Tuesday 10 January 2012

FO: Here we go bag


Kids back to school, feet up. In the name of displacement actitivities (I am so bad at just waiting) and in between granny napping, I finished my changing bag. I used the "Here We Go Bag" pattern from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings book and stash fabric.

I used to have an old rucksack as a changing bag so it feels fun to have such a smart new one. The size of the bag attracted me to the pattern plus it has side and internal pockets and an inside divider. I hate just having one huge bag in which everything gets jumbled up and which I have to tip up to find my phone or keys. I started making the bag before Christmas and just had a small bit of finishing off to do over the past two weeks. With all the parts the pattern seemed confusing at first but once I worked through it, it became much clearer and the bag went together faster than I had expected. I would recommend this pattern, it is nice and straightforward and gives you lots of options for different ways to put it together. There are lots of opportunities to use up fairly small fabric remnants in this pattern which was fun.

For the main part I used some dark denim from the Rag Market as I wanted something hardwearing and not likely to show too much dirt. I lined it with some left over Amy Butler fabric, which also was used for the handles and also with some tea cup fabric. I used more dark denim for the central divider to try and have a fairly rigid divider. Then I used my final scraps of apple fabric to make the top edging and the side pockets. I made three internal pockets of varying sizes. The bag also has a matching (yes, co-ordinated, I know get me!) changing mat from the Amy Butler fabric which rolls up inside.

The only addition to the bag is that I am going to put a magnetic popper inside it to keep it closed.

13 comments:

  1. Funky bag! I like using remnants up on bags, it makes me feel all fulfilled! haha! I had a sort out on the weekend through my sewing stash and need to make more bags as lots of remnants! hehe!

    Oooh yeah! Get you with the matching changing mat! All the other mum's will be wanting one from you now!

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  2. It's not what I think of when you say " changing bag" - I reckon it's an incognito baby bag. It's fab. Smart and practical with great organisational potential. Nice one!!

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  3. Thats awesome. How great to have a bag totally custom made for your own needs and 'stuff' carrying idiosyncrasies! And yes I would've gone the matching change matt too. Makes it fun !!!
    We have longer xmas holidays as it's summer here so I too am seeking to use up stash fabric even though I can't sew ha! so watch out....

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  4. Too nice for baby stuff! It always amazes me how much "stuff" parents seem to cram into baby bags I am sure they can't possibly need most of it!!
    Hope you are keeping well.

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  5. Aw pretty, it's a really nice fabric mix! And the bag looks endlessly practical! I love the middle divider and the many little pockets!

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  6. Nicely done - cute and practical- I love it! :-)

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  7. Thank you for the lovely comments. I am thinking I may be tired and living in chaos for a few months but at least I will have a cheery me-made bag. These little things make the differnece to me. Shallow? Yes probably.

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  8. A good bag like this will make life easier and the fun fabric is going to give you a mental lift! Nice job.

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  9. The fabric is terrific - so cheerful and just what you need when you've got a tiny little one during winter. Little cabbage no. 1 was born in January and I so vividly remember how cranky and housebound we both felt the first couple months. Color and light helped keep us sane! I like the new look of the blog too. I will be thinking of you as the countdown slips by...

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  10. what a great bag! Perfect size and great mix of fabrics and colours. I never think of making bags but it would probably be a really good way of using up my scrap pieces of fabric.

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  11. Before I started sewing clothes, I sewed bags -- love yours! Great denim outside (so it won't get overly dirty) while having the fun contrast lining and handles. You're getting close! I imagine you're exhausted. Wishing you lots of rest and pampering before baby :)

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