Lenore's (um, my) New Diaper Bag!

So, I was going to participate in Project Run and Playhttp://www.projectrunplay.com/ this month.

Well, I took too much time to get around to working on my project and missed the deadline....

by 4 days.  But life with a newborn wins.  And we went to the Great Smokey Mountains for a week as a field trip to school.  (Side bar:  I highly recommend this book"Scavenger Hike Adventures".  Just plain educational fun.)

So, I didn't get the bag done in time for Project Run and Play, but it's still an awesome bag.

The challenge was to take this beautiful bag pattern and make something spectacular.

It's the Reversible Sling Bag from Sugar Bee Crafts.

Follow the link to a free pattern.  

I downloaded the pattern, cut it out and taped it together.

I decided that I would need more room for a diaper bag, so I laid my old diaper bag out on some table paper and cut out my own pattern, imitating the Sugar Bee pattern in shape.

I did follow her tutorial, and would recommend it, for sure.

Another change that I made at this stage is to remove the middle strip.  I just cut two sides for the outer fabric and two sides for the lining.  

I wanted lots of ruffles.  My friend Betsy made herself a ruffle purse a couple of years ago.

I've had that purse on my list since then. However, I'm not gonna carry a purse anytime in the next few years, so I decided to ruffle a diaper bag.

Next, adding details to the lining of the bag:

 I put two pockets on either side of the opening of the bag.  I sewed these on before sewing the lining to the bag.

 I need a lot of pockets.  One for cell phone.  One for keys.

 One for hand sanitizer, lipstick, etc.  One for odds and ends.

Before sewing the lining and bag together I made up my ruffles (3x's the circumference of the bag).  I hemmed both sides, gathered one of them, and sewed it to the bag.

In the end I added one of my Baby Bear Hugz tags.  Baby Bear Hugz is the name of my baby carrier business.  I've run out of my "By Mama With Love" tags, so I used this one.  After all it is a baby product. As a surprise bonus I discovered today that this makes for a quick place to hang my sunglasses.

The strap narrows near the top, but it is a wide strap, for comfort.  The interfacing is also very comfortable cotton/polly quilting batting.  With all the stuff I carry for five kids, it is appreciated.

 I always get to carry at least one bottle of water in my bag, so I put these two bottle holders on either end of the bag.  Also great for securing a bottle of milk or sippy cup.  I'm not fond of searching the bottom of my bag for these things.  I've been using very large purses for the past couple of years, instead of "diaper bags".  I missed these.

 The closure is a simple elastic loop and button.

I had this one in my stash of buttons.  I bought these buttons around 1995 at a Hancock fabric store in Conyers, Ga.  I think I got them for .25 each?  A deal I couldn't pass up, and something I knew I'd use when I started sewing for my kids.

All of these fabrics came out of my stash of fabrics, so I can qualify for #SewMyStash2015.

The lining is a Kumari Garden print I bought 3 years ago, along with the pink flowery print.

The turquoise and pink flower ruffle layers are an Amy Butler print I've had for probably 6 years.

The interfacing is a cotton/poly blend of quilting batting.  Very dense and good for this bag. I got it at Fabric World in Atlanta for $1.00 a yard, when they had some.  It's been at least 5 years since I stumbled across that deal.
The elastic was found in the bottom of a cubby with odd and end notions in it, so no telling how long it's been there.

Thank you for checking out  my blog.

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