khalua

I need instructions on how to make a moss bag... please anyone?? I keep getting promised one but four kids later and the fifth on the way I figure i'll do it myself

Czechy

Your best bet would be to ask some of the older ladies in your community. Even so, I've never seen formal instructions on how to make a moss bag. But the ones I've seen look like they are made of velveteen or corduroy or other heavy fabric which was lined with cotton and sometimes floral beaded on the outside. The structure is something like a rectangular piece for the back and a longer, wide strip sewn around three edges of the rectangle to make a bag. I would think you could round off the corners of the rectangle to give it a smoother look. The front of the bag would have strips of leather sewn onto the edges of the cloth and the lacing loops would be attached to that. A mattress or padded backing can be made separately and then inserted inside. If you cruise eBay at all, keep your eyes peeled because moss bags come up for sale once in a while. Some are attached to a cradle board and some are not.

chazziff

yeah that sounds about right ... i jus recently made my first one (LOL) and it wasnt even for my own kids HAHA. anyhooo ....

ya they can be made out of virtually any weight material - corduroy, and velvet or velveteen. the one i made was velvet ... wit some beadwork on the sides. jus to make sure the baby will fit it for a while ... it should be made a bit larger. fold your material ... so you have two layers. a rectangular shape can be cut ... approximately anywhere from 10 to 12 inches wide and 21 to 23 inches long with a curve cut out at one end (foot area of the bag). then use this piece to use as a pattern for the lining ... can be either cotton broadcloth or flannellette (sp?). if you are not doing any decorative beading or applique work on the sides ... on to the sewing the pieces together.

then you sew the curved edge of the each type of material (right sides together) ... you could use either a serger, straight stitch with a zig zag stitch to finish the edge or iron the the seam open and "finish" stitch on both sides of the seam. then place right sides of the materials together and sew the straight edge together ... matching up the seams etc ... turn right side out after sewing. you should end up with a mis-shaped pillow case LOL. then you would hand stitch the opening of the bag closed ...

then you can do one of two steps .... finish the sides of the bag with a straight stitch about 3/4 of inch from the seam ... or sewn a leather strip onto the edge. this is wear you will be either attaching the leather lacing (onto the material) or cuttin holes in the leather strip for the leather lacing used to close the bag. the leather lacing step is jus cutting holes into the material (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart) ... pulling the lace thru a hole tieing a knot and repeating until you get to the other side (while cutting the holes closed together at the foot part of the bag - helps keep the bottom part snug to the baby's feet).

most ppl use on long leather strip and attach it to the bottom of the bag to keep the bag closed ... but my family attaches two shorter ones to the middle of the bag for closing. keeps the baby's arms snuggly inside the bag when you have to change the baby instead of ... undoing the whole bag and redoing the whole thing after changing. keeps em still too during a changing LOL.

Attached Images

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Czechy

Thanks chaziff! You've described it soooo much better than I and have actual experience to go along with it.

Oh, khalua I forgot... congrats on the new baby! May it be happy and healthy!

khalua

Just to clairify ...

do i fold the 10-12" x 21-23" in half or do i need 20-24"x 21x23" and then fold it so it's 10-12"

then cut the edges along the length 21-23" into a rounded corner correct?

if i were to use a hide which would be best for sewing beads onto i have some white hide from halford hides that is sooo soft but it "pills?" lots and leaves that white leather all over you lol I like it want to use it just wondering if use will eventually stop that "linting" or if i should just use a different kind.. I mean i could alway just applica the bead work onto it ..hmmm just rambling

should the inner layers be cut and sewn a slight bit smaller? and be removeable ?

Oh and how big of an infant do you think this will hold? my boys were big babies ranging from 9lb 14oz - 8lb 3oz

chazziff

hmmmm ..... ok if ya buy a meter of material ... the right side of the material wit be on the outside ... re fold it so that it is wrong side out. then cut out a piece that would be .... 21 - 23 inches long (foot to shoulder messurement on your baby) and 10 - 12 inches wide (usually wide enough to go around chest and arms of a baby - but wit the leather lacing this can be adjusted quite well) and on one end of it cut a curve out of one of the corners (it will look like half of a canoe LOL).

also ... i dont make large seams when i sew ... on the sewing foot on the sewing machine .. i use the edge of the foot as a guide on the edge of the material. my babies averaged 8 pounds 5 ounces and were about 21 inches long ... and we usually had to fold the bag in ... two leather lacings in LOL and they were in em until they could escape on their own LOL.

the liner .... shouldnt be removable. wit a moss bag ... there should be ... other wrapping blankets used (receiving blankets work well - one (summer) to two/three (winter) is good) and there should be a set of finishing wrapping blankets made (out of white broadcloth - one the size of a receiving blanket and one that will be used as a "veil" - its hard to explain how to cut it and i dont have any pix of one - sorry). wit babies ... these are usually enough to help "save" the moss bag for "unexpected" accidents - poop up the back ... or an exorcist style episode of vomit LOL.

you can ... make a pillow for your baby's back. jus make a simple pillowcase ... fill it wit cotton batting ... and close.

halford does sell non suede'd leather (thats what you have - it does quit doing that - jus have to deal wit ... the lint until it does LOL - buy a lint brush)

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khalua

wow this is awesome I think i get it now lol .

oh and guess what i found out! The native friendship center is going to hold teaching how to make moss bags in edmonton!! but i'm in calgary *pout* 3-4hrs away

I have such a great image of what I hope it will look like teehee I'm soo excited!!

NOw just gotta fit it in somewhere with my beading and my 1yo and house hold chores lol

Pout my hides aren't big enough geez guess i'll hafta go shopping *evil Grin*

khalua

since you doubled the "fabric" thing is I want to use the new sueded leather i bought, its burgandy and oooo sooo nice deep rich color.

my question is should i still double it? I'm also going to add a "Cuff" in white leather for accent where the leather ties will go and add eyelettes to add that extra reinforcement but ... if i have double burgandy leather and another layer of white leather I won't need the reinforcement right ?! also it I think will be too tough to sew threw 3 layers of leather?
Can i get away with one layer of burgandy?
should I use sinue or thread?