Amy Butler's Nappy Bag Review

I made the Nappy Bag from Amy Butler.  She has such cute fabric and patterns! Here is what I have to say about the Nappy Bag.  I am a member of Pattern Review, which is a must for any sewer!  (THANK YOU Gay West!!)  It is much easier for me to copy and paste my review.

Here's the bag I made.

 



Pattern Description:
Diaper bag with changing pad.


Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?
For the most part. There were a few steps that I had to reread a few times. I also called Dianne Barcus, Amy Butler's pattern designer, a few times to help me understand certain parts better. I don't see an intermediate or advanced sewer having any issues though. Cutting out the pattern was a cinch.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I am a young mom who likes hip, modern things. This bag works for me, especially because of the fabric I chose.

Fabric Used:
I used a linen like fabric for the outside, duck canvas for interfacing, and cotton blend for lining. All three fabrics together created a thick, strong bag.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I omitted the cell phone pocket. I did not make the diaper changing pad either. I did not topstitch around the inside of the bag as well, which is the last thing you do for the bag. I glued my handles together, and that worked out well. I also left about 8" from the top of the raw edge of the handle unstitched instead of the recommended 4". It was just too difficult to turn the bag inside out with such a small opening. I also stitched two of my pockets closed that are next to the bottle pockets because the opening was only big enough for two fingers. If I were to drop something down that little hole, I would have to work really hard to fish it out. Ultimately, I lost 4 pockets for storage. There are 6 pockets total in the pattern.

What I recommend in changing:
I would alter the dimensions of the inside pockets so the bottle pockets would not ruin 4 of the pockets. Or I would stitch the bottle pockets onto my lining before sewing the lining into the bag. That way the bottle pocket is attached to the outside of a pocket. I hope that makes sense!


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I would sew this again but with alterations. I would recommend this bag to those who like big bags and big pockets.

Conclusion:

Overall, it is a cute bag, but the pattern needs some adjusting to get the most out of the bag.