Welcome to the Jungle

Helloooooo!!! Can I just tell you it does NOT feel like a long weekend? And also that I am very excited to eat things tomorrow? Now that THAT's out of the way...

A girl I work with is going to have her third little drooler in June, and she asked if I could make her a diaper bag. Her nursery theme is jungle babies, and for once Joann's had the perfect fabric in-store AND online.

 Isn't that as cute as the dickens? Whatever that means...must research origin of statement.

(They don't have the image of the fabric I used online anymore--but I love this adorable panel).

She gave me fairly free-reign with the design of the bag. This always makes me nervous because I start thinking "Should I add this or that? How many pockets? How big?" When I tell you I asked 57 million questions I might be under-shooting the actual number. She had sent me a few pictures of styles she liked, and they were all basic and simple. I still didn't know what to do, though. She wants to be surprised with the gender, so I was nervous it might look too boyish but I didn't know how to girl it up without making it look girlish. Last Saturday morning I literally sat up in bed and said "Piping!" Literally. I felt foolish only briefly because I had the answer I was waiting on for a few months. Yes, I've had the fabric for months with no ideas.

But it all came together so quickly, from start to finish. It was a design-as-you-go adventure, so it took me a bit longer than it would have if it was something I'd made before. But it's so cute I wanted to buy a baby to have an excuse to keep it:

I adore the little monkey the most. But I love the doofy little grins they all have.

This is the lining. When you open the bag it looks like all the little animals are playing Hide-and-Seek.

 There are elasticized bottle pockets on the sides. I sewed multiple rows on the handle to give them a quilted look. And then there's the piping...

I. Love this piping. I love how it's soft and springy, and I love how cutting it on the bias makes it look like lemon candy canes. I wanted to keep making yards and yards of this for no good reason.

 One final look...

I think it ended up being fairly neutral. The yellow makes it not all blue and green, and the animal ears give it a touch of pink without anything pink being added. The outside pockets are each supposed to be on the other side but I didn't notice until after the point of no return was reached. I really love the look the piping gives to the bag. I have another diaper bag to do (but a much smaller one) that I'm going to do the same basic design for. But first? I must eat candy and quilt my quilt. Priorities, y'know?

I'm linking up here: