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I’m pregnant, and I recently bought a fancy-pants designer diaper bag that’s compact and looks like a purse. But, really, who am I trying to kid? I could maybe fit the contents of my purse in there, but with baby stuff, too? No way. I mean, every day when I walk into work I have a tote bag, a purse and a lunch cooler that looks like a purse (and they are all in different patterns, so I look like some sort of mismatched hobo). Add a baby’s needs to this, and I had to get serious and accept the fact that I’m going to need something bigger. Much bigger. |
| I set off on a quest to make the most useful diaper bag I could. I had made some for friends before, but I really wanted a center divider. You can carry your stuff and baby’s stuff, all in one bag. It’s a biggun, measuring about 19″ long, 12″ tall and 6″ wide.I completely redesigned and came up with this one. I’ll admit, I was winging it and wondered if somewhere I’d realize I’d made some fatal miscalculation on how it would all come together. But guess what? It came together perfectly. Now I’m going to walk you through the same project.
What’s exciting about this bag? It’s full of useful surprises! It’s got a divider inside and lots of pockets, including some with elastic that pull out, which are great for bottles. This is a complicated bag, but I wouldn’t say you have to be a really experienced sewer to make it. You just need some patience and time. If you’ve ever wondered how to put a divider in a bag, I’ll walk you through that. This bag also has a lot of body, so it stands up on its own. As always, if you need help or don’t understand something in my instructions, please contact me using the e-mail link in the “contact” page to the right. NOTE: This is one of our more popular projects. If you make it, please share pictures with us on our Flickr page! Also, submit anything made with fabrics from Warehouse Fabrics Inc. to our gallery page. Simply click “Add Photo to Gallery” just above the pictures. |
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Supplies
(Click fabrics for direct links for purchase at Warehouse Fabrics Inc.)
 Sundeck black - ODSUKBLK |
 Elizabeth black/yellow - ELHBLW |
 Fancy black/yellow - FAYBLW |
 Melrose black/yellow - MEEBLW |
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 Strap hardware |
 Stiff interfacing |
 Fusible fleece |
 Cord |
 1/4" elastic |
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| I used a yard each of the black and the Elizabeth. I used half a yard each of the Melrose and Fancy. I used about 66 inches of piping cord, 4 purse strap hardware squares, 1 magnetic snap, 2 yards of fusible fleece and 2.5 yards of Craft Fuse interfacing. I would guess that I used about 30″ of elastic, but I actually was using up scraps. | |||
The pattern
| I didn’t make a downloadable pattern this time because all of the pieces are rectangles. Just draw pieces to these dimensions. (Yep. There’s a lot of cutting!) (numbers are width x height, in case you are using a directional print)
Bag front/back, exterior and interior: 20″x13″ cut 2 main fabric (in my case, black) cut 2 lining fabric #1 cut 2 fusible fleece cut 2 interfacing (I used Craft Fuse) Bag sides, exterior: 7″x13″ cut 2 main fabric cut 2 fusible fleece cut 2 interfacing (I used Craft Fuse) Bag bottom, exterior: 20″x7″ cut 1 main fabric cut 1 fusible fleece cut 1 interfacing (I used Craft Fuse) Bag sides, interior: 4″x13″ cut 4 lining fabric #1 Bag bottom, interior: 20″x4″ cut 2 lining fabric #1 Divider, interior: 20″x10.5″ cut 2 lining fabric #2 cut 2 interfacing Exterior pockets: 20″x8.5″ cut 4 lining fabric #1 Straight pocket, interior: 20″x6″ cut 2 lining fabric #3 Long elastic pocket, interior: 28″x6″ cut 2 lining fabric #3 Side elastic pockets, interior: 6.5″x6″ cut 4 lining fabric #3 Straps (makes 2): 4″x30″ cut 2 main fabric Strap tabs (makes 4): 4″x5″ cut 4 main fabric Piping 1.5″x 21″ cut 3 lining fabric #3 Note: There is a piping tutorial here, but in this particular case I did not cut on the bias. I just cut along the grain line. I don’t need my piping to hug any curves in this particular case, so non-bias piping is fine. 1/2″ seam allowances throughout |
The process
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| Fuse interfacing to the two exterior side and front pieces, plus the exterior bottom (left). Not all pieces are shown here. Then fuse fleece on top of the interfacing (right). In my example, all of my exterior pieces are solid black. So, each piece of the exterior bag is fabric plus interfacing plus fleece. | ||
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| You’ll make two straps according to the directions in the Non-Turn Strap Tutorial, but first press under a quarter-inch on each end so you have no raw edges when all is said and done (left). Then make three 22″ pieces of piping according to the Piping Tutorial. Please note that unlike in the tutorial, I did not cut these strips on the bias. It really wasn’t necessary since I’m not going to be hugging any curves (right). | ||
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| NOTE: In this photo above, you are looking at my pocket pieces for the exterior. I have used a piece of solid black for one side and a piece of the print for the other. With raw edges together, sew the piping to one long edge of an outer pocket piece (left). You want the piping to end up 1/2″ away from the raw edge. Sew the other outer pocket piece over that, sandwiching the piping in between (right). This is much easier with a piping foot, but you can also use a zipper foot. Just try to get as close to the piping as possible. | ||
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I’ve opened up my piping sandwich, and this is what I have. Now press so that the wrong sides of those fabrics are together and the piping is at the top. You can see that one side of my pocket is black, one is the print. | |
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| In these photos, I’ve laid my outer pockets on top of my other front pieces. In one photo I have the black side of the pocket showing, in the other I have the printed side. I am trying to decide which I want to have facing out. You see, I have a tendency to make lots of bags with bold prints, but then I spend a lot of time lamenting the fact that I don’t have a solid black purse or bag. So I promised myself that for this bag, the exterior would be primarily black. The fun would be on the inside, right? The pocket piping would give you a hint of the exciting stuff in the interior. I was going to arrange the outer pockets as in the photo on the left. Except then the prints got to me. WHAT DO I DO!?! Well, if you knew me at all, you wouldn’t even be asking that question. |
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So the print won. And I’m sure glad it did. I’m telling you, the bag is so much cuter this way! In this picture, I’ve basted the pocket onto the front piece by sewing along the sides and bottom ONLY. I’ve also sewn a line down the center of the pocket through all layers of the pocket and exterior bag piece to create two pockets of equal size. | |
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Now sew the exterior bottom piece to the side pieces. In this picture, the white is the back side of the bottom piece. I’ve sewn through the bottom, the pocket and the main bag piece. Stop about 1/2″ from each end to leave room for other seams in a few minutes. | |
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This is the exterior bag, laid flat, without the sides. #1 is the exterior front with pocket, #2 is the bottom of the bag and #3 is the exterior back with pocket (of course, front and back are the same in this case). | |
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This is the bag laid flat. I hope the labeling helps you understand what you’re viewing. I’ve attached the exterior sides to the front panel. The tops of the pieces should line up exactly. Due to seam allowances, the sides will extend past the bottom of the front piece. This will give you seam allowance for sewing it to the bottom piece in a minute. | |
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But before you sew the bottom piece to the side piece, sew the other side of the side piece to the back piece. Did that make any sense!? Now you’ve got a nice box, and the only thing that’s open is the top and the two side pieces where they meet the base of the bag. | |
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Now you’ll sew that bottom seam where the base of the bag and the sides of the bag come together. It can get bulky, but try to sew from one existing side seam to the next. If you go from raw edge to raw edge, you won’t get as nice of corners. | |
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Turn your bag right-side out, and your exterior is done, except for straps! Admire for a few minutes, patting yourself on the back for choosing the printed side of the pockets. Good choice! So what if you’ll clash with practically everything you wear? | |
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Alright, that’s enough. Back to work. It’s time for the interior. We’ll start with the divider. Apply fusible interfacing to each divider piece. Sew the piping on and sew the pieces together just like you did for the exterior pocket. The sides and bottom will remain raw edges. | |
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| Because of the divider, instead of having one bag bottom piece like on the exterior, we’ll have two, one on each side of the divider. Sandwich the bottom (raw) edge of the divider between the two interior bottom pieces and sew. Press open. Now your only raw edges on the divider are along the sides. | ||
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Next up is the elastic pocket. I wanted pockets that could hold fairly large objects, like bottles, securely. Right sides together, place the long elastic pocket pieces together and sew a 1/2″ seam allowance along one long end. Turn right-side out and press. | |
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Sew a casing for the elastic. I sewed mine about 1/2″ away from the finished edge. | |
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using a safety pin, thread the elastic through the casing. | |
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| You’ll gather it up some (left), then secure one end with some stitches (center). Gather from the free end until the elastic part is the same width as the interior front panel (right). Then secure the other side of the elastic with stitches. | ||
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| The bottom of the elastic pocket is still much bigger than the interior front panel. So what do you do? There are two options. One is to make little folds, like pleats, and just sew it down (left). The other I’ll show a few steps below. After basting the raw edges of the pocket to the interior front panel, make a few divider pockets so that it’s not just one huge, long pocket (right). | ||
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| Now we’ll make the nonelastic pocket for the other side of the interior. Place these pocket pieces right side together and sew along one long edge. Turn and press. Then top-stitch a little ways from the finished edge (left). Pin to the bottom edge of the interior back (again, it’s the same as the “front” but I’m just trying to differentiate the pieces) and baste around the raw edges. Stitch some dividing lines in. I like to make one that’s about the size of a pen, which I’m demonstrating with my finger, as a real pen would have required me to reach about 18 inches. | ||
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| OK, back to the side with the elastic pockets: On this side (what I’ve referred to as the “front”), the interior sides of the bag will have elastic pockets, too. On the other side, I did not add pockets to the sides of the bag. Do these little pockets the same way you did the big one. Here, I’ve demonstrated an alternative way to deal with the bottom of the pocket. Instead of pleating it roughly, I’ve sewn gathering stitches and gathered it (left). Baste it in place (right). | ||
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| Sew your front and back pieces to the bottom pieces. The pictures may be confusing, but it’s really just the bag laid flat. At left, I’m showing you the “interior back,” with the dividing pocket (dots) flipped the other way. At right, I’m showing you the “interior front” with the divider (dots) flipped up. So in the right photo, the divider is covering the nonelastic pockets. Confused? | ||
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| What? You’re still here? Congratulations for sticking with me! Thanks for making all of this work on my part worthwhile! Now, let’s sew the sides of the interior in. Sew the pocketless side pieces to the sides of the “interior back.” Remember what I said above about lining up the edges of the tops of the pieces and that you’ll have a bit of hangover at the bottom (left). PLEASE NOTE: on one of these edges, leave a large section unstitched for turning later (back stitch at each edge of this hole for reinforcement later). In the left-hand picture, I’ve left the left side seam mostly open. That was a lot of “lefts” in one sentence.
Do the same for the elastic pocket side, but don’t leave a seam open (right). |
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| Now sew the bottom pieces to the side pieces. You still haven’t connected the side pieces to the interior divider. This is a different order than how we did the exterior, but just go with me here. Stop at the seam line, so you have about 1/2″ unsewn (center). This is what it will look like (right). That edge on the right will connect with the interior divider in a minute. | ||
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On either side, sandwich the interior divider between the raw edges of the side pieces, right sides together. |
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Sew. |
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It worked! I was getting kind of nervous at this point that something wasn’t going to work out for me here. But it did. I am exuding so much confidence with this tutorial that I’m sure you never even noticed I was winging this, right? I mean, other than the fact that I keep pointing that out. |
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Attach the magnetic snaps using the Magnetic Snap Tutorial. Mark a dot halfway across the interior front and back pieces and 1-1/4″ down from the raw top edge. |
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Make four strap tab pieces in the same manner you made the straps themselves, only you don’t need to worry about raw edges. The three pieces at the top are finished. The one at the bottom shows you how the raw edges are brought to the center, then you fold that in half and press. |
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Decide how far in from each edge you want your straps and mark. Fold each tab in half and slide a square ring into the fold. Sew the tabs onto the exterior of the bag with raw edges together and rings hanging down. Sew within the 1/2″ seam allowance so you don’t see this stitching later. |
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With the exterior of the bag right-side out and the interior inside out, slide the exterior inside the interior on the side with the open edge. |
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Line up side seams and pin all the way around. Sew 1/2″ from top edge. I prefer to sew from the side with all of the fleece and interfacing because it tends to feed more evenly. In other words, fleece side up, noninterfaced side down. |
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Turn the whole bag through this hole. It seems impossible, but if you go slow, you’ll have no trouble. Press the top edge and top-stitch around it to secure lining inside of bag.
Sew the hole closed. I just pin it shut, turning in the seam allowances, and top stitch. You can also slip stitch by hand for a less-noticeable finish. |
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We’re almost done! On the straps, mark 1-1/4″ from each finished edge. |
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Loop through the rings so that the mark you just made is on the fold. Sew close to edge to secure. YOU’RE FINISHED! If you think that took you a long time, try documenting and creating this tutorial! Phew! I hope you give it a try. It takes some work, but it’s way cuter than most store-bought diaper bags, and you can choose any prints you like! |
Other views
(Click for bigger views)
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Tags: bag, bag with divider, diaper bag, sewing, sewing tutorial, tutorial
I love this tutorial! I intend on making another! It is perfect for my needs! Here is mine, http://ninnyscraftycraziness.blogspot.com/2012/02/diaper-bag.html
I love it, Lynde. I love that print you used. It came out great! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Robyn, I LOVE your nappy bag pattern, I’m midway through making it but waiting for some interfacing to be delivered so I can keep going.
One question I have though – I am using a very thick bonded upholstery fabric for the main fabric. I decided not to interface that fabric, but I’m wondering if you have any tips for the ends of the bag handles. I just don’t think I will be able to turn the ends under before I construct the strap. Do you have any ideas for a neat finish? I thought maybe I could do a tiny binding in a matching but lightweight fabric.
Secondly, I think the cutting direction for the “Side elastic pockets, interior” may be wrong. You have 6″x6.5 listed, but all the other pocket patterns are 6″ tall. Mine are a stripe, but I realised before I cut them
Thanks again for the brilliant tutorial!
Janet
Janet,
Thanks for pointing out the mistake. Initially, I posted this without thinking about making sure all my measurements are w x h and I sort of just threw them on there. Then someone pointed it out to me and I tried to fix it, but I have missed some of them. I appreciate the note and fixed it. You probably saved someone else a headache!
As for the bag handles, You might want to skip the rings on the straps and just insert the strap straight into the bag, as seen in this bag tutorial. Basically, just make the straps longer and then baste the raw edges to the raw edge of the bag top and skip the rings altogether. Don’t hesitate to email with any other questions or comments!
Robyn
Just finished my second diaper bag using this tutorial. I think it came out beautifully!
http://www.writeagainsoon.com/journal/2012/2/12/first-overnight-with-the-kids.html
Jennifer,
I thought I replied to this already but I guess I didn’t. I just wanted to say that I adore the bag. the fabrics and the piping/pockets, it’s all just gorgeous. I love the pop of color! Thanks for sharing!
p.s. you should submit your project to our gallery!
Thank you so much! I just made mine! I couldn’t stop…I just wanted to get it done. So here I am…midnight and just finished. Thank you. Your instructions were excellent. I learned so much from your tutorial! I will definitely make another for future pregnant friends. Thanks again.
thanks so much for the bag tutorial. I just finished making mine and will try to post some pics soon. Your tutorial was well done and easy to follow, thanks so much! The only thing I would add to your tutorial is adding some interfacing between the layers at the magnetic snap closure for increased stability. Also, I plan to make some stitching around the closure so the pressure isn’t entirely on the lining. Perhaps if your lining is more heavyweight this isn’t an issue. Also, I think I’ll add some invisible hand-stitching to attach the lining to the exterior at the seams in the bottom, I think it gives the bag more structure inside and keeps things lined up better. Thanks again for the tutorial!
Sophie,
I’d love to see it!
I did suggest using interfacing for the magnetic snap. It’s in the “magnetic snap tutorial” that I referenced for people who needed help doing that step. I think your idea of adding stitching is a good idea for stability. I guess I never do that because I think it would look unattractive, but maybe it wouldn’t and I am wrong! Good idea on stitching the seams together at the bottom. That will keep things nice and neat.
Robyn
I just this minute finished making two of these bags – one boy and one girl – and they are SO cute!!! I searched online to find a bag pattern that suited my needs and this one immediately caught my eye. All the instructions were clear, and the pictures were especially helpful. I love EVERYTHING about the style of the bags, and making them was a joy. Thank you so very, very much for this tutorial!
So…. I’ve bought my material, and want to start making this fantastic diaper bag! I’d like to add a zipper though, instead of the magnetic snap. I’ve never done that before though. Any suggestions on how? The link below shows an idea of the sort of zipper closure I’d like to add.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/93879824/fantiful-butterfly-titanic-diaper-bag?ref=sr_gallery_37&sref=&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=diaper+bag&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=CA&ga_page=5&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade
Thanks so much for your comment, Victoria! It means a lot to me.
Chelsey,
Normally, to do a zip top requires putting the bag together in an entirely different way, which would change this whole bag, and maybe even make it impossible. But that’s for a zipper that totally seals the top closed. This kind might be possible. I’m thinking you could do two separate flaps, each with one side of a separating zipper on it. It looks like maybe what you do is on your lining side pieces, actually cut two pieces for each — one is a shorter piece along the top (as if you cut a few inches off the top of the lining piece, but don’t forget that you’ll need to add seam allowance. Then sew these two pieces together, but place the flap between them so that it is located on the inside of the bag, but near the top. That’s probably not a detailed enough explanation; I have not tried to do it and don’t know if I am exactly on the right track. Let me know if you do it and I’d love to see a picture!
Robyn
Thanks so much for your tutorial! I’m relatively new to sewing and am going to try this but had one question…what is the purpose of the fusible fleece? Is it to make the bag more sturdy? Thanks!
Hello Cheryl,
Yes, the fusible fleece is really just to add support and body to the bag. That’s also what the interfacing is for, but the two combined add lots of sturdiness!
Robyn
Hi. I love your bag! I cant wait to try it. I have a quick question. Is this bag washable? The divider too?
Thanks. Cant wait to try this!
Jenn,
Mostly, it depends on the fabric you choose to use. But I have made many bags and I never think they look all that great after washing. It’s really better to spot clean them.
If you really think it’s going to be necessary to wash it, make sure you prewash ALL of the materials. For things like interfacing and fleece, you have to soak them and lay them out to dry; they will fall apart in the washing machine. If you do wash the bag, I recommend only cold water, hand-wash or gentle cycle and then reshape and let air dry. Then steam and press to improve the look. But it really won’t look exactly like it did before you washed it, from my experience.
Also, you could spray with Scotch-Guard after completion to help it stay clean.
Hope that helps a bit,
Robyn
So I finally finished my bag today…. an am so sad I chose to use a light weight vinyl as my main fabric : (
I originally thought it would produce a sturdy bag, would be easier to clean, and produce a more finished, professional feel. And it does. BUT…
The vinyl did not adhere to the interfacing at all, and the fusible fleece I bought more or less just stuck to the iron rather than sticking to the interfacing.
I decided to press on, and have made a beautiful, but floppy diaper bag.
So not what I wanted! Really wished I would have used a heavy weight cotton or drapery fabric instead of vinyl. Live and learn I guess.
Do you have any advice on how to reinforce the bag, now that its made? I haven’t sewn the hole yet (the hole used to turn the bag right side out), and have considered doing the following:
1) Lining the bottom of the bag with thick cardboard (would be hidden by the bag lining)
2) Since I used fusible fleece, I might try ironing the interior on high heat in the hope that it will adhere to the fleece below.
3) Sewing the interior seams together with invisible hand stitching to reinforce everything, and keep the interior from moving.
Any other suggestions? I’m all ears!
Chelsey,
I haven’t worked with vinyl very much. Sad to hear it was not all you hoped! I think that inserting a cardboard bottom would help quite a bit with sturdiness — it would collapse a little less. You can also use template plastic from the quilting section of a store in your area and cut it to size.
What did you use for the lining? If it’s regular fabric, then you could fuse the fleece to that instead. If fleece/interfacing doesn’t fuse to fabric, you can always sew it in to the seams for the same effect. Sorry I don’t have any magical solutions for you!
Robyn
Thanks for your feed back, Robyn!
I ended up doing all 3 of my “make the bag sturdier” suggestions, and it turned out great!
Here is a link to see the pictures of my new diaper bag:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150781928357324.461383.752397323&type=1&l=f326f8facf
Things I changed:
- Added a zipper instead of a magnetic snap closure
- Added 2 more inside pockets ( so there is a pocket on either side of the divider)
- Added tabs on the exterior bag ends so I could use stroller clips
The only thing that went wrong is that I ran out of my #3 fabric, and didn’t have enough to make all the interior pockets. And that was before I even decided I wanted to add extra pockets.
I wonder if anyone else has had this problem? Or if I just cut it weird?
At any rate, next time I’ll just buy 1 yard of the fabric rather than a 1/2 yard.
I also find that the divider seems too long?
When I had just my interior pieces sewn together, everything matched up perfectly and looked fantastic! But when I sewed the bag together, the divider just seems floppy and like its too long for the bag. Meh – I’ll work around it. Not sure what I could have done differently? It matched up prefect before : /
I really love this tutorial, thanks for posting such great instructions!
I am a visual learner, and am so thankful you included so many pictures.
If anyone else has problems with the yardage, I’d truly like to know. This was an extensive tutorial, and people’s feedback has helped me catch and fix errors. I won’t be making one of these anytime soon, so I can’t really test it and check for errors. Thanks for the feedback! The link didn’t work for me. It said it was unavailable. I’d still love to see!
Robyn
Love this bag, but can’t find the pattern anymore online.
Gwen –
gwen.plummer7@gmail.com
Gwen,
Thanks for pointing out to me that you can’t see the post. I suddenly can’t see it either. I have no idea why — when I go to my blog dashboard, it’s all still there, and the other posts seem fine. I will look into it.
If worse comes to worse, I can copy and repost, but I know a number of other sites link to it so I hate to change the link.
I will let you know when I figure this out!
Robyn
Thank you for your quick response Robyn. What is your blog address? I will check there.
Thanks again,
Gwen -
Gwen,
It seems at least one other of our more popular tutorials has the same problem. We are looking into whether it was hacked or what the problem is. I will let you know when it’s up and running, and I’m looking for a temporary solution.
Sorry!!
Robyn
Please try this PDF version on Scribd until we can get the blog problem resolved. Thanks!
HI Robyn!
Sorry my original link didn’t work.
Hopefully these links will. Let me know what you think!
View 1
http://pinterest.com/pin/98657048057229912/
View 2
http://pinterest.com/pin/98657048057229917/
View 3 (zipper)
http://pinterest.com/pin/98657048057257726/
View 4 (stroller clip tabs)
http://pinterest.com/pin/98657048057257725/
Hey there!
I have two girls under two, and a niece or nefew on the way, and I think that this bag would be amazing for myself and my sister-in-law. Since I am a stay-at-home mom, this can be a tricky project to do. About how long did it take you to make your first one? I have a place where I could possibly make it. Also, how durable are they?
Thank you!
Ashley,
So sorry for the delay on this response.
I honestly don’t remember how long it took me. It was pretty time consuming, but I was also developing the pattern at the same time and photographing for the tutorial. So it probably took me so much longer than it would someone who isn’t doing all of that.
Believe me, I know how it is to balance motherhood and sewing and how you can just get little increments in here and there. I would give yourself a good hour at least to cut all the pieces out.
Then on another day, start sewing. It might take a few sewing sessions to finish it.
As for durability, I think the bag style itself is durable, but a lot has to do with the fabrics you choose. Also, you might want to spray it with Scotch-Guard at the end to help it stay clean.
Robyn
Love love love this bag! ! ! Really great tutorial! I was looking everywhere online for a great DIY diaper bag, because (like most others) I can never find a bag big and sturdy enough to hold ALL my baby’s stuff + my stuff. I’m so happy I found the perfect one!
One thing I did a little different was double up on the interfacing & fleece (for extra sturdiness). I’m sure it’s pretty sturdy with the one layer each, but I really wanted it to last a long time. So it made it a little harder in the end to bring it all together. But I made it happen as well I could. (that’s why the magnetic snaps are a little high… but oh well!) It still works!
I will definitely be doing this again for a gift or just to have another one. Thank you!!! Here’s my bag…
http://pinterest.com/pin/18507048438964536/
Hey sorry! That link was no good. Here’s the right link to the picture of my bag…
http://pinterest.com/pin/18507048438966116/
Thanks again!!
Katie,
It’s gorgeous. I LOVE your fabric choice. Thanks for sharing!!
Robyn
Just finished this bag. I LOVE it. I made it for a friend using fabric I had purchased for a quilt. I used scraps of quilt batting so stitched the fabric, interfacing and batting in a grid pattern. If I make another, I will add pockets to the divider. Thanks for the pattern a tutorial!
[...] Diaper bag with a divider « Warehouse Fabrics Inc Blog But, really, who am I trying to kid? I could maybe fit the contents of my purse in there, but with baby stuff, too? No way. [...]
If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of sewing machine did you use? I’m looking for a machine that will get the job done, but won’t brake my piggy bank. I’m very new to this, so any suggestions will be greatly welcomed. Thanks!!
Ashley,
I have some info on my machines here.
When I bought my first machine in 2004, I had no sewing experience. Although I frequently tend to look for the cheapest things, I am glad I invested a little in my machine. It wasn’t terribly expensive but it also wasn’t a $99 Walmart special, either. It takes a good while to get to know your machine, so I recommend getting something you’ll want to stick with for a while.
Robyn
I’ve heard your little Kenmore is pretty great, but sears no longer sells Kenmore. Fortunately, Janome (who makes Kenmore) supplies Hancock Fabrics with a good quality low-end model. I got the Janome 8050 shortly after Christmas on sale for $229. This machine happens to be nearly identical to the more pricey Janome DC1050. I’m a beginner, but I’ve used mine quite a bit, and I love love love it!
It’s an electronic machine with 100 stitches, four one-step buttonholes, and up/down button. I can sew through up to 12 layers of cotton with 4 layers of batting (though I wouldn’t recommend doing this regularly!), and it’s incredibly easy to learn to use!
The bobbins are not the easiest to find. Why Hancocks sells the machine and not the bobbins is a total mystery to me. Any authorized Janome dealer should have them. If you don’t have a dealer near you, you can buy them online. It doesn’t come with a ton of feet – that’s the biggest downside – but I’ve been able to do most of what I need to do so far for dressmaking and quilting with basic feet. I did get an open-toed free-motion foot, and I love it! I’m looking for a cheap open-toed walking foot, and I might look for a piping foot, as well.