My daughter has a baby due in a few weeks and since it is her fourth she needs to replace a few things.  She uses cloth diapers and needs new wet bags before this baby comes.  She seems to be getting a little anxious about having everything done and ready even though the baby is not due for a few weeks yet.  So, I have put my bedroom project on hold to get some of these things done and ease her mind.  I made two large wet bags to use at home and a couple of smaller ones for when she is out and about.  I had this big piece of fabric that a friend gave me awhile back so the large ones are almost exactly the same.  Here is what they look like:

Here is what you need to make them:

For the large one with the border top:

Two rectangles of cotton fabric 19 1/2" X 21 1/2" for outside of the bag

Two rectangles of cotton fabric 19 1/2" X 6" for outside border of the bag

Two rectangles of PUL fabric 19 1/2" X 27 1/2" for lining

One 18" zipper

Embroidery design (you can download the ones I used below)

Embroidery thread

Cut away stabilizer

Lapel temporary adhesive

General sewing thread

Embroider the design

 

1.  Fold the front border rectangle in half both vertically and horizontally and finger press to find the center and make lines for hooping.

2.  Hoop the cutaway stabilizer and center the rectangle in the hoop using the lapel temporary adhesive to secure the fabric.

3.  Embroider the design of your choice. (The double swirl is below but it does require a big hoop.)

4.  Remove from hoop and cut away excess stabilizer.

 

 

Make the bag

 

Note: I used 1/2" seams throughout

 

1.  Place the front fabric face up on a flat surface.  Put the embroidered rectangle face down and top facing downward on top.  Align the top raw edges.  Pin and sew.  Press seams toward darker material. Repeat for back outside fabrics.

 

2. Again, place the front outside rectangle face up on a flat surface.  Align the zipper face down along the top edge.

 

3.  Place a PUL lining rectangle face down over the zipper and align the edge.  Pin in place.  Using a zipper foot sew along the edge.

 

4.  Flip the fabrics so the wrong sides are together.

 

5.  Place the back outside rectangle face up.  Align the second zipper edge face down along the top edge.   Place the lining rectangle face down over the top of all and align the edge.  Pin in place. Using a zipper foot sew along the edge.

 

 

Note:  Some of the pictures would not download from the camera.  So the images for the next steps were taken from this blog.  They are the same other than the project size is much smaller.

5.  Open it up so zipper is in the center and wrong sides are together.  (You will not leave it this way.)  

 

6.  Unzip the zipper half way. DO NOT skip this step or you will not be able to turn the finished wet bag right side out later.

 

7.  Reposition the fabric by placing the right sides of the front together and the right sides of the lining together making a really big rectangle.  Pin. (For the medium bags this is where you would align the handle raw edge on the side about a 1" down from the zipper head between the outside rectangles and pin in place.)

8.  Sew all the way around the large rectangle leaving a 6" opening in the lining for turning. 

 

9.  Trim the corners.  Turn right side out, unzip the zipper. Then push the corners out on both the outside and lining.    Stitch the opening closed.

 

10.  Push the lining down into the bag.  Zip it up Press edges if desired and it is ready to fill up with wet stuff.

 

Optional handle

1.  With right sides together fold the strip in half longwise and press.  Sew along long raw edge leaving both ends open.  Turn right side out and press.  Top stitch along both long edges.  Set aside until you get to step 7 above.

 

Here are the measurements used for the medium size wet bags:

For the medium one with the border top:

Two rectangles of cotton fabric 15 1/2" X  15 1/2" for outside of the bag

Two rectangles of cotton fabric 15 1/2" X  15 1/2" for outside border of the bag

One rectangle of cotton fabric  16" X 3 1/2" for the handle if desired

Two rectangles of PUL fabric 15 1/2" X 19 1/2' for lining

One 14" Zipper

For the slightly smaller medium one without any border:

Two rectangles of cotton fabric 15 1/2" X  16 1/2"

Two rectangles of PUL fabric 15 1/2" X 16 1/2

One rectangle of cotton fabric  16" X 3 1/2" for the handle if desired

One 14" Zipper

In addition to holding diapers and other baby dirties wet bags are also great for wet swimsuits after a long day of lounging at the pool and sweaty towels/clothes after a good workout or hot game of tennis.  They are also great to keep under the sink for those wet items that need to go down to the laundry.  When the girls come to stay we will make a couple more just the right size for their swimming attire.  They can pick their own designs and the oldest can even try doing the zipper I think.

You can download the simple designs that I used here.  The double swirl and the huge butterfly require a larger 6'X10" hoop.  The three scallops design will fit in the 5"X7" hoop.

 

If you want to create pool style wet bags there are loads of design options on Annthegran.

 

Lastly,  here are a few other baby blogs from the past.  Many have free designs you can download along with the project instructions.   There always seems to be a baby to sew for somewhere close by.  

Embroidered Baby Ts 

Themed Baby Burpies

Baby Photo Blocks

Easter Goodies for Baby

Designer Burpies

Hope you enjoy your embroidery as much as I do.

Take care,

DB