A while back, I received an email from someone who wanted to start making bags.
She already had a sewing machine. She had found a bag she wanted to make. She was excited to get started.
There was just one problem.
She had over $300 worth of supplies sitting in her Amazon cart and felt completely overwhelmed.
If you've ever found yourself in the same situation, I want you to know you're not alone.
One of the biggest misconceptions about bagmaking is that you need a dedicated sewing room full of specialized tools, expensive machines, and every notion under the sun before you can make your first bag.
You don't.
In fact, if I had to start over today and only owned a sewing machine, here's exactly what I would buy first.
Because I'm located in the United States, the shopping recommendations and resources mentioned in this article are based on what is available to U.S. shoppers.
If you're located outside the U.S., some products, stores, or brands may not be available in your area. I encourage you to look for similar alternatives from suppliers in your country.
You may also notice affiliate links throughout this article. If you choose to purchase through one of those links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
I only recommend products, tools, and supplies that I personally use, trust, or would recommend to a friend who was learning to make bags.
If you're planning to sew bags, start here.
Bagmaking often involves sewing through fabric, interfacing, and multiple layers. A 90/14 needle handles those layers much better than the smaller needles many machines come with. Regular, Chrome or Microtex all work.
This is one of those little details that made a huge difference in my own bagmaking.
Bags get carried, stuffed, tugged on, tossed in cars, and used every day. Polyester thread holds up beautifully to that kind of wear and tear.
I use polyester thread almost exclusively when sewing bags.
For your first bag, don't feel like you need a rainbow of thread colors.
A small pack of black and white Gutermann all-purpose polyester thread is enough to get started and will work for many beginner projects.
Shop Gutermann Starter Thread Pack
As bagmaking becomes a regular hobby and you're ready to build a larger collection of colors, Wawak is one of my favorite places to shop for Gutermann thread because their prices are often hard to beat.
For your first bag, keep it simple.
Quilting cotton is easy to find, beginner-friendly, and available in thousands of prints and colors. A few of my favorite online shops include Bits & Bobbins Quilt Shoppe, Good Vibes Quilt Shop, Harbor Fabric Company and San Diego Sewn. I've personally shopped all of these small businesses, and they have great fabric and customer service.
If choosing fabrics feels overwhelming, fat quarter bundles can be a great place to start. They're designed to coordinate, which takes a lot of the guesswork out of fabric selection. Just keep an eye on the fabric requirements for your pattern, since some bags need more fabric than a fat quarter can provide.
Another easy trick is to choose fabrics from the same fabric collection. Fabric designers create collections with coordinating colors and prints, so you can feel confident that they'll work well together in your project.
You don't need cork, vinyl, canvas, or specialty materials for your first project.
Start with quilting cotton and learn the construction process first.
One of my favorites is Pellon SF101.
It adds support and stability to fabric without making it stiff.
Interfacing is one of the biggest reasons some bags feel structured while others feel floppy.
For many beginner-friendly bags, I also use fusible fleece.
My personal favorite is Pellon 987F Fusible Fleece.
It helps create that soft structure many people are looking for when they start making bags.
A quick money-saving tip: Since JoAnn's is no longer in business, many of us bargain hunters have had to get creative when shopping for bagmaking supplies. I rarely pay full price for interfacing and always compare prices before I buy. Lately, I've found some of the best online deals at Wawak and Walmart.
A rotary cutter makes cutting fabric faster, easier, and more accurate.
Accurate cutting makes bagmaking much more enjoyable.
Use whatever size fits your budget and sewing space.
Personally, I love a larger cutting mat because it gives me room to spread out fabric and cut larger pieces. But you absolutely do not need the biggest mat available to get started.
8. Acrylic Ruler
A good ruler is another basic tool that makes life much easier.
My personal preference is a longer ruler because it helps me cut larger pieces accurately, but there is no need to buy every ruler you see online. As you spend more time sewing and cutting fabric, you'll discover what size works best for your projects and sewing space.
It's perfectly fine to start with a basic acrylic ruler and upgrade later if you find that a different size would make cutting easier or more comfortable.
If there is one tool on this list that I would absolutely not skip, it's bag clips.
They hold layers together beautifully and work especially well when sewing thicker projects.
I like heat-erasable or water-erasable pens.
They're perfect for marking placement lines, pocket locations, and other sewing reference points.
A quick word of caution: Some heat-erasable pens can leave a faint white mark behind after the ink disappears. Because of that, I try to use them only in areas that will be covered by a seam allowance, lining, pocket, or another part of the bag whenever possible. As with any marking tool, it's always a good idea to test it on a scrap of fabric first.
Bagmaking and pressing go hand in hand.
Many sewing problems can be improved simply by pressing at the right time.
When shopping for an iron, I would focus on two things: the ability to get hot enough to properly fuse interfacing and a soleplate that is easy to clean.
One thing that surprises many people is that I don't use water in my iron. For bagmaking, I rarely use steam. Instead, if I need to remove wrinkles or add moisture to fabric before pressing, I simply mist the fabric lightly with water and then press.
This helps keep mineral buildup out of the iron and avoids the occasional surprise of water spitting onto a project.
An ironing board, wool pressing mat, or other safe pressing surface will work.
The goal is simply to have a dedicated place where you can press seams and apply interfacing.
If you're working with a limited budget or don't have room for a full ironing board, a pressing mat can be a great option. I recently found one for around $10, and it works well for pressing bag pieces and smaller sewing projects.
The truth is, many of the supplies beginner bagmakers stress about can wait until later.
One of the questions I hear most often from beginners is:
"Do I really need all this stuff?"
The answer is usually no.
If you're staring at a giant Amazon cart right now, take a deep breath.
Your first bag doesn't need every tool, gadget, material, and notion the internet says you should have.
As you continue making bags, you'll discover all kinds of fun supplies like zipper tape, bag hardware, cork, faux leather, webbing, bag labels, and specialty notions. But for your first bag, focus on learning the basics first.
The goal isn't to build the perfect sewing room.
The goal is to make your first bag.
Buy the supplies for that one bag.
Make it.
Learn from it.
Then decide what would make the next one easier.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the supplies people say you need for bagmaking, I hope this list helps you see that getting started is much simpler than it appears.
You do not need a giant Amazon cart.
You do not need every tool your favorite YouTuber owns.
And you definitely do not need a fully stocked sewing room before making your first bag.
Start with the basics.
Make one bag.
Learn from it.
Then decide what would make the next one easier.
Every experienced bagmaker started with a first bag.
Whether you want to sew your first tote bag, handbag, project bag, or zipper pouch, these basic supplies will take you a long way.
The goal isn't to build the perfect sewing room. The goal is to make your first bag.
If you're still trying to figure out interfacing, don't miss my free Beginner's Guide to Interfacing.
And when you're ready to put those supplies to work, browse my collection of beginner-friendly bag sewing patterns.
If you'd like to see some of the bagmaking tools and supplies I use, I've also put together an Amazon shop with a curated collection of products I recommend. It's a great place to browse ideas and see some of the tools, notions, and supplies that bagmakers often add to their sewing rooms over time.
Happy Sewing,
Amanda
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Think you need an industrial machine to sew through foam, cork, or vinyl? Not true. Learn the best needles for bagmaking and how a simple swap can give you professional results on a regular sewing machine.
The Ultimate Guide to Interfacing for Bagmaking is now a free printable!
Learn how to choose the right interfacing for structure, stability, and that polished look every bagmaker wants. Grab the free PDF version and keep it by your sewing table for easy reference.
