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Michelle Graham

How to Topstitch a Bag on a Machine That Doesn't Have a Free Arm

I'm sure some of you do this already, which is great but I wanted to share a tip for how I topstitch my bags on a sewing machine that doesn't have a free arm. You can still use this method with a machine that has a free arm too. In these photos, I'm using the Paladin Pouch, pattern by Sew Sweetness, but I do this with pretty much all my bags and pouches.

1. Turn the pouch so the lining is right sides out. I find having the lining right sides out, makes it easier, especially if you have a machine like mine that doesn't have a free arm.


2. Start sewing right by the zipper, if you're sewing this particular pouch OR by a seam if it's any other bag or pouch. For the Paladin Pouch ensure you move the zipper tail out of the way. I start just before my seam. The lining is against the bed of my machine and exterior is against my presser foot. So the way you would normally want to topstitch a bag.


3. Continue all the way around.


4. For this pouch, there is a zipper tail. So when I approach the zipper tail, I just move it out of the way and continue sewing up to where I started. Don't forget to backstitch.

But on any other bag or pouch, you would stop sewing where you started your topstitching, backstitch and you're done.


I hope you all find this helpful. 😊

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1 Comment


uhohcreations
Dec 09, 2020

Love this, it's how I do a LOT of my topstitching around the top of my bags - my domestic has a free-arm, but if I'm working with a heavy material on my industrial - this is how I finish it all up!

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