Waterproof Swim & Accident Bag

With summer approaching (and us now having a pool that is about 200 feet from our front door) I decided I needed to get a jump on making a bag that can transport a wet towel, bathing suit, shoes, etc. OR if during potty training we have a car accident/store accident I can pop everything into the bag instead of the back of my car. So I came up with this:

It is made with IKEA canvas fabric on the outside and lined with ProCare (a superior alternative to PUL in my opinion), which is waterproof. I mean, obviously if you dump a glass of water in it, it probably is going to leak a little at the seams? but I used it on my other bag and it seriously has done the trick, never had any leakage or anything.

I included a handle to make it easier for me to schlep while holding The Bubb's hand.

It has a super green zipper on top (total score as I had this already when I put my mind to making it and it matches exactly!, same with the handle fabric!)

and I boxed out the corners to make it stand up on its own and be a little more sturdy.

So now the good part, I can fit all of this in here

plus tons of room in general for all those little things

so excited for summer to get a little warmer. Bad part is, now I have to find a 'mom' bathing suit. Ugh!

Waterproof Bag

Making this has been on my to-do list for a very long time. And I finally found the time to make it. So excited! I modeled it after this red doll bag that I got at Borders a few years ago but I made it a little bigger to accommodate some necessities for The Bubb as opposed to cosmetics/travel stuff for me.

I am calling it a waterproof bag because I have lined it with ProCare - which is a waterproof fabric that they use on baby diapers, etc. and meets all the regulatory standards so that you can put food in it, etc. Not that I would, but just saying. That way I can wipe it down with clorox wipes or similar in case something icky touches it, and since I sewed both parts separately I can pull the inner lining out so I can rinse it without having to wash the whole thing (although I did put it in the wash yesterday to see what would happen and it washed really well, I was pleasantly surprised).

The front is made with light weight cotton canvas by Melody Miller for Kokka called Viewfinders. (I made a pillow out of it for the nursery). I installed a zipper on the top, this was my first time using this kind of zipper as I've only used invisible ones before and it is so much easier! The bag can fit a couple of diapers and a bag of wipes and then I can put the used diapers back in, makes everything look a little nicer in my purse or backseat of my car.

It can also fit a pair of his pants in case the diapers leak.

I boxed the bottom so that it can stand on its own.

We used it when we went pumpkining and it works pretty well. I haven't tried washcloths or something super damp in it yet (like a swimsuit) but plan to soon just to see how waterproof it is since there are seams on the inside.

Happy Monday everyone!

My Second Tote Bag

Ever since I made this bag I've been wanting to make another bag for months now and just haven't found made the time to make it. But I finally finished it a few days ago and am pretty excited. I used Kokka on the outside in a fun robot print (it is cotton canvas) and then I used some sort of tweed found in the men's suiting section at JoAnns for the lining.

I decided that I needed a place for my keys and phone this time, so I added a pocket to the inside. I also debated about adding a magnetic snap closure but it didn't work out with my stitching at the top, so I figure that this is an idea that I can tackle a bit later on.

The bag is a bit deeper than normal so that I can have a row of diapers, change of clothes, etc. at the bottom and then stack other stuff on top of it (I function best this way when carrying The Bubb's stuff around).

I used a braided leather strap for the handle, and installed it end to end instead of having two handles like my other bag. The handle is also a bit longer so that I can easily get into it while still having it on my shoulder.

 
And I boxed the corners at the bottom (I do plan on doing a tutorial for this at some point...)

So excited that it is finally finished, as now I can pack both bags differently (depending on where our outing is to) and have them both ready to go so that I can just grab The Bubb and the appropriate bag and be on our way.

My First Tote Bag

I have the feeling that making bags is going to be addicting in the same way that making pillows is - as there is something so satisfying in seeing the finished product after all the prep work that goes into it. I was actually planning on making a bag tutorial and started out taking pictures of it to share, but then a few little disasters happened and well it caused me to shift directions a few times and thus not make for a very good tutorial.

Supplies used:
- 1/2 yard of Kokka Cars (canvas cotton weight)
- 1/2 yard of houndstooth fabric (found in the men's suit fabric section at JoAnn)
- 50 inches of red seat belt material (I actually bought two yards as I wasn't sure how much I would need)

I decided to box the corners so that it would stand up and I could fit larger amounts of items in it. Never having boxed corners before, I was fairly frustrated for about 10 minutes before I finally figured out a super easy way to do this, which I am planning on sharing when I make my next bag!

This bag can be used to carry diapers, blankets, other Bubb stuff. Or it can go with us to the library.

And I am pretty excited by the lining. Next time I might put in a snap or a zippered pocked. The possibilities are well endless when it comes to bags!

I decided to put my label on the outside as that is what all the "fashion" bags do and I thought I would do the same :)

On a side note, I finally broke down and bought the little robot fabric by Kokka. I have been drooling over this for months and so I had to share!