J Miller

In my wife's stash we found a 51"x59" piece of very heavy denim. You know, the stuff jeans used to be made of. The dark blue cardboard stiff stuff you had to wash two or three times before you could bend your knees or squat in them.

Well, I decided to make some plain shopping bags out if it. Got three bags cut out then folded them and stitched them up the sides ... 2 layers = OK.

Then I over edged the exposed edges so it wouldn't fray = OK.

Then I marked the bottom for the triangular fold to make the flat bottom. Wasn't hard.

Then I folded the 1/2" seam over and stitched it top to bottom against the side of the bag so the flap wouldn't stick out. 3 layers = OK.

But when I got to the bottom where the flap is, my 500a about gave it up. It had fits getting over the folded flap made by the triangular part that was folded up and sewn to the sides. I thought the poor machine was gonna wrench it's guts out.

It was midnight last night ..... I wasn't thinking too well.

I then made the handles. 2 layers with straight stitches 1/4" in from each side, done on the 500, and a pattern down the middle with both sides over edged with the Kenmore. OK.
I used the Kenmore 158-17570 for that because I didn't want to change the tension settings on the 500a. I had to radically adjust them for the heavy thread I was using. As I was doing the patterns on the handles I kept thinking that a size 14 needle was too small, but didn't follow my instincts and change it.

Handles done I decided to run the same pattern down the sides of the bag. Oh boy .... then the fight started.

From the top down to the flap it was OK. The Kenmore didn't fight too much. But when the needle and foot hit that flap all hxxx broke loose. The denim was so thick it actually deflected the needle. I ended up having to finish the last two inches turning the hand wheel manually.

After that I did put a size 16 needle in and started in the thick area first. It deflected and I had to finish that piece with a flattened needle.

To finish the bag I over edged the top of the bag with the Kenmore and then stitched the handles on to the bag with the 500. For that I changed to a size 16 denim needle. Wasn't too bad. The last thing was to fold the top edge over an inch, stitch that, then fold the handles up against the inside of the bag and put a square of stitches in the overlapped area to make them good and sturdy. That wasn't too bad ..... until I found I had one of the handles twisted. NUTS! Now I have to undo a lot of stitching.
What a pain.

So, as I was screwing up using a too small needle I was learning things. One of them is use the biggest darn needle I can fit in my machine when doing heavy denim. ( I may try my Aldens Magic ZZ, the manual says I can use size 21 needles in it. I've never seen 15x1 needles in size 21, I wonder if my LSMG would have any? )

Another is I need a better presser foot when going over multiple layers of thick fabric. The standard ZZ foot Singer put with the machines of the 60-80s is pathetic. It's too short and the toes are two straight. They need to be more curved. I'll have to see if I have such a slant shank foot.

One more thing is I think I need an older machine with a BIG hand wheel for the torque and piercing ability. I have a couple that fit that description.

Oh, and this morning I counted the layers of denim. 7 layers. And in one place there is two folds that created a lump as well.

That's a lot of denim.

Now for lunch and to go tear the top of that bag apart to fix the stupid twisted handle. What a PAIN in the keester. And when I sew it back together I'm gonna use a size 18 needle.

Joe

Tartan

I try to do exposed seams and let them fray whenever possible with denim. The only thing that will handle that kind of bulk is my old treadle. I can " help" it over the trouble spots with the hand wheel.
The good news is.....the bags will last a long time!

ThayerRags

Always size the needle to the thread that you’re using, not to the fiber being sewn, and you’ll have the best luck. Larger needles need more punching power.

My wife sewed many, many embroidered patches on our leather vests with a plastic-geared JC Penney 7057. The reason that she could do it, was that she used a size 11 universal point needle and Tex27 serger thread. She tried leather needles and kept breaking them. It doesn’t take extremely strong stitches to simply hold a patch on, and I know that you’re stitching for strength making a bag, so it’s an apples-oranges comparison, but a household machine can punch a thin needle through some fairly thick and dense stuff. They’re all going to work overly hard punching a size 21 needle through very much thickness. Just IMHO.


CD in Oklahoma

DonnaMiller

I repair a lot of jeans and find a notion called a Jeanamajig or a hump jumper, good for sewing over heavy places. I have always used size 16 needles and all cotton thread. I prefer Dual Duty, but sometimes it breaks. I have had to resort to beeswax or Thread Heaven on occasion. I use the Janome now. I used to use a blue Singer, but it eventually wore out. The 201 can do it. The needle is the crucial part. I have had it cut the thread, if the needle wasn't large enough, but it always went through. In fact that is when I started putting "gussets" in the crotches instead of sewing through that huge lump. Have you ever counted how many thicknesses are in it? People who wore the jeans with the gussets said they were really comfortable. Just cut a diamond-shaped piece and ZZ it down and then trim out the inside layer. I've probably broken hundreds of needles over the years though. Good luck. Oh, wear glasses.

Caroline S

Oh I can feel and hear your pain Joe. Many years ago I made all of my pants, including jeans. One of the items I used was a Jean-A-Ma-Jig. Made it easier for the presser foot to travel over thick denim seams. I still have some Schmetz denim needles in my supplies, size 100x16. I think that they also make a 110x18 needle. I like Tartan's idea about exposed seams, it would add interest to the outsides of the bag. If I were to make one of your heavy denim bags I would line the handles to eliminate some of the bulk. Keep us posted.

southernmema

My Singer 201-2 will usually do it.

manicmike

I was going to suggest a 201 as well. About six months ago I was modifying a pair of 1970s jeans and my 66 couldn't easily sew four layers. Pulled out the 201 and it powered through it like it was sewing butter!! Your denim is obviously heavier but my 201 is the only domestic I sew denim on and use it for anything denim now with no problems yet.
Of course an industrial would be better still, but 201s are unusually strong machines. Get one and you'll love it forever.

vmaniqui

now that made me think to babied my 201-2 and to keep it for good. i am still trying to refinish the cabinet and have not been able to start or do it but i have stripped the old varnish/stain.

path49

I agree with ThayerRags on this. I hem a LOT of jeans (on my Kenmore 158.1755 or my 201-2)....figure how many layers are in a denim flat-felled seam x 3! And I never use anything bigger than a 14 needle. Imagine the difference in pushing a straight pin thru cloth as opposed to a nail. And as Caroline said, a Jean-a ma-jig or Hump Jumper (or even rolled up cloth) to level the foot makes a HUGE difference. When the foot is leveled, the needle doesn't deflect....& break.

BuzzinBumble

This is so cool. I had not thought of our 201 as being especially powerful. I want to run right down and try it out on denim. And Donna, thanks for the hump jumper info. I was sewing fleece lined dog coats with my 301 yesterday and had trouble getting over the humps.