Tops: Closures and Lining

The top closure is the thing that makes a bag look high-end or homemade. We'll go through the most usable types of closures to make your bag look perfect.

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Each type of closure comes with step-by-step instructions, including troubleshooting. We'll cover the following types of closures:

Course curriculum

1. Welcome to the course!
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2. How to use this course
1. 3 types to make the opening for zip closure
2. What zipper to choose: size, and metal or plastic
1. Zip closure for raw edge leather and waxed canvas
2. Zip closure for Pendleton wool/upholstery fabric/jacquard/etc
3. Zip closure for leather with folded edge - perfect for thin leathers
1. Cutting the strips for zip pullers and key holder
2. The loop zip puller for the top zip closure
3. The "tongue" zip puller for the outside zip pocket on the back
4. Key holder and small loop for the inside zip pocket
5. Setting the rivets of the pullers
1. FIY: Marks and tracing on leather
2. What thread to use
3. Glue and Burnishing gum
1. Coming soon
1. 1. Closing the zipper's ends with leather patches with some tricks
2. 2. Two ways to stitch the zipper's ends
3. 3. Gluing the front & back leather details to the zipper
4. 4. Game changing trick: covering zipper's tape with leather strips on the inside
5. 5. Stitching the zipper
6. 6. Trick with the zip closure on the inner side
7. 7. Making the knots on the top
1. 1. The seam allowance and side gaps on the top for the nice looking top closure (pattern making included)
2. Pattern with the top marks for the top zip closure
3. 2. Cutting leather and lining for the closed type of closure
4. 3. Making the marks for the seam allowance and zip closure on leather. Direction of the zipper.
5. 4. Sealing the zipper's ends with leather patches
6. 4.1. Stitching zipper's end Way 1: hand stitching
7. 4.2 Stitching zipper's end Way 2: on the sewing machine with troubleshooting
8. 5. Gluing the leather details to the zipper
9. 6. Gluing the lining details to the zipper
10. 7. Stitching the 1st side
11. 8. Stitching the 2nd side
12. Troubleshooting: uneven stitching
13. 9. Stitching the leather & lining all together
14. 10. Trick with the top closure for the smooth opening
1. 1. Cutting the details: waxed canvas side
2. 2. Cutting the details: Pendleton side
3. 3. Cutting the details: lining
4. 4. Zip closure: Getting the zipper ready
5. 5. Zip closure: waxed canvas side
6. 6. Zip closure: Pendleton wool side
7. 8. Trick with the top and turning the bag out
8. 9. Side strap attachments
9. 10. Zip puller and closing the zipper end
1. 1. Zipper - Cutting, gluing, + tricks for straight lines
2. 2. Back side - gluing the lining and stitching
3. 3. Front side - gluing the lining and stitching
4. Work with the top and reinforcing the sides for the strap attachments
5. Sealing the top sides for the strap's attachments
6. Attaching the strap attachments
1. Top closure: watch it before making this type of closure
2. 1. Preparing the canvas strips
3. 2. Cutting lining and sealing the zipper
4. 3. Making the 1st strip
5. 4. Making the 2nd strip
6. How we would adjust this top closure for leather
7. 5. Attaching the front detail to the zip closure & general preps
8. 6. Attaching the back detail to zip closure

About this course

$79.00
60 lessons
4.5 hours of video content

This class is also available with the Bag Creator Course

Learn More

Khelman Bags Academy

Tops: Closures and Lining

Course curriculum

Welcome to the course!

General info about zippers and 3 ways to make a zipper opening

Making zip closure for 4 kinds of bag tops: leather unlined/leather lined/Waxed canvas/Pendleton

Loop and Tongue types of Zip pullers & making a key holder

Some tips for easier bag-making

Magnet closure - coming soon

Zip closure with closed ends for unlined leather bag (Project N2)

Zip top closure with closed ends for a lined leather bag (Project N3)

Zip closure: lined bag with waxed canvas and Pendleton/upholstery top with strap attachments on the sides (Project N4)

Top zip closure sealed with strap attachments on both ends (like Borla bag)

Zip closure attached with leather/canvas strips (to keep nice shape and add more room inside) Tote N3

About this course

This class is also available with the Bag Creator Course

Level 2: Bag Designer from scratch

Level 3: Craftsmanship