Advice for sewing seams

[Lucrezia]

Hello! :D I've been lurking for awhile and have finally worked up the nerve to post here. I've only been knitting for about six weeks, so please bear with me if this question is REALLY stupid.

I'm making Zeeby's Bag from SnB, and where it says to sew seams I'm not quite sure which stitch to use. I have read the ever popular Knitty article about mattress stitch, and I think that that is what I may use,
but in SnB Debbie Stoller mentions using backstitch for bags as it is a stabilizing seam. Which do you guys recommend? If I use mattress stitch and put something heavy in my bag it won't collapse, will it?

Also, I slipped the first stitch for the entire project. After I finished the whole thing I realized that this may not have been smart. Do slipped stitches hinder the ease of seaming?

Any help at all will be much appreciated. :D

[Silver]

Welcome! Glad you're de-lurking!

I can see why the backstitch would be more sturdy, especially on a
non-felted bag. There will be less vertical stretch, which is great when you put stuff in the purse. (I made one purse that stretched to my knees when filled! LOL) Anyway, I'd recommend doing the backstitch.

I've never seamed anything with slipped stitch edges. I only do that when I'm not going to seam. But I don't think it will pose that much of a problem. Just make sure your stitches are close enough to avoid gaps.

[Ingrid]

The beauty of the mattess stitch is its invisibility. Silver's right that you need a sturdier st for a bag since it will be under stress.

[Lucrezia]

Thanks so much! I will attempt the backstitch now. Hopefully all will go well. :D