Bag-making tools, sewing machines, and materials we trust.
Every handmade bag starts with solid tools—and Tool Talk is where we show them off. We’re diving into the heavy hitters: industrial sewing machines, walking foot machines, durable threads, fabrics like Cordura® and Dyneema, reflective tapes, waterproof liners, and all the high-performance materials that keep our bags tough and good-looking. We’ll also spotlight essential bag-making tools and sewing notions like binding tape, zippers, webbing, and hardware that do the heavy lifting behind the scenes. If you love sewing gear, machine upgrades, and getting nerdy about materials, this is your backstage pass.
A few weeks ago, I decided to invest in Heat Press Nation’s VinylSystems EVO 52″ vinyl cutter mainly as a plotter for my patterns that I design. I went with the 52″ model because the manilla pattern paper roll I use is 48″ long so it’s perfect for