How to Open Stitched Bags - Viewer Tips!
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- Опубліковано 11 лют 2025
- #openstitchedbags #openfeedbags #chainstitchedgrainbags
Products that are packaged in stitched bags can be a real hassle - until you know the trick to getting them open - without resorting to slashing the bag open with a utility knife!
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A wide variety of products come in stitched top bags, including rice, birdseed, grains, livestock feed, and bulk flour. How to open them is complicated by the fact that there is more than one stitch pattern, some come with reinforcement tape, while other products have stitching directly through the bag material with no tape.
After broadcasting our first episode on this topic, many commented it solved their problem and that they could now open stitched bags on their first try. Others wrote in to say that the method didn’t work for them, that the stitch looked different than the one we used, or that there was no tape to use as a reference to figure out what direction to start undoing the stitch from. So much for absolutes!
For instance, DFJ Subscriber “Good Egg” said, “for some reason, this didn't work on a Swagat Sona Massoori 20 lb Rice bag. Not sure if it's an operator error or not.” Another viewer, E DR, stated, “Didn't work on my rice bag from Thailand, either. The string zips from left to right, unlike in Dirt Farmer Jay's video…”
Viewer Cindy Wyatt continued with, “these (the type with a paper tape backer) I can deal with! It is the ones WITHOUT the tape that give me a fit. I hope you made a vid for that kind too. The ones that have feed and seed in them. Thanks!”
With the dose of reality from our viewers for situations where what we showed in the first episode did not work for them, this second episode will help. We are sure there are exceptions, but we are confident that what we show you in this episode will address many more types of bags.
NO MATTER THE TYPE OF STITCH YOU ARE DEALING WITH, you know that it was stitched together using intertwining loops, so there has to be a way to reverse the stitch. It’s that simple. What isn’t so simple is figuring out how to reverse the stitch. But, a great starting point for “flat-type” stitches is to figure out which is the “front” and “back” side. That may or may not align with the front and back of the package!
So that we are all using the same terminology, The “front” has only one stitch, and the “back” has multiple interwoven stitches.
With those definitions in mind, here’s a great tip from DFJ Subscriber Jonathan Pendley: “Another way to orientate your way to the bag is to straddle the bag with the single (“front”) string to your right and pick the single string (furthest from you) to unzip the bag (back towards you).”
Viewer C N asked, “What about bags without pull tape? Such as Pennington® birdseed?”
These are like the bags of rice that are packaged in Asian and South Asian countries. The stitch may actually begin before the bag, stitch into the bag material, and continue past the other side. The “braid” on both edges of the bag is typically tubular in shape instead of flat.
No matter. The same approach Jonathan Pendley recommends still works. Situate the bag so that when your stand over it with a leg to each side of the bag, the single stitch is on your right. Then, beginning on the end furthest from you, pick apart the end until you have two opposing strings sticking out. Tug the string ends apart from each other, and the stitch will “un-zip.”
Here’s one more tip for this type of “tubular” stitch. On the stitch side that has multiple strings, you’ll see that the chain stitch forms a series of little triangles that look somewhat like arrowheads. The wide end of the arrowheads indicates what end of the stitch to start “unzipping” from.
Here’s a bonus tip supplied by DFJ Viewer Family Member jdizzle6911, who said, “Another trick is to undo it halfway and then put the string through one of the loops to make it stay half sealed and half-open to pour the contents out without a big mess.” Ingenious, jdizzle6911!
There you have it. Yet another skill that you have and helps you to “Just Do It Yourself!”
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This is the greatest video on UA-cam.
Aw garsh....
You are an educational lifesaver!
I'm glad this was helpful to you. I use this technique ongoing - in fact - yesterday! Thanks for writing! Best, DFJ
Always making our lives better . Thank You!!! 😊
You bet, Demebeso714! Thanks for writing! Best, DFJ
Thank you. I've never been able to work these out until I watched your video
This is the 3rd YT DIY video I've watched and you hooked me within 10 seconds.
I love the way you teach this.
And by the way, it was this video that made me successful.
I was within seconds of using scissors.
Thanks for these! My husband and I knew there had to be an easy way to open these types of bags.
Glad it was helpful!
Yay!! 👏 It works!!!! So glad to finally know the trick!!
Wahoooooo!
Wow. Like rocket science every time I try to figure it out, but so simple when you demonstrate how to do it. THANKS!
You the best, Jay, been struggling and messing up these bags for so long. Am not even a farmer, my 250g coffee bags come with that closure mechanism, finally I can stop messing up
WAHOOOOO! Glad to be of help! Best, DFJ
Dirt Farmer Jay, you’re my Hero😀
Aw garsh. Glad to be of help. Best, DFJ
Good morning from Southeast South Dakota
Learned this when I was a kid back on the farm. I passed this on to my children and others
Hello there!
Brilliant, I finally undid one first attempt, many thanks 🎉
You made things easy. Well explained. Thanks.
Glad to be of help!
You’re my Hero!!!
Arrrr, garsh!! Thanks for the compliment. Keep watching and commenting. Best, DFJ
Thank you for showing this! I always just cut the whole top off. This will be easier.
thank you jay, the squirrels my mom feeds are very thankful
Right on!
The thing I love about that particular bag of birdseed. Is that they put the other type of closing on the bottom.
I only have one loose string on both ends.
Great! Thank you!
I love this video! I hate something I can’t do, when it’s really quite easy!
Thanks for watching and commenting Gail Gebhard. Best, DFJ
Awesome, Thank you!
Great video! I could have used this info last week. 😁 What about the big mesh bags of peanuts? Those always confused me!
Thanks, Barry! I'm not familiar with the bags of peanuts, but I'll bet that the "tubular" stitching on them is very similar to the birdseed bags and could be approached the same way - likely the wide end of the stitch "arrows" show where to start. Best, DFJ
Thank you so much this is valuable information!
You are welcome, Jo-Anne Murphy!
I have been fighting both bags for too long. I feel silly but am very appreciative of the education. Thanks again!
THANK YOU. :)
Thank you 😊
You're welcome 😊
Thankyou
changed my life DFJ !!!
aw garsh....
💕👍
I found the two ends and pulled them apart and it just tightened like a knot, don't know what I'm doing wrong but it didn't work for me
It sounds like you are at the wrong end or side of the stitch chain. Watch the video once again to see what side needs to be to the right and out in front of you and go from there. Don't give up! Best, DFJ
I love you lmao.
Bonjour 🇩🇿🌹🇩🇿
Salutations
Great to hear from you, my friend! Bonjour to you as well! DFJ
does anyone know how to actually do this stitch? like, how to sew it onto a bag? please let me know if you do!
3:46
Thanks for watching!
Cut the bag
Omg. Takes forever to get to the point.
Hey DFJ, Thanks so much you always make our lives better! I wish I could give you 10 thumbs up! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇦☮️✌🏻
I appreciate that, Alan! Thanks for being a part of our viewer family! Best, DFJ
Thank you!
Welcome!