Quick bishop bag.

[hippofeet]

Someone asked for a slow go-through on making one of these. So here we go.

First, I am gonna make the bottom, measuring something round, then cutting out the circle on a mat with a rotary cutter. Freehand. I traced the container first.

Then I cut out the material for the tube, making sure everything was square. I put in a hem, about 1/4 inch, on the long sides (which get sewn together later) starting at the top and going down about 1 1/2 inches. This finishes the channel ends that the cord will run through.

Then I hem the top, creating the channel, with 1 zigzag stitch that also overcasts the raw edge on the inside of the bag. At this point, I have the bottom cut out and waiting, and the top channel for the cord complete, with hemmed ends so that there is no raw fabric where the cord comes out of the channel.

Now, to sew the long sides together, I make sure the bag is inside out, and sew 1 line of straight stitch, starting just bellow the hemmed channel (right at the stitch line) down the side, trim the excess, and overcast the raw edges, stopping the straight stitch and overcast about 1/2 inch from what will be sewn to the bottom, this is the seam allowance for the bottom edge of the fabric.

Then, the buttonhole. I had to change machines for this, as I had a hard time lowering the presser foot tension on the first. The tension stayed too high, causeing the presser foot to "hang up" on the closely spaced stitches, balling the stitch and locking the machine. On the singers, there will be a setting (3 actually) that sews the first long side of the buttonhole, then the bottom, up the next side, and back to the end setting for the top. I use a scrap of 200d cordura as a backing, because the light polyester taffeta material had a tendency to bunch up with tight zigzags.

After the buttonhole is sewn, I cut out the material, carefull not to cut the threads at the edges. Then I overcast the cordura edges, so it would be tidy inside the bag.

At the bottom, making sure I had the wrong side out, I just did a quick straight stitch folllowing the curve, about 1/4 inch in from the edge (used the presser foot side as a guide) then without breaking the thread, switched to a wide zigzag for the overcast on the seam. So around twice, 1 straight, 1 zigzag.

That's it. Except for the cord (I am going to splice up a 1/8 whoopie with a loop on the end, and a cordlock) it's done. About 40 minutes, except for a long break because my GF got feeling ignored (also working on a knapsack).

Done.

[dragon360]

Very very cool! Thanks for the write-up. Actually perfect timing since I recently received my supplies from DIY Gear Supply!

[hippofeet]

A few more shots.

Holding the thread at the start. Don't let it slip, so your first stitch has tension. I go a couple forward by hand, then a backtack or two, beginning and end of every stitch, straight or zigzag.

A shot of the "Simple" set up for button hole. I don't use a button hole foot, although I can, and they are better as the can be set for width and height, and your stitches follow the inside of the foot opening.

Finished bag bottom.

As a side note, if you are new to the machines, you do not need to set forward or reverse on the modern ones. The setting on the dial (or on the side of the machine) shows which direction the stitches will go, so the material goes the other way. Both my late 60's and 70's singers have a setting on each dial and lever for buttonhole, a red rectangle, can't miss it. So you will be setting stitch length, stitch pattern, and possibly width on the machine.

[jima59]

Okay here goes, what do you use this bag for? Is it to put your hammock in with the opening for the suspension on each end?

[Catavarie]

Okay here goes, what do you use this bag for? Is it to put your hammock in with the opening for the suspension on each end?

Yes.

You run a whoopie sling out of the button hole opening and, depending on size of bag, stuff your hammock, UQ, and TQ into it. So that when you get to where you're going you simply hook up the whoopie that hanging out the button hole, reach into the other end and grab hold of the end of the other whoopie sling and walk over to you're other tree strap. this of course causes the hammock and quilts to slid out in the process. Makes setup realy quick and super simple.

[hippofeet]

Since my hammock goes into a sidebag, this one will not be used. I was thinking I could nest bags, like have a bugnet tube in 1 bag, then that in another bag for the hammock, all on the same suspension line. Then just hook up the one side, pull out the hammock and hook up that side, pull the bugnet tube over the hammock, and done. Need a side zip. I got a bunch of no see um.

[Stormstaff]

Thanks Hippofeet! Much appreciated!

[jima59]

I know each bag is relative to your individual hammock system but what was this made for, and what was the finished size, and what was the approximate starting size for the pieces, bottom, and sides. I've made stuff sacks before so I'm a little familiar but never a round bottom like this. Thanks.

[hippofeet]

Hmmm. The bottom is 7 inches diameter, 1/2 inch seam allowance, 6 inch tube finished. Figuring from the 6 inch finished tube thats a 20 x 21 raw material piece. you could go 20 x 20. I left a lot of seam allowance because I was in a hurry, and knew my stitch lines would be a little sloppy. Then I trimmed them to 1/4 inch and overcast. This type is easy, the dry bag style of center body seam with that flat bottom is more difficult, but I have done it. The raw fabric has a castle rampart look when cut and layed flat. I should make another sack that is darted, like a knit hat, that style is also easy, and makes a roundish finished fabric hole that doesnt require the buttonhole stitching. This particular sack I made in response to a question in another thread, I didn't want to hijack. It has no purpose, and I will probably throw it away, as it is polyester dig camo, and I like waterproof (relatively) sacks.

[jima59]

found a silnylon bag I made a few months ago when learning to sew and I can cut it down in length and add the hole in the bottom for my bishop bag.