Secrets of Speed

[mediatinker]

Now that we know that it takes as little as 30 minutes to distribute 200 bags, we'll all be looking for shortcuts and hints on speedily making bags for our next distribution.

In another thread, Zappers said she can whip out a bag in under 15 minutes. That's a Morsbag record I'm sure, but I'll bet we all have tricks and tips for making production a little faster.

What do you do to get the most bags finished in the shortest amount of time possible?

Here's my list:

Sew on my machine's fastest speed
Do a bunch of bags at once: cut them all out, then iron all the handles, then sew the all handles, etc
"Sausage" sew the handles
Trim threads after all the bags are finished

[zappers]

Hi MT
yep I can do a bag in under 15 mins, but that is from the ironed stage remember. You've got to add at least another ten mins to cut and iron.

[Lady B]

I feel that we handed them out too quickly, I saw some of my helpers giving out 3 at a time, next time I definitely want it to be slower and last longer for more of an impact. I feel that the important thing is to raise awareness, with the bag almost as an afterthought!

Next time I think we will try having a table with posters and information displays to encourage people to come to us, rather than us approaching them. If anyone has already done it this way can you let me know please?

Another tip is: GET MORE PEOPLE TO MAKE MORE BAGS!!!! (obviously!) Those people who say they can't sew, rope them in to cut or press. It's true that the ironing takes valuable time away from sewing.

[zappers]

I must say that I gave everyone strict instructions to only give one per family. Also if you target only people who have plastic bags in their hands and ask them to swap for a morsbag, it takes a bit of time to unload their shopping We only had 120 bags and it took over an hour with three of us handing out, and a penguin chatting
We have to be careful about tables etc. because I spoke to our council beforehand and they said we could do anything in the street (within reason of course ) as long as there was no static stand or tables involved. It might be a good idea if you checked with yours.
You are right though, the answer is MAKE MORE MORSBAGS

[pol]

Good policy to only give one bag per family - it may sound mean, but we stick to this and it means that they're hopefully more motivated to actually go and find out how to make the morsbags themselves....

[cathapple]

I also can make a bag in 15 mins or so, from the cut out and ironed stage. I use zappers tip to fill all my bobbins (I have 7) before starting, so you can simply pop in a new one as needed without having to rethread the machine. That saves me a lot of time and fiddling about.

Also, I found that when I pin the handles in place I put the pins near the top edge, then when I do my first sew across I don't have to stop to take pins out. Then the handles are secure so its easy to fold them up and sew across again (having taken the pins out, of course).

My cutting out has got much quicker, if I get a big piece of fabric, then I also measure it, so if it is 72" across I can fold it and cut long lengths all at once, then cut 20" high pieces, again with 4 thicknesses of fabric. I kind of know now how many bags you can get from a single sheet, or duvet cover. So it all helps (jolly well better, as I now have not a single morsbag to give away since last Saturday's handout!)

[angiedesigns]

We all have our own methods -
last night I watched the final of the Restaurant and cut out 15 bags and ironed them too.

Once I get sewing I too am in the 15 minute bracket! I have 12 bobbins filled with all colours - but I have so much white thread I only use this to do the final bit - putting front and back together.

Tonight I have a few more to cut out - I like to have different colours as I get bored if the same fabric wizzes through the machine for more than two bags.. ha ha - I do have a low boredom threshold -
which is why I am so amazed I am still making Morsbags! This is really close to my heart and I love being part of a group of people who can help - just by sitting in at a sewing machine!

oooo.. just thought - I need more labels! Got 25 bags to sew and only 10 labels left!

[zappers]

I must say that I use mostly white thread, because I hate changing the cotton on the top I find on most bags it looks quite nice as long as your sewing is 'half decent'

[beattie]

I make no claims to be a "Queen of Speed" but there have been a couple of tips on here that help me -

1) drop the box to fix the handles and just sew across the top of the bag again once or twice. This is really good for thick material too as you are sewing through one less layer of material - & it just makes the difference between getting through it & not!
2) use Pritt stick glue to hold the label in place while you sew it - much quicker than pinning and adjustable.

I get very cross with bad batches of thread that break constantly, as it takes time to rethread the machine - and especially, the needle. I'm never using that rust coloured stuff again! I've been given 2 king size duvet covers in terracotta and burnt orange and shall have to sew them up using shocking pink or something similar!

[beattie]

I've spent the evening bagging and it reminded me of some more short cuts.

I cut double sized pieces whenever the size of the material allows. I cut either 20" x 36" or 40"x18" and replace one of the seams with a fold.

If making morsbags out of a duvet you can use the corners as a precut & single seamed edge. I resew the already done corners when stitching the second part of the double seam, or you can sew the double seam the other way round (doing right sides together first) so it has a little "pie crust" sticky-out bit round the edge when finished.

As mediatinker posted the other day - quoting Tod - pillowcases are almost instant morsbags!

[cathapple]

I always do the "pie crust" second seam, its really quick and people I've given bags to like that it seems to show the seams are good and strong.

I don't worry about thread colour, I usually always use white and cream thread, no matter what colour fabric I'm sewing, it can look like a nice contrast on dark colours.

I always think its a bonus if I can cut out so I have some folds, either at the bottom or at one side - I got caught out the first time I did a bag with one side folded over, the handles ended up a bit to one side because I'd forgotton to adjust them to allow for the fabric width being a bit taken up more one side than the other with the side seam. But no one noticed!

[beattie]

cathapple wrote -

I got caught out the first time I did a bag with one side folded over, the handles ended up a bit to one side because I'd forgotton to adjust them to allow for the fabric width being a bit taken up more one side than the other with the side seam.

I mark the middle of a bag with a side seam with a pin where the fold will be, then place the handles nearer to the fold 2 - 3 cm closer to the pin (depending on the thickness of the material) than the ones on the other side.

[angiedesigns]

oooooooOOOOOOoooo

Never thought of doing the seam the other way to make a PIE CRUST!

Wow - cool - I might make a special batch like that for a change!

I too use existing seams and double sew over them to make sure - and I use folds too - but the last time around the bag I do stitch all the way round so it looks neat.

Mmmm. Some great ideas - and there was one post to use GREY thread as this is what blends with most colours!

[mrsh]

NO need to measure where the middle of the fabric is. If you just fold it over and run your finger along a small section near the top, most fabrics will temporarily retain the fold for you to see where to fix the handles and where to put the label - if your are centring it.

[cathapple]

hahaha, having read this post and I'd written about the piecrust seam, I started to wonder how you could not end up with a piecrust edge, so went back and read the how to make a morsbag guide, and laughed when I realised I've been doing it the opposit way to the official way the whole time - where it says to first sew round main bag pieces wrong sides together, then turn out and sew right sides together, I've always done it the other way round, ie right sides together first, then wrong side, hence I end up with the piecrust side and bottom seams!

So thats only nearly 200 bags made the wrong way round!! Still, as it says on here regularly, there are acceptable variations in bag making!!!