Interfacing supporting sagging home made handbags

 I wondered what to do to stop my evening bag sagging. I had made the bag from a sequin front top in size 6, which I consider child size. Both the bag and the flat ribbon straps need support. Firstly for appearance. Secondly for durability.

Advantages of Interfacing

It wasn't long before I discovered the answer was interfacing. occasionally a backing but usually an intermediate layer, like stiffer padding sandwiched between, for example, a woven jacket with a silk lining.

It has many uses. To stop the nbag sagging. To stop woven and knitted looser fabrics stretching. To help the garment or bag keep its shape.

Advantages of Iron-On Interfacing

I was instantly attracted to the idea of iron on interfacing. It would stay in place, need no stitching. However, as I immediately decided, you cannot iron sequinned fabric. 

Disadvantages Of Iron-on Interfacing

All my sequinned clothes say do not iron. So ironing would not be advisable. It would flatten the sequins, and melt them. No, I am not going to waste sequins proving this point. I would just end up with mess all over my iron. Even if I were prepared to sacrifice a sequin or two. But to me sequins are like balloons to a baby. The destruction of even only one, in a room filled with several, would make me tearful.

If you search online for interfacing, you will get lots of ads and links.  Interfacing may sound obscure and technical to novice sewers. But Amazon has lots of offers. Add on Etsy. Then fabric houses and bead, sequins, fabric sewing machines and craft sellers. 

Choosing Which Type of Interfacing

All I wanted was a technical guide to which sort to buy. But Etsy was keen to sell me booklets and leaflets and paid for downloads on types of interfacing. Plus patterns for handbags, from sellers of patterns, fabrics and interfacing.

Black, white and coloured interfacing

Most offers were for white interfacing. A few offered all colours. I eventually realised that I needed and could find black, even though it would be hidden and not show, it might peep through

A quick summary

For a sequin bag

Interfacing for support.

Sew on interfacing

Matching colour of the sandwich filling not vital, but satisfying, and safer because it might peep out along seams or be used uncovered in parts of your project.

Useful Websites

Suppliers

Shein

Discount fabrics

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174949162072?_skw=interfacing+dressmakingBlack interfacing from B R Trimmings 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171075515960?_skw=sew+in+black+interfacing

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