the other end of the strap

Turn the raw edge of the strap under and, making sure that it is not twisted, sew near to the top of the bag on the side opposite where the other end is attached. Sewing a line of stitches in a box/rectangular shape will ensure added strength.

Step 10: Inserting the eyelets

Decide where the 8 eyelets will go on the eyelet panel and mark the position.  I chose the position of the first one and folded the top of the bag in half to find the opposite position, then in half again to find where the next 2 should go and the final 4 were half way between each of these marks.

Attach the eyelets according to the instructions on the pack.  This will involve making a hole and then sandwiching the fabric between the two parts of the eyelet which is then gently banged into place.

Thread the rope through the eyelets.

Step 11: Making the cord holder

  

Attach the interfacing to wrong side of the contrast fabric. Fold the fabric, right sides together so that the slightly shorter sides meet.  Sew along a short side and long side to join. Pull half the fabric through the open side so the wrong sides are now together.  This forms a sleeve to hold the ends of the rope in place. Turn the remaining raw edges in towards the wrong side of the fabric.  Hand sew to close the seam. Sew a line of stitches down the centre from the top of the sleeve to the bottom.  Thread the ends of the rope through and knot them.

   

In this project I learnt:

• I have used eyelets before on several occasions but they still make me nervous.  In fact, I bought 50 eyelets even though I only needed 8 and I designed this bag with a separate eyelet panel so that, if anything went wrong, I could just replace the whole panel.  Perhaps I was overcautious because it all went smoothly.  I had a practise on some scraps of fabric before moving onto the bag itself.  I have a tendency to rush the last few stages in bag making because I get impatient for the finished bag.  With this task, I took my time and luckily the eyelets all went on easily.

• I don’t think I have ever used such a wide range of stabilisers to create different effects.  I knew exactly what I wanted and searched through my stash to find the most suited for the job.  Bag foam is always best for a firm yet padded shape. Wadding or fleece gives a soft but fluid shape.  I had a double sided fusible wadding which I bought by mistake thinking it was only fusible on one side.  I don’t have much need for it, so I was pleased to be able to use most of it up.  Once the sides were attached, I pressed them and the wadding welded to the outer and lining.  I found a black sew-in interfacing which I had picked up in a sale somewhere.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in practice I usually use pale colours so the black is rarely used.  It was medium weight which was just what I needed and the black worked well behind the dark blue contrast fabric.  At the start of the year, I wouldn’t have understood the different uses of all of these, so this project is helping me to become a better sewist.  It is also making me try different techniques which I’m really enjoying.

• I have never used spray on fabric glue to make fusible interfacings/wadding because I usually buy what I need for a project.  This glue enables me to use up what I already have.  It’s quite expensive but worth every penny.  I have both temporary and permanent and used both in this bag.  I used the permanent to attach the bag foam to the outer and lining fabrics.  I actually had some fusible foam but decided to try this and use up a left over bit of foam.  It did the job well (after the first attempt when I used a non-fabric adhesive spray by mistake).  I used temporary adhesive with the black interfacing because it was being sewn in and just needed to be held in place during assembly.  They both worked well, but I’m going to move my fabric glues to a different cupboard so that I will never again mix up fabric and card glue.  Just the thought of the potential damage to my lovely sewing machine brings me out in a cold sweat!