Sew... This is the Daddy Diaper Bag!
It's a big boat tote with lots of pockets, usually made out of sports fabrics. Hey, if it gets Dads to start carrying the 20 pounds of stuff needed for an outing with a baby, then it is worth it!
I usually buy 1 yard each of 3 fabrics. Lets say fabric 1 is the square gators, fabric 2 is the blue at the bottom (and lining) and fabric 3 is the orange. I buy extra to make accessories. ALL SEAMS ARE 1/4 inch!
Cut
Fabric 1
2 - 10 1/4 high by 21 wide
1 strip 10 1/2 for interior pockets
Fabric 2
2 - 21 wide by 18 high
2- 8 1/4 high by 21 wide
fabric 3
3 strips 4 1/2 inches
1 piece 12 high by 8 wide
Decor Bond fusible interfacing (or craft fuse)
1 inch wide strips for handles
2 - 10 1/4 high by 21 wide
2 - 21 wide by 18 high
2- 8 1/4 high by 21 wide
fuse interfacing to cut pieces. Prepare the handles by sewing the strips together. I do as if I was sewing binding.
After sewing the 3 strips together, take to ironing board and press in half, open, then press again.
place interfacing strip in one of the grooves, press again. Seam up both sides at about 1/8 inch. Then, to make 2 handles, fold in half and cut.
To make lining. Take your 10 1/2 inch strip, fold in half right sides together and seam. Pull right side out, press, and topstitch at the unseamed top. Cut in half, so you will have 2 pieces about 22 inches long each.
Mark a 2 1/2 inch square in the bottom corner. Cut out. Take a long ruler and with your marking tool mark a line 3/4 up from the corner cuts
Pin pocket along bottom line, stitch as close to bottom as you can. Then take your ruler and make pocket lines. I leave the pocket sizes up to you! Just make sure you stitch 1 or 2 stitches over the edge and tack it down really well.
When you are done, put the lining together. LEAVE AN OPENING AT THE BOTTOM TO TURN. You can add a magnetic clasp if you want.
Fold your front pocket piece in half wrong sides together, and topstitch about 1/8 from top. Now it will be 6 tall by 8 wide. Take your top piece and fold in half, fold the pocket in half and match with the center of top piece, lining up the bottoms. Then take your handle and line up overtop the pocket,so the handle covers half of the pocket. Pin down. Make sure handle is not tangled!
take a ruler and mark the handles 2 inches from top. This will be your crosspoint.
Stitch up over top the handle stitch, cross over at the mark and sew back down the other seam. repeat for other side. reenforce the stitch at the top, since it will bear a lot of weight.
on the top backside, line up the handles to they are the same width apart as the other piece, and assemble in the same manner.
Then sew the bottom and top together. Press towards the bottom and topstitch at 1/8 inch.
Then cut the 2 1/2 inch squares out of the bottom sides. assemble outer bag. Pin bag outer and lining right sides together, turn and topstitch.
Hope this was helpful!
