Baby Bag Update

Ok, so life got amazingly complicated! I got engaged and married in the span of 6 weeks! So my blog sort of got shoved to the very end of my priority list. After a short hiatus to do some wedding planning (hooray!), and in the midst of it all, I had to pick up my diaper bag project. Kendall's shower snuck up on me, and I needed to get that thing done.

Wow, and Holy Cow! Those blogs I looked up when I was researching this pattern were more correct than I thought. I did manage to put the zipper in upside down. HOWEVER, I double and triple checked the instructions and they are wrong! The picture reverses what should actually be done. I'm calling this one "not my fault!"

I think that it took me about 8 hours total to get done. Maybe adding a couple extra hours of finishing. I get extremely anal-retentive when it comes to cleaning up loose threads and pulling out basting stitches (and boy was there a ton of basting in this project!). So here are my tips for this project if you decide to conquer it:

1. Follow your sewing instincts, especially with the zipper insertion. The directions are wrong.
2. If you are going to use heavyweight interfacing, make sure that you have a machine that will handle it. I almost killed my Singer Confidence, bent 2 needles, and broke one. But it was really worth it because the bag was very, very solid.
3. Put the tab on the zipper BEFORE you put the zipper in. I tried to do it after and the logistics of holding the bag and getting it under the foot was impossible. I had to do it by hand and it looked like poo.
4. COVER the iron on vinyl with the paper . . . it melts! :-(
5. Use stellar materials. The investment will pay off in a really great final product.
6. Be ready to be asked by everyone and their sister to make one!

The complements I have gotten on the bag have been amazing! I may have 3 or so real orders for them. I am considering making a couple of more to sell on Etsy. As always, it comes down to time and investment money. I used really good materials on this and I think that is half of the success, so I don't think I could settle for less in any other bags I make. So, I will be waiting until I have some extra sewing $$ and the time to go find some really cute fabric.

And the one thing I should have done differently . . . take more pictures! I only ended up with one that we took at the shower when Kendall opened it!! Enjoy:

I seriously LOVE this bag! It was worth every frustration I had with this pattern.

Presley Ann (4/29/10, 2:17 p.m., 7lb. 2oz., 20.5 in.)

Be.Loved!