I have just purchased 2 patterns for totes and a messenger bag. Do you use an interfacing and if so what weight and is it fusible or sewn in. Any info given will be appreciated. :D

goodness, don't know the weight but it was Pellon fusible. no sewing, just around the seams when piecing. you can "quilt" designs on the sections before sewing together though. front and back or pockets.

I use the fusible, and I like to get the heaviest possible.

I've made at least 25 totes.....and my friend has made and sold almost 300!!!! At first I used just Warm and Natural...I like really floppy purses that I can stuff under the car seat. Pat got me into DecoBond fusible and I've used it ever since. DecoBond makes the totes "sit up" and look a heck of a lot neater.... :mrgreen: I had truoble getting it to fuse at first...then I discovered if I set my iron on Linen -- the next highest setting from Cotton, it would bond beautifully.

Amandasgramma, do you use batting in addition to the decobond??? I have only used the batting, haven't made many.....Thanks, Nancy

I use fusible that I get at WalMart for next to nothing. It's not necessarily the thickness of the batting that you use that will make the bag 'stand' or be 'stiff'; it's the amount of quilting you put into the bag. The more you quilt, the stiffer the bag is going to be; and the more it's going to 'stand.'

No, I don't.....but it might be fun to try that and see what happens!

For just regular totes that I want to stand up I always use peltex heavyweight sew in. It is kinda pricey but it is REALLY stiff! (I sold hundreds of ACU bags to army wives when my husband was in)
I made a quilted diaper bag once and I used a layer of warm and natural and a layer of fusible medium weight interfacing. (fusible was ironed onto the outter fabric)
But for grocery bags and library bags I don't use anything but I mainly make them out of decorator fabric and denim. These bags I want floppy so I can fold them up (wad them up) and toss them into a pocket thing in my trunk and they don't take up much room!

this year i will reach over 1000 bags sold.

i use deco bond and pellon fusible fleece in all my bags.

I made a messenger style diaper bag and used a very heavy weight sew in interfacing in order for it to stand on it's own. I suppose it depends on the bag.