Showing posts with label diaper bag. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diaper bag. Show all posts
Monday, June 7, 2010
Back to Nature Treasury
I recently joined the CAPS (Christian Artists Promoting Shops) Team at Etsy. They have been so kind and welcoming. I even have my first spot in an Etsy Treasury! For those of you who don't know about them, it's a way to choose your own little gallery of items for showcase on Etsy. Each treasury has a theme and you can shop through them from their homepage.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Mama Hoot's Car Kit Bag
After reading the Mommy Milestone blog over at Forever and After, I decided to share with you all what I dub my "car kit bag". Months ago we were out and about as a family and decided to go ahead and have a nice sit-down dinner out at the Cheesecake Factory. I bought something next door at Whole Foods for Lil Hoot to eat and we sat down for dinner. Then we realized - we didn't have a bib or a spoon or any number of other things that would come in handy. I had diapers, wipes, toys and blankets but that was about it. I was in the habit then of packing a bag each time we headed out and only packing what I thought we would need. So we came home and made a list of Things to Keep in the Car. I also made a bag with lots and lots of pockets to keep it all straight.
Mama Hoot's Car Kit
Mama Hoot's Car Kit- diapers, wipes & rash cream
- change of clothes
- a towel/burp cloth, spoons, baby food, bib
- toys and books
- changing pad & blanket
- sippy cup
- teething tablets
- small pouch of toiletries
- a zip lock bag or two (small & large)
- first aid kit
Depending on the season I may also throw in:
- Hats & mittens
- Extra blankets
- Shoes/Booties
- Jacket or sweater
This list is certainly not all inclusive. Do you already have a car kit bag? What do you keep in yours?
I keep all of this neatly tucked away in my Car Kit Bag which stays on the floor in front of Lil Hoot's car seat. Then when we need to leave, I grab my normal-size purse and head out the door. Sometimes I need to grab a few extra things but then I just drop them into a side pouch on the big bag and we're still ready to go. Saves me time and effort while also making sure we have what we need!
I keep all of this neatly tucked away in my Car Kit Bag which stays on the floor in front of Lil Hoot's car seat. Then when we need to leave, I grab my normal-size purse and head out the door. Sometimes I need to grab a few extra things but then I just drop them into a side pouch on the big bag and we're still ready to go. Saves me time and effort while also making sure we have what we need!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Diaper Bag
For me, preparing for the arrival of Baby Hoot includes crafting. Sometimes it's practical and money-saving, other times it isn't money saving but comes with the bonus of being personal and handmade. The first completed project is actually for me. I had more than enough of this fabric in my stash and set to work on making the large diaper bag pattern I have on hand.
Thanks also go to my friend Bekah, who has the first bag made from this pattern and was willing to be a guinea pig by allowing me to make one for her. I made a few modifications from the pattern this time, though it looks almost identical from the outside. The fabric I had in my stash, so I only had to purchase the interfacing, matching thread and a packet of snaps (about $8).
The straps are narrower and slightly shorter since I am shorter and have small hands. At the suggestion of a fellow crafter I used a fusible interfacing to stiffen the fabric rather than the duck cloth (thick canvas) I used previously. This bag probably isn't as stiff, but it's lighter and easier for my sewing machine to handle. I had only used fusible interfacing once prior to this project and it was not a successful adventure. This time around though I was better prepared with the suggestions of a much more experienced crafter, my own failed experience and much more detailed instruction. It still took a few tries and I almost gave up, but eventually I found the right pressing style, speed and temperature to make it work.
I replaced the velcro pocket closure and zipper top with a snap side closure and top closure. I have found that I tend to use and prefer snaps. I thought this would be easier as well, but sewing them in took more time than velcro and probably the same length of time as a zipper. I re-inforced the snaps with a plastic grid backing, which increased my frustration a bit but I appreciate the extra stability. The bag is large enough to have used more than one snap as a top closure, but because it's mine I chose to only do one snap.
I also added two more inner pockets, one sized for a cell phone and the other for keys. I tend to use the pockets of my current purse for these items and know that I will appreciate having these additional pockets.
As you will notice, it is a LARGE bag and while I like big bags, I do think it's too big for running errands. It is my intention to use this bag for extended outtings and overnight trips, as well as our trip to the hospital. Only time will tell how satisfied I am with the final product, but for now I'm glad to have started my collection of homemade baby items.
PS - For those of you that noticed, I have made a pair of baby booties, but I decided I don't like the final product so look for that yarn to show up in a different project later.
Thanks also go to my friend Bekah, who has the first bag made from this pattern and was willing to be a guinea pig by allowing me to make one for her. I made a few modifications from the pattern this time, though it looks almost identical from the outside. The fabric I had in my stash, so I only had to purchase the interfacing, matching thread and a packet of snaps (about $8).
The straps are narrower and slightly shorter since I am shorter and have small hands. At the suggestion of a fellow crafter I used a fusible interfacing to stiffen the fabric rather than the duck cloth (thick canvas) I used previously. This bag probably isn't as stiff, but it's lighter and easier for my sewing machine to handle. I had only used fusible interfacing once prior to this project and it was not a successful adventure. This time around though I was better prepared with the suggestions of a much more experienced crafter, my own failed experience and much more detailed instruction. It still took a few tries and I almost gave up, but eventually I found the right pressing style, speed and temperature to make it work.
I replaced the velcro pocket closure and zipper top with a snap side closure and top closure. I have found that I tend to use and prefer snaps. I thought this would be easier as well, but sewing them in took more time than velcro and probably the same length of time as a zipper. I re-inforced the snaps with a plastic grid backing, which increased my frustration a bit but I appreciate the extra stability. The bag is large enough to have used more than one snap as a top closure, but because it's mine I chose to only do one snap.
I also added two more inner pockets, one sized for a cell phone and the other for keys. I tend to use the pockets of my current purse for these items and know that I will appreciate having these additional pockets.
As you will notice, it is a LARGE bag and while I like big bags, I do think it's too big for running errands. It is my intention to use this bag for extended outtings and overnight trips, as well as our trip to the hospital. Only time will tell how satisfied I am with the final product, but for now I'm glad to have started my collection of homemade baby items.
PS - For those of you that noticed, I have made a pair of baby booties, but I decided I don't like the final product so look for that yarn to show up in a different project later.
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