I started off by drawing a rough sketch of what I wanted and listing all the things I would need to keep in it. Then I sketched my pattern. I wanted the exterior to be for all my things- wallet, phone, keys, etc so that I could access them quickly without doing the full nappy pay pull apart. The inside of the bag is intended for all the baby stuff.
At this point I'll apologise for the dodgy night time photos. My husband was away at a conference this week so I stayed up a few nights after the kidlets were in bed to get it finished.
There a five pieces to the pattern for the main body of the bag- the front/back, the sides and the base. I forgot to take photos of every step but if you are keen to make your own this might give you a few ideas.
The outer shell is made from aqua-coloured duck canvas and grey denim. I cut the front and the back from the duck.
Then I folded the pattern piece down to get the right dimensions for the outer pockets, which are made of the grey denim and lined with an orange cotton.
I made the orange piece slightly taller than the grey, sewed them together at the top and then lined them up at the bottom. Then I pressed the top edge of the pocket which gave the pocket the orange trim.
Next I sewed down the middle of the pocket piece and added these two pocket tabs to the front of the bag.
I made the back of the bag the same way without the pocket tabs. Instead of making the pockets even, I moved one to the side to make one larger pocket and one smaller pocket.
Here is the back of the finished bag. I intend to use the large pocket for magazines or my iPad when we're watching the other kids at after school activities.
I put elasticised pockets on the sides. If I made it again I would make them bigger. Then I joined the sides to the base. I found the middle of the base and the middle of the front, pinned them together and then pinned around the sides from there.
Inside at the curve on the corner of the base and sides I cut slits in the seam allowance to help it sit better.
Then it was onto the lining.
On one side of the lining I put in a big zipper pocket using this tutorial.
ON the other side of the lining I made 2 smaller zipper pockets and 2 open elasticised pockets. I forgot to take a photo while I was making them but here is what the pockets look like finished.
On one end of the lining I added a drink bottle cuff. It is just two rectangles of fabric with stiff interfacing in between them, stitched into the side seams of the lining.
When I sewed the lining pieces together I left a good gap in one of the seams so I could turn it out when I put the bag together.
Next it was onto the handles and the strap. The handles were made with two strips of fabric sewn together and then fold and sewn in half in the middle as shown.
Before I put it all together I added a recessed zipper to the top of the lining using this tutorial.
Finally I put it all together (no photo again). The outer shell of the bag was the right way out with the lining inside out on the outside of the outer shell. I sewed the top of the lining to the outside and then turn it the right way out through the hole in the bottom of the lining. Then I poked out all the corners nicely and sewed up the gap in the bottom of the lining.
I added two key rings before I put it all together- one on the outside and one on the inside.
I love not having to scratch around the bottom of my bag for keys. This pocket will be the perfect place to put them and they'll be easy to retrieve when they're attached to the key ring.
I am really happy with how this turned out. I think it will stand up to the nappy bag task quite well.
Kate
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