My first Tote bag...boy it was hard getting this thing hooped! How do most of you embroider on tote bags?

Looks great! I find hooping the most challenging part of machine embroidery.

1 comment

by reallyrob 07 Oct 2012

Yes, so do I! It would be so nice if we didn't have to hoop anything! LOL

Congratulations on embroidering your first bag, great work

Well done, it turned out cute. Hugs Yvonne

Great job! I think you did fabulous! I sometimes rip the side seam to make it easier and then serge it back up. I do this with if I want to center it on the front. I also don't hoop, but spray and use pins to anchor. I also turn it inside out. This is easy on some and not so easy on others. I have a single needle.

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by reallyrob 06 Oct 2012

I have a single needle too. I am going to try and do a bag by taking out the side seam, but I don't have a serger, so I will just sew it back together...hopefully it will work.

Look pretty cute to me! Well done! What kind of stabilizers do you use with these canvas totes?

1 comment

by reallyrob 06 Oct 2012

I used a cut a way stabilizer on this one

Great job on the bag. Hooping is a challenge the first few times and the other cuties gave you good tips.

I do a lot of these bags and learned if I turn it wrong side out then hoop it and pull the part not being embroidered out of the way it works great for me.

This looks great. I'd approach this project by doing the design onto another piece of fabric -either contrast or matching, and then fold to hide the back of the embroidery and stitch the pocket to the bag. Much easier!

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by reallyrob 05 Oct 2012

That is a great idea! I never thought about that! Thanks!

I ripe out the one side seem and sometimes the bottom and your bag is awesome huggers

You are doing great! You keep trying new projects and you are learning fast.

2 comments

by reallyrob 04 Oct 2012

I already have a ton of designs that I have purchased and I have a bunch of projects in the works! Thanks for the encouragement!

by noah 04 Oct 2012

love it great job hugs

You did great your bull dog very nice. I see you got great advice already.

You have lots of good advice here, I love your design :)

looks like you have some good answers here, your bulldog is really cute!

It works for me to not hoop it and to use the basting feature that comes with the embroidery unit and also turn the bag inside out. Ripping out the side seam is great when you can but sometimes the seam is sewn so that it is amost impossible to do that.

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by reallyrob edited 04 Oct 2012

I've been looking at some of my bags, and yep....you're right, some of them look like it is going to be almost impossible to take out the side seam.

Yeah, I turn it inside out and use painters tape to keep the extra out of the way. ;)

Nicely done. The easiest thing is to take the side seam apart so there's more room and then resew it when you are done. Or, turn it inside-out, hoop (or hoop the stabilizer and pin the bag to that), and sort of scrunch up the other part and use something to hold it out of the way. Binder clips, hair clips... And you need to sit there and possibly manipulate the scrunched parts out of the way as it stitches.
Jo

1 comment

by reallyrob 04 Oct 2012

Thanks Jo! I never thought about taking out the side seam...thanks so much for the advice! I will try it that way next time...it's got to be easier then the way I did it! LOL

Nice work. I would stitch the design upside down - it is easier to hoop that way round. I do sweat shirts the same. Easier still to make the bag yourself and stitch the design before you make it up!

looks great