Grommet Diaper bag sewn with Amy Butler Love Fabric

Momma has a brand new bag! Lindsay is getting ready for baby Elle Adeline to arrive on the scene (May 2010) and a functional diaper bag is high on the priority list.

This one was custom made with Momma and baby girl in mind.......using the Grids & Grommets Bag pattern by Indygo Junction.

• I modified the interior pockets to hold bottles & toddler cups

• The nice feature about this purse/ bag pattern is the straps.

Woven in & out of the grommets the single continuous circle of strap makes it versatile. It can be worn as two straps over the shoulder or pull the strap into one single length and wear it over the chest to free up Momma's hands!

Matching Diaper Wipe case

More information on sewing this bag can be seen

when you click on the pattern review link.

How to Sew a Child's Jacket Girls Indygo Junction pattern

Let's talk "Cool weather". It's just around the corner ya know.
Let's talk "Easy sewing". We need to get it done while juggling life.

Let's talk "One of a kind". You won't find this Indygo Junction Inside Out Jacket on a rack in a department store.

Jacket......difficult to sew? No Way ! I was nearly doing back flips with excitement over this one! LOOK below at the design. Easy elementary dolman sleeves!



I chose the brick red and turquoise combo prior to finding the Indygo Junction pattern. The marriage of the sewing pattern and fabric combo are just my style (traditional with a quirky edge)




Written on the back cover of the Turnabout Jacket by designer Mary Ann Donze says:


This Jacket designed for children ages one to ten years allows for years of wear with turned up dolman sleeves to let down over time.

Its loose, asymmetric style easily adjusts to the growing child. Construct in the upper hip length or by adding the lower bands to extend the jacket to just below the hip.

For an unlined jacket, use any two-sided fabric such as polar fleece, linen, batiks, etc. and finish its edges with fabric binding or serger. Or line a jacket and have two looks in one by creating a fully reversible garment.



Photo showing the simple method of construction for this jacket pattern: Right sides together pin, stitch & repeat.

Don't leave this page just yet........you haven't seen the Finished product.......first things first. :-)


To sum up the construction process for this jacket is fairly simple and mostly can be by looking at the photo above. A section on the bottom edge of the jacket is left open for turning.

Basically the jacket consists of two main pattern pieces plus pocket & button tabs.

1. the FRONT which incorporates the front dolman sleeve.
There is No separate collar to attach because the front simply folds back to create a collar. We end up with a collar without cutting a collar piece! Thank you designer Mary Ann Donze!!

2. the BACK which incorporates the dolman sleeves.

3.Lower bands which allow for using contrasting fabric (which I have done)

4. tabs for the button holes

5. a pocket

Sew the front to the back as in the photo showing the pinned sleeves. Do this for the lining the same as you did for the exterior. You'll have put together two jackets and then will sew them right sides together and turn. Your pretty lining makes it reversible! I use this wooden tool to poke the corners out nice and neat. Word of caution: Do not use the tip of your scissors to poke the corners. (don't ask how I know)


The photo with the iron shows the jacket turned right side out and beginning to press the seams.
Once everything was pressed, I top stitched the seams. The pattern does not call for top stitching, but it gives a nice professional look if you do.

Note about top (edge) stitching: Go slow and select a stitch length that mimics Ready-To-Wear top stitching. I gather on a #4 setting and edge stitch on #3 and sew on #2.

I like my thread to match the fabric because a slight wobble in my stitch line won't show. For this girls jacket, I sewed with the bobbin thread matching the lining color and the top thread matching the outside fabric.
See how I Top stitch: with confidence by clicking: here.


Pocket time: cut the pattern piece and follow directions given. To make life easier for accomplishing a nicely shaped round pocket, sew a gathering length stitch on the edge which you will fold as shown in the above picture. In this case it was 1/4 or 1/2 inch.

Stitch the gathering length line slowly and make it as perfect as possible. This is will become the fold line around the pocket.

Gently use a straight pin to pull the gathering thread to ease the curve.

Pocket Pressed and ready! The color of the fabric on the above photo is off. Way off!


I love this product! How did I sew without Quilter's Choice Basting Thread? There are other products which glue fabric, but make sure you use one which will not gum up your sewing machine needle. When dry, this basting glue can be sewn over. It is temporary and washes out.






Here is my version of the Turnabout Jacket by Mary Ann Donze for Indygo Junction .
I seriously doubt finding a jacket similar to this in any department store.
Things to know:
Would I make this pattern again? Yes yes yes!
Does it come in an Adult size pattern too ? Yes it does! Scroll on down to see it

Skills needed:

• concept of putting right sides together and turning

• know how to make a button hole by machine or hand

• applying bias binding to finish the edge of the sleeves (optional)
  

Sizing :
As stated on the pattern description, it is a style which allows for growing. It is generous in wearing ease. The pattern gives actual finished measurements. (a feature I love and wish all patterns included) You decide how much wearing ease you'd like.

Ideas:
It does not require fleece or interfacing. I used the Home Dec weight 100% cotton fabric from the Amy Butler August Fields collection. The two layers (exterior and lining) make this a nice mid weight jacket. Perfect for mid climate Winters of the southern states or a Fall/Spring jacket in the colder states.

I imagine this pattern could easily accommodate fusible fleece and machine quilting for making a heavier jacket.

Click here for the Pattern review for Zoeys coordinating pants. I used this pattern: The Sophie 3-way Pants by Patty Young for Modkids.

Using the pocket fabric, Sunrise- seafoam from Amy Butler's August Fields collection

On my extended To Do List:
sew myself the Adult version of this same pattern: The Inside Out Jacket

How to Sew a Purse - Grids & Grommets by Indygo Junction

Your Fabric Place


I fell in love with this pattern when a friend was carrying the one she made. If I could have stolen it, I would have!

Since she would not give me hers, I made my own and am sharing what I learned with you!

Enter to Win a Grids & Grommets sewing pattern by Indygo Junction!
Contest details at the end of this page.

The first step to creating your own Grid & Grommets bag is deciding which size and style option suits you. I chose the large, strip bag version. Sewing is my art form. I Pick fabrics which reflect my mood & personal style. You can see from this picture which fabrics I decided on. All of these strips are from Amy Butler's Daisy Chain Collection.

The AccuQuilt Go fabric cutter made the task of cutting the 2 1/2 inch strips a quick process, but you could use your rotary cutter & mat method if you don't own a AccuQuilt Go. Either method, will produce a fun and practical use of scraps.

What I've learned about the Indygo Junction Grids and Grommets purse pattern:

Definition of Practice Run according to Glenna's sewing dictionary; 1: goof-up, 2: mistakes in sewing usually caused by not following directions of the Pattern Designer
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The pattern does not call for interfacing in the top panel (where the grommets are attached). Trust me.......there is a reason for not adding interfacing to the top band. Only the main portion of the Grommet bag is interfaced with fusible fleece.

When I made my practice run bag, I used the same fusible fleece to interface the top panel. All looked well until it was time to attach the grommets.
Because of the extra thickness, I could not sandwich the front and back of the curtain grommets into place. Learn from my mistake.....don't use fusible fleece in the top band.
Note added on Sept 9,2009: I now use a heavy stabilizer interfacing in the top band. I fuse it to the exterior band fabric. The heavy fusible interfacing has stability without the thickness of the fusible fleece. I have no problem attaching the grommets thru the interfaced top bands.

Once your bag is sewn and pressed well, baste the lining of the top band to the exterior top band. This simple step is important in assuring the lining hangs pretty inside your bag.

Yes, you could press and pin the lining in place, however basting is more secure. We want the lining fabric to stay in perfect position when we marking and cutting the holes for the grommets.
Remove the basting threads after your bag is finished.

The grommets are extremely easy to "install" through two layers of fabric (no tools required) Dritz includes a template which makes measuring and marking a breeze and is actually quite fun. Let's not forget the Wow factor something as GRAND as this creates! Thanks Indygo Junction for giving us this Wow factor pattern!!
Once you've traced the circle for the cut-out, machine stitch to reinforce. The Grommet will cover your reinforcing stitches. Stitching to reinforce is not mentioned on instructions.

I also ran a thin beading of Fray Check around my marking line to prevent fraying. Once my bead of Fray Check was dry, I cut out the hole. This bag is large enough to load down with books, toys, etc. Taking steps to reinforce the grommet holes is (in my opinion) a good idea. The large version of the Grids and Grommets bag is wonderful for multi tasking! . It is a purse which could multi task as a diaper, shopping, or even a book bag, yet it looks stylish for an everyday bag. The final photo shows the straps pulled through to allow extra length for wearing slung across your chest. Great option when we need two free hands and a secure purse!