Flutterby Diaper Bag

Hi, gang! I haven't posted for a few days due to my funk, but I'm moving forward in good stead and actually have a new project to share with you. I sewed my way through Saturday (writing down everything this time as I have a few orders lined up for the same style bag) and have one of the sweetest things to show you. Now, while I DO appreciate more alternative baby patterns and colors than the traditional blue and white or pink and white, the pretty candy colors of this bag made it a complete joy to see come together. I was asked for something with lavender, but all of the things I found were fairly old-ladyish looking. So I went with my gut and I hope this works out (I'll know tomorrow - it's for someone at work). So here she is:

I was working on this bag last week, but made so many mistakes as my mind was anywhere but my sewing table that I decided to start over. It came together yesterday fairly quickly, and will be even quicker next time because I took notes (I NEVER do that and I always regret it).

That butterfly fabric came in pink, yellow, green, and turquoise--if I didn't have the lavender instruction I would probably still be standing in Joann's trying to decide. The stripes were easy to choose. I grabbed that bolt and hugged it to my chest like people were going to be fighting me for it.

I am madly in love with the piping. There is something about the diagonal striping effect that comes from cutting the fabric on the bias that makes me giddy. Honestly, it does (and yes, I know, I'm a nerd). The only thing I'd change about the bag design is the elasticized pockets -- I need to place them a little bit lower to satisfy my own craziness, but they're fine where they are.

I have a hard time deciding on closures for diaper bags. I think that with all the stress on a diaper bag a magnetic snap would eventually tear. And for a zipper I wonder if it would limit how much you could put in one. Never having seen one of my diaper bags in action I don't know how to figure the best closure option, so I went with a simple tie. It keeps everything together, but the ties are long enough for the bag to open wider and still be tied shut.

I did some extra stitching on the straps and really liked the effect of it. What I didn't realize is that with these looooooong handles there would be a squillion stitches....but I like it a lot so I'll keep doing it anyway. It's just a LOT of stitching.

This side has regular slip pockets with a little extra room to them, and the other side has elasticized-top pockets:

These look like really shallow pockets but it's just the angle of the camera.

I used a pretty stiff interfacing on the lining to cope with the stress of the pockets, but I think it's a little too stiff. It makes the bag feel extremely structured, but I tend to like them a little squishier. Seeing as there is no way in anywhere I'm redoing this one AGAIN it'll just have to do. It's one of those things I know about that non-sewers probably wouldn't, but I guess there's a second thing I'd change about this bag - softer interfacing.

So there you have it. You're going to be seeing a fair few diaper bags in the next few weeks (all in different fabrics) as everyone in my world is having babies or grandbabies or grand-nieces or nephews... It's going to be quite a busy month for me, that's darn-tootin' (hehehe).

If you've made it this far in this long post you get the heads-up on a giveaway coming later this week. So make sure you stop on back for details.

I'm going to go start my new book. Have an easy-breezy Monday, my dears!

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