Diaper clutch

This past weekend, I had a baby shower to attend.  Since the mom was pregnant with a little boy, I decided to work on a project I'd had in the back of my mind for a while.

I've mentioned before that I've received fabric stashes from different relative.  Some of the fabric I got from Grandma Boling has been floating around in the back of my brain as a great combination of color (yellow and gray), and I've been wanting to use them with the chevron design that has been popping up.  And last summer, when we visited Amy, she was working on a baby shower gift--a diaper clutch.  Such a great idea.  I thought about making one for myself, but ended up using plastic bags instead to corral all my diapers and related items.  But a nice clutch looks so much better.

Before I started cutting, I planned out how big to make everything, using a re-usable travel wipes container as my guide.  I'd seen Amy working on hers, so I already had a rough idea of what to do.  I made mine so all the seams would be enclosed, and added a zipper pocket and piping.  And, of course, decorative chevrons to the front.

Here's how I did it:

1. Cut rectangles out of cotton cloth, or other similar woven, washable fabric, in the following sizes:

11" x 15" (2, mine were two different colors, the outside color and the lining color)
11" x 7" (3, out of the inside color)
11" x 5.25" (1, inside color)
11" x 2" (1, inside color)
3" x 1" (2, inside color)
4" x 7" (2, outside color)
4" x 1" (1, outside color)
11" x 2" (2, lining color; these will need to be cut into chevron stripes)

Also, you will need to make at least 52" of pipping from the lining color.  You can buy piping at the store, and you can use it as-is.  Or you can cover that piping in fabric, or make your own (which is what I did).  To make your own, you will need to cut out 1.25" strips, on the bias.  Sew all the strips together into one long strip.  I then folded it in half around a piece of yarn, and sewed it, keeping my foot by the yarn.  You can check out this tutorial here, if you want step by step picture instructions.  To cover pipping, you would follow the same steps, only I am not sure how wide your strips would need to be.  I read a tutorial somewhere on how to cover piping, which is how I came up with making my own, but I am not sure where it was.  But it was good.

You will also need a 9" zipper, a 2.5" piece of velcro, and some batting.  And thread to match your fabric. You may also want wonder-under; wonder-under holds your fabric down when you are appliqueing it, but it is not absolutely necessary.  It just makes it easier.

I planned this diaper clutch to have half inch seams.  Unless noted otherwise, sew half inch seams.

2. Make the flap: Place the two 4" x 7" rectangles right sides together, with a piece of batting on the outside of one piece.  Beginning part way down one long side, sew around the outside, about a quarter inch from the edge, ending a couple inches from where you started.  It is a good idea to back stitch both ends, so they don't pull out.  Trim the batting back to your seam and clip your corners, and then turn the rectangle so the right sides are out (like a mini pillow).  Make sure your corners are square (stick your finger or a pen into them to help).  Iron the sucker flat.  Pin the opening closed so that the edges line up, and top stitch around the edge.  At one end, attach the scratch side of your velcro.  Sew the other side of your velcro to the right side of the 11" x 15" outside piece, about 2.5 inches from the edge, making sure it is centered.

sorry about the fuzzy pictures.

3. Chevrons: if you have not already, cut your strips into chevrons.  (Apply your wonder under before cutting.)  I suggest using a ruler to draw your cutting line, and then cutting with scissors; I used my rotary cutter, and ended up not paying enough attention and slicing into my nail.  So be safe, cut with your scissors.  I used the 45 degree lines on my cutting mat to make my cuts; each chevron notch was 2" wide.

After cutting out your chevrons, lay them out on your 11" x 15" outside piece (which already has velcro on it).  I folded mine in half, with the velcro facing up, and placed my chevrons in the space between the velcro and the fold.  Try to make the chevrons straight, by measuring your distance from the top on each side.  If you used wonder-under, iron the chevrons down.  If you didn't, pin them in place.  Using a satin stitch (or tight zig-zag stitch), sew along the outside of the chevrons.  I used the gray to sew them down, mostly because I didn't want to switch my thread color.  Using the same color as your chevron helps hide any problems you have sewing the chevrons.

4. Pockets.  First, attach the zipper pull to your zipper.  Fold under the long edges of the 1" x 4" piece, so that the edges meet the opposite folds (it will be about a third as wide).  It is a good idea to iron the piece at this point.

I basted down the middle of each side, about an inch.  (This will probably not show, and is just to help in getting the zipper pull into the zipper.)  Next, fold your zipper pull inside again, to fit it through the opening on the metal zipper pull.  Fold your pull in half, folding in the edges, and top stitch around the edge, stopping about a quarter inch from the metal zipper pull.

Next, attach your zipper.  Fold the small 3" x 1" pieces in half, so they are 1.5" x 1".  Line them and your zipper up along the edge of your 11" x 2" piece, and pin in place.  The edge of the small pieces should just cover the metal ends of the zipper (my pieces are a bigger than yours should be).

Using a zipper foot, sew as close to the zipper as you can (I was about .25 inches away).  My zipper foot has a groove in the middle for the zipper, and I placed that over the zipper as I sewed.  After sewing, iron the seam open.  Repeat with the 11" x 5.25" piece.  The final pocket front should be the same size as the 11" x 7" pieces.

Baste your piping to the edge of two of the 11" x 7" rectangles, lining up the edges.  Then, place the other 11" x 7" inch piece and the pocket front right side down on top, and sew along the piped edge.  For the zipper pocket, I zig-zag stitched near the edge, to keep it from fraying inside the pocket.  Iron the pocket pieces so that the wrong sides are together.  Top stitch the piped seam, about a quarter inch in.  Place the pocket pieces on the right side of the 11" x 15" piece you have not used yet, which should be in your lining color.  The zipper pocket should face out.  Baste around the outside edges of the pocket.

5. Baste piping to the edge of the 11" x 15" outside piece, which has velcro and your chevrons already sewn to it.

Sew the flap down, 2 inches from the edge, making sure it is centered.  Also, make sure that the velcro is facing DOWN, so that it will close when it is all folded up.  You do not want to un-pick it and do it over.  Which I ended up doing.

6.  Lay your main pieces right sides together, on top of some batting.  Pin everything together, also making sure to pin the flap back so that it won't get sewn down when you sew the edges.

lay your first piece on top of the batting

add your second piece on top- that flap will need to get folded under

 Beginning near the middle of a long side (near the edge of the pockets) sew around the edge, ending several inches from where you started (also near the edge of the pockets).  Clip your batting back to the seam, and clip your corners.  Turn the clutch right side out, making sure the corners are square.  You will likely need to stick your whole hand inside, which is why it is good to leave a couple inch opening.

7. Iron your edges flat, and pin the opening closed, so the edges match up.  Top stitch the opening closed, sewing under the pocket (lift the pocket flap out of the way).  I also sewed some lines in the space between the pockets, to hold the middle together.

Stuff full of diapers, wipes, and anything else you might need.