My Bag Is Too Stiff or Difficult to Turn - What Went Wrong?

If your bag feels extremely stiff or you're struggling to turn it through the opening in the lining, don't panic! Depending on the stabiliser used, this can sometimes be completely normal.

Very firm stabilisers create beautifully structured bags, but the trade-off is that they can take considerably more effort to turn. There are a few things you can do to make the process much easier - and to help remove any wrinkles or creases afterwards.

First, check which stabiliser you used

If the pattern specifically calls for a firm stabiliser such as Fast2Fuse Heavy, Peltex or Decovil Heavy, some resistance during turning is to be expected. Unfortunately, that's part of the trade-off for that lovely, firm finished structure.

Take your time and don't be afraid to really work with the bag during turning and see tips to make it easier further down.

However, if the pattern calls for foam stabiliser and you've substituted it with something much firmer, that's very likely why you're having such a difficult time.

Foam provides structure while remaining flexible, which is particularly important in bags that need to be turned through an opening. Replacing it with a very firm stabiliser can completely change how the bag behaves during construction.

→ Foam vs Fleece vs Firm Stabiliser - What's the Difference?

→ Can I Substitute the Interfacing Listed in the Pattern?

If you're making your bag in vinyl - heat it before turning!

This makes an enormous difference.

Before turning, use a hair dryer on high heat through the opening in the lining to thoroughly warm the bag. The heat softens the vinyl, making it much easier to manipulate through the opening and reducing the risk of creating stubborn creases during the birthing process.

If you're unsure how your particular vinyl will react to heat, always test on a scrap first.

Not at the turning stage yet? Consider a drop-in lining

If you haven't sewn the lining to the exterior yet and the exterior already feels particularly stiff or heavy, consider whether you can use a drop-in lining instead.

Turning the exterior on its own and installing the lining afterwards can be considerably easier than trying to birth the entire finished bag through a relatively small opening.

This won't be suitable for every pattern or construction method, but when it is an option, it can make a huge difference with very structured bags.

Want to see how I make a drop-in lining?
I use this method in my Stockholm Bag video. While the construction of your bag may differ slightly, this drop-in lining method works well for most open-top bags.

Watch: Sew the Stockholm Bag with a Drop-In Lining →

What about all those wrinkles after turning?

Don't judge your bag immediately after you've turned it! It may look considerably worse before it looks better. 😊

Carefully and slowly press all the cotton parts of your bag, inside and out where possible. Give this plenty of time - you're not only pressing out wrinkles, you're allowing the adhesive in the interfacing to heat up and re-attach properly.

A small travel iron is particularly handy for getting into awkward areas inside a bag.

For a vinyl exterior, give the outside of the bag a thorough going-over with your hair dryer on high heat and gently work out any remaining wrinkles from the birthing process. Again, test your vinyl on a scrap first if you're uncertain how much heat it can tolerate.

If stubborn creases remain

If you're working with a vinyl exterior and firm stabiliser and have creases that simply don't want to disappear, pressing the affected area with a hot iron from the interior side of the bag will often take care of the worst of them.

A small travel iron is especially useful here because you can reach areas that would be almost impossible with a full-size iron.

Take care not to press the vinyl directly with the iron.

Let everything cool in the correct shape

Once you're happy with your pressing and reshaping, position the bag exactly as you want it to sit - either standing upright on your pressing table or hanging from its handles.

Then leave it undisturbed for around 30 minutes.

This gives the bag time to cool completely and, importantly, allows the adhesive in any fusible interfacing or stabiliser to set again while the bag is held in its proper shape.

For your next bag

If you used the stabiliser recommended in the pattern and the bag was difficult to turn, you probably haven't done anything wrong. Some highly structured bags simply require a little more patience during this stage - and the firm finished result is the reward!

If you substituted a much firmer stabiliser than the one recommended, however, I'd go back to the original type for your next bag. Firmer isn't always better, and changing from foam to a heavy stabiliser can make a bag considerably more difficult to construct.

If you're unsure whether a stabiliser you have at home is suitable for one of my patterns, please get in touch and tell me which pattern you're making, which stabiliser the pattern calls for and what you'd like to substitute it with. I'm always happy to help. ❤️