new diaper bag/purse

Over Memorial Day weekend, I had some fun spending my "free" $20 of customer reward money at my local quilt shop and indulging in a somewhat selfish sewing project. I love, love, love sewing for other people, but every once in a while I do enjoy making something for myself to keep.

I decided to make a the Hip Mama Diaper Bag with a few variations of my own to use after (as well as before) Sweet Pea arrived. My old diaper bag/purse is still holding up quite well, but it will be nice to have something new to carry.

Overall, I'm delighted with how it turned out. I used magnetic snap closures for the first time while making it and was delighted with how easy and effective they are to use! It has two exterior pockets, and seven interior pockets of various custom sizes for my stuff. (Yes, I left out some of the pockets in the tutorial. *gasp* I actually simplified a pattern!) The strap is a few inches longer than I had planned. However, I think the benefits of having a longer strap outweigh the disadvantages. For example, my tall husband should be able to carry it comfortably. Plus the long strap means that I can wear it across my body, a fall-proof, hands-free feature which will, I'm sure, prove beneficial.

I decorated the flap with three free motion flowers. I sewed around the rough outlines of the flowers with four different coordinating though contrasting colors of thread for a purposeful slightly messy look. They turned out just like I had envisioned them.

The exterior fabric is a rich yet earthy green fabric (none of the photos do it justice) made of some sort of rough-spun natural fiber. (Is it cotton? rough silk? rayon? some sort of intriguing blend? I'll probably never know since I picked it up two yards of it for less than a dollar at a local thrift store.) The lining is a beautiful batik that I've been admiring for a while. The many-shaded green sprigs harmonize perfectly with the outer fabric.

I'm not the only one who loves my new bag. Brother likes to stash his little cars in it and seems to think its up for adoption. I am losing no time in making sure he is informed otherwise. : )