How Do I Quilt a Bag?
Quilting is one of my favourite ways to add both structure and visual interest to a bag. It can completely change the look of a plain fabric or vinyl, and it doesn't have to be complicated - even simple straight lines can make a huge difference.
For bag making, I generally quilt the exterior fabric to foam stabiliser. Foam gives the quilting that lovely raised, slightly puffy look, while also adding structure to the finished bag. My personal favourite is ByAnnie's Soft and Stable, but other bag-making foams work well too.
Before you start
A few things will make quilting your bag much easier:
- Use a walking foot or dual-feed foot. This helps feed the fabric and foam evenly through the machine instead of allowing the layers to shift.
- Start with a fresh needle. I prefer a topstitch needle, especially when quilting vinyl. Don't use a leather needle on vinyl - it cuts the material rather than piercing it and can weaken the perforated line.
- Use a longer stitch length than you would for regular construction. I generally use somewhere around 3-5, depending on the fabric, thread and the look I want.
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Test on a scrap first. Make your test piece using the same fabric, foam, needle and thread you'll use for the bag. This lets you check your stitch length and tension before sewing the actual pieces.
Prepare your fabric and foam
If you're quilting cotton, I recommend pre-shrinking it with steam before cutting, then applying a lightweight woven fusible interfacing such as G700 or SF101 before adding the foam. This helps strengthen the fabric and reduces the shrinkage and distortion that can happen with heavier quilting.
Your exterior fabric should also be secured to the foam before you begin quilting so the two layers can't shift independently.
Using non-fusible foam?
My Foam Interfacing Isn't Fusible - What Should I Do? →
Quilting vinyl or faux leather?
Watch on YouTube: Interfacing Vinyl with Foam or Fusibles →
My favourite way to mark straight quilting lines
Painter's tape! 😄
For straight-line quilting, I much prefer painter's tape to drawing all over the fabric.
Use a ruler to position your first strip of tape at the angle you want, then stitch alongside the edge of the tape. Move the tape across the panel and continue using it as your guide.
Good-quality painter's tape can usually be repositioned several times, making it particularly handy for diamonds or evenly spaced parallel lines.
Tip: If you're making diagonal or diamond quilting, take a quick photo of how you positioned that first piece of tape. It makes it much easier to recreate the same angle when you start quilting in the opposite direction.
Sew all your lines in the same direction
This is important.
When quilting a series of parallel lines, don't sew one line downwards, turn the piece around and sew the next one back up again.
Sew all the lines from the same direction. Alternating directions can pull the fabric in opposite directions and distort your panel.
I also backstitch one or two stitches at the beginning and end of each quilting line. Because we're using a longer stitch length, this helps prevent the stitching from coming undone while the bag is being constructed.
Your quilting doesn't have to be complicated
Straight lines, diamonds, grids or even just a few quilted sections can completely change the look of a bag. You don't need to quilt the entire exterior either - quilting just one panel or section can be a beautiful detail.
The important part is to keep your layers secure, use a longer stitch length and take your time getting that first line straight. Once the first line is right, the rest becomes much easier.
Is your machine skipping stitches while quilting?
Thick layers and foam can sometimes cause skipped stitches, particularly when quilting vinyl.
→ My Sewing Machine Is Skipping Stitches
Ready to level up your bag quilting?
I have a video tutorial here showing how I duplicate the classic and ever so stylish Dior style quilting.
Watch on YouTube: How to make Dior Inspired Quilting for Your Bag →