Which purse interfacing? Any interfacing for grocery type bags?
 

I've read many of the posts about handbags (purses) and am totally lost about which is the best interfacing to use, so I'd like to hear your suggestions. Also, I'll be making simple bags for groceries and am wondering if those should have interfacing or not. They'll be washed a lot and aren't expected to have much form. So what do you do?

For purses I usually follow the pattern suggestion. It depends on what purse you are making but a lot of mine use fusible fleece. For the grocery bags I do not interface but I do overcast/zig-zag my seams. Have fun

For bags that I have been making, similar to bowtucks, I use pellon 973F or 971F....I have found that the quilting will help to stiffen the bag a bit, but still be soft

I have the Must Have Tote Bag Pattern from Crafty Gemini and it doesn't require any interfacing. It is made with decorator cotton which is a little heavier than quilting cotton and you could probably use canvas or outdoor fabric to make it, as well. Here is a link to the pattern https://www.robora.com/s/7Neu5nV. The pattern only costs $3.00 and it comes with a video tutorial. I learned french seams with this one.

As far as purses go, I have made the bow tuck and it uses fusible fleece to give the purse body. I have also made a Debbie Shore purse that called for heavyweight interfacing. Debbie Shore has free sewing tutorials on Youtube.

I have been making grocery bags for a couple of years. I don't need to use any interfacing. My friend found the pattern for free online.

When I want a really heavy bag, I use Long creek Mills' "Stiffy" (now get your head out of the gutter). You can't beat the price. I usually order a 35 yard roll. Very similar to timtex, but without the price
http://www.longcreekmills.com/product/stabilizer3.html

For purses I love Soft and Stable. It doesn't have to be quilted and gives them a great body that lets them stand up instead of collapse. I use it for the Mini Bow Tucks and really like how they turn out.

Years ago, my father brought home an entire dumpster load of good quality poly /cotton jacket fabric strips. Mom and I made about 200 shopping bags in various colored stripes of fabric, and sold them to benefit our church. These were unlined with no interfacing. 55 years later, my son complained that his 5 ("borrowed" from me) had just given out. If you need ones that stand, use interfacing. If not, don't bother.

Thanks for all the help on this. I really wanted to hear what the experts on QB used. I think I'll be able to go from here. Paper Princess, I'm sure glad I didn't have a mouthful of tea when I read your post, or that tea would've been through my nose and all over the room! Thanks for the laugh! You all get kudos for helping. :-)

For grocery type totes I use left over batting and quilt the bag before lining it. Makes a nice tote.

A few years ago, the pattern for a pocketbook I was making recommended headliner foam. Now unless there is a good reason not to, that is what I use. It gives the bags shape and some stiffness, but doesn't make it heavy. I made a large tote with regular batting, and it really is heavy. You can get it at Joann's and if you use a coupon, is affordable.

I love soft and stable- I quilt it but you don't have to.

Thanks for asking this question, as I made 2 purses and used Pellon, it was hard to work with and I wasn't entirely happy with the results. Now I have new things to try.

I really enjoyed this thread and I am having fun reading all the responses because everyone has their own thoughts about what goes inside. I have taken apart old purses to re-use the hardware and magnetic snaps. They too had different ideas as to what was best. I suppose it depends on what type of fabric you choose, what kind of quilting you plan on doing, what kind of use the bag would get and if it needs to be washed often just how much what kind and where you use the many types of interfacing, headliner foam, horsehair stiffening or, whatever. Make sense?

I agree that if you are making a tote for shopping you should use a denim or canvas type fabric and no interfacing or lining is needed if you French seam the edges. This would give you a nice reasonably light weight bag, but sturdy for shopping. Functionality would be high and long lasting.

I agree with this! Headliner foam is wonderful for bags - lightweight, affordable, quilt-able, and gives the article shape without being too stiff.

Yes and it is washable also.