My Sewpbox

Jamie and Lily flew back to New Jersey today.. the visit just didn’t feel long enough!  We did have enough time, however, to sew up a new diaper bag!  We used Butterick pattern 5005 with zebra (matching Jamie’s Christmas present) and polka dot fabrics.  The bag is lined with a nice, bright pink that matches the bright pink ruffly trim that we used to seperate the zebra and polka dots.

For the most part, I followed the pattern for this bag.  Some very small modifications were made — adding the pink trim and putting pockets on the back of the bag as well as the front.  Honestly, it seemed strange to call for pockets on the front and both sides, and not the back.

I did run into a few problems with this pattern.  The instructions were easy enough to follow, but I was unable to get hair canvas for the lining as the pattern called for.  Honestly, I had absolutely no idea what hair canvas was before this weekend.  We ended up picking up a regular sew-in fleecy type lining and it was much too thick.  The bag has a fantastic and plush feel, but the areas where the pockets needed to be sewn together (especially near the added pink ruffle) were nigh impossible.  I broke two needles in the serger and two needles in my regular sewing machine attempting to sew it together!  And I’m talking heavy-duty needles.  I finally ended up just threading a leather needle with a serger chain and giving it to Dan to do by hand (I had to have him do it because I lacked the strength to push the needle through the fabric)!

With all of that said and done, I am really pleased with how the bag and matching changing pad (which we also added a ruffle to) turned out.  I think the bag is very “Jamie” and also very unique!

I would definitely recommend this pattern if you are looking to make a diaper bag.  It was fairly simple to follow, is large enough to be useful, and has tons of pockets (especially if you add the extra back pocket)!  It took me just about all of one day and the next morning (perhaps 15 hours total) to make the bag, although I’m certain that if I made another it would take much less time.  Don’t make my mistake and choose an interface that is too thick, it really added an inordinate amount of work to this project.

Well, I gave the Favourite Things slippers pattern a go before we left for Minnesota, but I definitely wasn’t impressed.  The stitching is “hidden”, but only from outside view.  The way that they have you sew them, you are just left with bulky seams on the inside where feet would go.  Also, I think that the instructions for inserting the elastic are shoddy and that you don’t end up with a professional looking item.  I would definitely not recommend this pattern.

I still really want to make a pair of slippers for Anya (and myself), though, so I am looking at other options.  I finished drafting a pattern for Anya’s feet just before we left for Minnesota, but haven’t had a chance to sit down and work on them as we just got back late last night.  Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to devote some time to them, but we shall see (Dan works from home tomorrow so we may end up spending the day doing things together when he isn’t too busy with work).  In any case, I’ll be sure to update on how the slippers are going!

Well, today was a Christmas sewing day. I had previously made a blanket for my niece, Lilliana, out of brown silky fleece and pink flannel-backed satin. My mother liked it quite a bit and was using it while visiting Jamie. I figured that I would make her one of her own for Christmas. For my mother I used red silky fleece and gold flannel-backed satin. Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of color choices available at JoAnn’s and I didn’t have enough time to order better colors. I’m very unhappy with how the blanket binding went on. This was the first time that I’ve worked with it and, honestly, I think it looks like complete crap. The one side (silky fleece side) is fine, but the back side is definitely not even.

My Janome CoverPro 900 came in today and I am beyond excited about that! I think I’ll order a binding foot and redo the edge of the blanket for my mom after it gets here. That’ll be after Christmas, of course, but I suppose it will have to do.

On a less irritated with my sewing skills note: I finished my younger sister’s Christmas present today as well. Katie will be receiving a Patriots themed purse.  She is a Patriots fanatic (especially, predictably, Tom Brady) and has Patriots clothing for just about every body part that you can imagine, but she doesn’t have a purse!  Well, now she does, but anyway.

I also ordered a ridiculously cute pattern for slippers from Favorite Things with a gift certificate that my Aunt Deborah sent me for fabric.com that I am looking forward to messing with. I think I have enough of the red Patriots fabric left over to make a pair for my sister to match the bag. If they turn out cute, I’ll make a pair for Anya! Probably a pair (or two, or three, or four..) for myself, too.

The first pattern that I decided to tackle on my sewing journey was Simplicity 2625.  It is out of their “Sew Easy” line and the pattern is for two different styles of bags.  The bag being modeled in the picture to the left by my daughter, Anya, is view A.  I haven’t made any out of view B yet, although I may in the future.  This particular bag was made as a Christmas present for my sister, Jamie.  The picture to the right shows a close-up of some “yo-yo” flowers that I made and attached to the bag.  I absolutely adore the buttons that I found for it!

All in all, I would say that this was a very simple and easy pattern to follow.  I have pictures of two more in the gallery (my “test model” and a country-themed one that I made for my mother-in-law).  I still need to make a New England Patriots themed one for my sister Katie before Christmas rolls around.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up making more of these, as well.  They are very quick, easy, and fun. 

A little tip for this pattern:  You can buy a bundle of five fat quarters (or just pick five that you like) and it works out to be just about the perfect amount of fabric!

My review for this pattern can be found here.