I love Fast2Fuse. It's a thickish, non-woven interfacing/stabiliser that gives loads of support to fabric, but is still flexible enough to manipulate around a sewing machine. 
It's also machine washable (it presses back into shape!) and is fusible on both sides.
Medium weight Fast2Fuse is great for creating support in the body of the bag.
My preferred use for the Heavyweight Fast2Fuse is as a bag base. It creates support without rigidity - unlike template plastic, it doesn't have a sharp edge so is nice and comfy on bags that sit against the body. (Apparently people also use it to make fabric bowls... I'm just trying to work out when you'd use a fabric bowl!!???).
Heres How to Make a Fast2Fuse Bag Base.....
1. Cut the Fast2Fuse to fit the size of the bag base (see instructions for cutting a Template Plastic Base). With Fast2Fuse, you don’t have to round off the corners.
2. Cut a piece of light cotton fabric (calico will do) a little over an inch longer than the length of the Fast2Fuse base, and wide enough to wrap around the width of it. OR if you want to make the base a bit stiffer you can use a fusible woven interfacing instead of the calico.
4. Trim the excess fabric off the long edge of the Fast2Fuse, leaving a seam allowance of at least half an inch on the shorter ends. 
5. Sew around the edges of the fabric, securing it to the Fast2Fuse. If the base is wider than about 4cm (and if you're as paranoid as I am about things coming UNDONE) you might like to also sew an x-shape through the centre of the base. (NOTE: This may be completely superfluous... I just like to be SURE things are going to stay put!!)
6. Lay the Fast2Fuse against the base of the bag, and sew the seam allowances of the bag base to the fabric at the ends of the Fast2Fuse base.
Apologies for the black and white pictures for this tutorial. I've lifted them straight off the print-friendly-but-bandwidth-heavy pdf!!!
Copyright Nicole Mallalieu 2005
10 comments:
Hey Nikki,
sitting at home, hubby away, blogging.....in between making a pearl necklace...this looks easy now I have mastered the template base...I love it how you like to make sure things stay in place. There's a little voice inside me that says "remember to back tack" everytime I make your patterns
Sharon
Yes, that's MY little voice!!! I really am a bit overly-worried about things falling apart. I think it comes from having MY NAME on the label of things that were for sale.
Your Fast2Fuse sounds like the innerfuse that I use and I believe that you're supposed to use fabric bowls for little catch-alls like maybe jewelry or pot-pouri etc... However something deep within me says 'tacky'. Not to be mean but I would imagine they'd end up being dust traps. If anyone has made them and loves them, I hope they don't read this comment!
Ah yes - fabric bowls. I could never much see the point!
Thanks for this tutorial! I'll have to get some Fast2Fuse from you when I try my next bag.
This is a great tutorial, thanks. I've still got a little packet of fast2fuse that i bought at your course ages ago and haven't been game to use yet!
Hi, just found your Blog and love it! Wish I were close to you, would be taking classes all the time. Will be visiting often and thanks for a wonderful Blog.
Hi,
Just did a class using this product, made a "green bag" using the fast2fuse for the sides and base. What was supposed to be an inexpensive bag turned out to be very expensive because of the cost of the fast2fuse. I had hoped to make a few as Christmas gifts, but have now changed my mind, unless I modify the pattern. How have others found the product? I love the concept, but find the cost prohibitive.
Kerry
Hello Nikki.i just found your blog thx to whipup.net
It was exactly what i was looking for.
This tips about interfaces are great! I want to buy some but i have a question about it. can you tell me what interface is good for purses with a frame. something like this http://nicolemdesign.blogspot.com/2008/08/more-purse-frame-purses.html
Iunnia - I don't have an email address to respond to you. The right interfacing choice depends upon the fabric you use as well as the design of the purse. I recommendtesting scraps of fabric to get an understanding of what th likely outcome of any combination will be. We have interfacing sample packs for this https://www.nicolemdesign.com.au/shop/interfacings/2404-interfacing-sample-packs.html
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