Hardware Heaven, Tips & Tricks
Bag Making Tools: Cutting and Measuring Tools!
Welcome to the first edition ofΒ Bag Making Tools, a mini-series discussing the important assortment of tools you need for bag making!
If you are just starting out, this assortment of tools will be the perfect place to start your collection and if you are an experienced maker, maybe we’ll have some you’ve never thought of!
~To see all the incredible bag hardware that you need, check out the Hardware Heaven Series we have on the blog too! ~
This series will cover our favourite tools and how to use them PLUS why they are important to have on hand! Let’s jump in and see this collection of Cutting and Measuring Tools that you should keep on hand!
Scissors and Snips
When it comes to bag making, you want to make sure that you go ahead and splurge on a good set of scissors! Quite often you will be cutting through multiple layers of fabric, interfacing or foam so you want to make sure the scissors can handle them. My little blue Karen Kay Buckley snips are excellent, while a little pricier because they have serrated blades they cut fabric like a breeze. They also are extremely pointy so double as thread snips!
You will also want thread snips. Head to the embroidery section of your local craft/fabric store to find these. Don’t be afraid to test them out because you want to be able to cut loose threads as close to the fabric as possible!
Pinking shears! While intended for dressmaking, they are EXCELLENT for bag making too! Skip clipping all your curves and grab a pair of pinking shears to save your hands.
Rotary Cutters
I was skeptical to use rotary cutters for a very long time for bag making. Could I really get around curves? Would they be as easy as scissors? The answer to both is yes! Rotary cutters come in all shapes, sizes AND colours! They will save your wrists and body and are much faster in the long run! Test out a few different ones to find the one you like and it will become a life long friend. PLUS it’s much easier to just switch out a rotary cutter blade than getting scissors sharpened! π
Seam Rippers
The one tool we love to hate π While using them is never fun, you always want to make sure you have a good AND sharp seam ripper! There are so many types out there from the pointed ones in the photo below to actual surgical blade-style ones. Find what works for you and keep it on hand. We never want to actually use it but you want it to work when it’s needed!
Rulers
A good quality quilting ruler is a definite must! They ensure that your pdf test square is printed out to an accurate size AND you can cut measured pieces accurately. I never thought I would actually use mine but now I use it so much, I don’t know how I lived without it! Have a few different sizes is great to have on hand as well so that when you are trimming things, you don’t have to get out a giant ruler each time!
Bonus: Andrie Designs Half Inch Ruler or Magic Wand!
Our new favourite tool is this fun little “ruler” that Lisa had designed! They are excellent for drawing on your half-inch seam allowance and for drawing on lines where needed as well! They come in much handier than I ever thought it would! To purchase one, simply pop an email through to Lisa via the contact page here!
So that concludes the first part of the Bag Making tools series! Don’t forget to check out the Hardware Heaven Series and be on the lookout for more bag making tools that you just have to have!
Until next time,
This was a good and welcome article. I was wondering how does one know how the cut dimensions of a bag are derived in order to get a particular finished size. I hope I made sense here.