Interfacing for bags is as as important as batting for quilts; you can’t make a quality bag without a quality interfacing.
My first bags were made out of home decor fabric. As I have many beautiful quilt weight fabrics, I started to use them for bags too . And I love these bags; you can pair the fabric with different types of interfacing, for different types of bags.
Adding interfacing to a piece of fabric creates more bulk. Before you start making up your bag you might want to make a test to see how your sewing machine sews through thick fabrics.
So let’s talk about the interfacing I use with the quilt weight fabric.
First I want to say that because I am a quilter, I make quilted bags. And I don’t quilt only on batting!
These bags below are made with Fusible Fleece – Fusible Thermolam – Batting – Timtex.
They add structure and strength to the fabric, making soft, flexible or stiff, rigid bags.
1. Pellon Fusible Fleece 987F or Pellon Fusible Thermolam Plus TP971F. (Vilene H630, H 640)
The fusible fleece or Thermolam could be fused directly to the wrong side of the fabric. But I don’t like the look of the fabric because of the loft of the fleece. This is why I first fuse a layer of a light fusible interfacing (woven or no-woven, like Pellon SF-101 Shape Flex, Craft Fuse or Vilene S320, Vilene G700), it makes the fabric crisp. Then I fuse a layer of fusible fleece or Thermolam , which adds body to the fabric.
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| left: only fusible fleece right: interfacing + fusible fleece |
My favorite for tote bags is Thermolam (it is needled fleece, denser than fusible fleece), fusible fleece works great on small purses like these ones, it makes them puffy.
2. Thermolam versus Quilted Thermolam
After the interfacing is fused on the back of the fabric, I like to quilt through all the layers.
It doesn’t take much time, but the benefit is huge:
– the stitches keep the layers together better and help avoid the “fused crinkly” look of fabric;
– after washing, you don’t need to iron the bag (we don’t iron the quilts); and even if the bag has to be pressed, the stitching makes it easy.
Below there are 2 bags – one with fused Thermolam and one with quilted Thermolam.
Usually, I don’t make fancy quilting .
This is the easiest one, made with a walking foot; while stitching, I just move the fabric to the left and to the right.
This one is quilted following the fabric design.
3. Timtex
Timtex is a thick and stiff interfacing. It gives a professional finish to a bag and makes it stand on its own. The bag will be rigid.
Timtex is not fusible. A product similar to Timtex is Pellon Peltex-it is fusible or non-fusible and not as thick as Timtex.
4. Decovil
Decovil (manufactured by Freudenberg in Germany) comes in two weights – lightweight and heavyweight; the heavyweight one is great for large bags (travel bags); the lightweight interfacing is perfect for everyday bags and it is my favorite interfacing of all.
If you are new to bag making, it is not the best idea to make your first bag with a stiff interfacing. It is easier to work with fusible fleece.
A small trick!
When working with a non- fusible interfacing, use an adhesive spray to temporary adhere the fabric to it.
Quilting on interfacing
After that, usually I “quilt” the piece.
I quilt even when working with the fusible interfacing (the quilting will keep the layers tegether better).
I use Jeans needles (size 100/16) and a good thread.
Quilted Bags
If you don’t have fusible fleece or other interfacing at hand, you could use any regular batting, a felt-like batting (cotton) is the best. The batting +backing add structure and body to the bag, still the bag will be flexible.
Recommended reading: How to sew quality quilted bags
Don’t forget about LINING
If the lining is a lightweight fabric, fuse interfacing to the back. Do this especially if you are not happy with the structure of your outer bag.
I hope this helps some of you. With so many beautiful fabrics, it’s very tempting to start a new bag right now!
Do you want to learn more?
Download the free ebook below!
Do you want to sew bags that turn heads?
Stylish, comfortable, and practical?
Bags that will make you proud?
Check out my bag patterns below.
Happy sewing bags!
What a great post!
Learn something every time I watch a video. Thank you!
Thank you so much for posting the Interfacing Guide. It is very helpful to me who is starting out with making bags. I am going to remember to put lightweight interfacing before the fleece. I like the crisp look. Your bags are inspiring me. I love your color combinations!!
Wonderful informational! I've pinned this one to my tutorials! Thanks for sharing your knowledge 🙂
Great advice – thank you! Bookmarked for future use.
Thank you for this very useful guide! A lot of work!
I can't wait to make a bag, now!
Thank you that you have shared with us so useful tips!
Thank you for this helpful guide. Have you tried Soft & Stable? It's a fairly new product I found at a large show. It's wonderful!
http://www.byannie.com/shop/category/supplies-and-tools/byannies-soft-and-stable/
Great post!
Thank you so much, great information.
I have used Soft and Stable and it is a great interfacing. The bags really hold their shape. Another product sold by the yard here in the United States is called Headliner fabric (used on the ceilings of cars and trucks when refurbishing them) It performs just like Soft and Stable but has the lightweight knit fabric fused to just one side of the foam material which makes no difference when inside the bag. It was a bit cheaper than the Soft and Stable too.
Geta, postul asta este genial, si vad ca la comentarii s-au mai adunat cateva informatii! Multumesc ca o persoana care a facut vreo 2 genti in viata ei si care poate va mai face vreodata, acum ca sunt atatea materiale la indemana. Cele doua gentute noi au iesit minunate. Duminica placuta!
Geta, thank you so much for helping to clear up what for me has been a very confusing issue. I have used the fusible fleece but haven't tried any of the other products. I will definitely know what I'm doing on my next bag that I make instead of just guessing. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experience with us!
This is so helpful! I have always had trouble with creases from poor batting choices in my bags. Thank you for making this information available!
Love the bags! great DIY!
http://www.borsefirmateit.com
Thank you so much for posting this interface information for quilted bags. I just tried a quick swatch {that only took 30 minutes) Wow!!! what a wonderful difference. I used a thick interface and wonder under both swatch pieces, high loft. Sandwich the loft, and used my walking for and followed you design idea. The piece holds a stiff flexible finish. Once again Wow!!!! I am using a fleece iron on batting for the final project. Thank you so much for taking the confusing out of making a quilt bag, making this project fun.
Buna … cam ce ne-ai recomanda aici in Romania sa folosim si unde as putea sa achizitionez? M-am confruntat cu problema si nu am gasit o intaritura termocolanta … Multumesc de ajutor. Ligia
Great info!!! I have wondered many times the difference between the Thermolam and the regular quilting fusible fleece. Thanks to you and your blog, I now know the difference. Thank you so much for all the information that you share!!
Thank you for all your wonderful information. It is so nice for you to share. I will give your email to all my quilting friends I will visit your site often!
Thank you Geta for sharing all your knoledge about quilting
I am sure I will learn a lot with your tutorial
Thanks for this insight. Do you quilt using Decovil?
Thanks
Anthonia
Hi there! I have some dumb questions…What type of batting or interfacing would work best for a diaper bag? Both the outer and liner fabrics are 100% cotton (needed a specific print and that’s the only fabric type it’s available in), and it’s not really going to be a HUGE bag…For things I’ve, well, put between the outside and the lining for in the past, I’ve only ever used regular fleece because they were very small projects and the fleece I used provides a bit of a cushioning effect. Would regular batting be okay for this? Or is something fusible better? I don’t really know what I’m doing in terms of interfacing…
great article! Thanks! Trying to find substitutions in Australia.
Valeria Wolf