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How to Make a Diaper Bag

Diaper bags come in a wide variety of styles. By sewing a diaper bag, you can customize to be just the size and color you want. This tote bag style diaper bag is simple to sew and includes a row of gusseted pockets for easy access to bottles and other essentials. If you make the diaper bag from cotton or other cute, lightweight fabrics, you’ll need to add fusible interfacing to the fabric to give it strength and support. If you make the diaper back from denim, corduroy or other sturdy fabric, you can skip the interfacing. When sewing the diaper bag, use 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Things You'll Need

1 yard of fabric
Matching thread
1 yard fusible interfacing
Measuring tape
Scissors
Straight pins
Iron
Ironing board
Sewing machine
2 yards of strap material

Instructions

Cut the Diaper Bag Fabric
- 1
  Cut two rectangles of fabric, each 16 inches wide by 12 inches high for the front and back of the diaper bag.
- 2
  Cut two rectangles of fabric, each 6 inches wide by 12 inches high for the sides of the diaper bag.
- 3
  Cut two rectangles of fabric, each 16 inches wide by 6 inches high for the bottom of the diaper bag.
- 4
  Cut pieces of fusible interfacing the same size as the fabric pieces. Place each piece of interfacing with the bumpy side toward the wrong side of its matching piece of fabric. Iron the interfacing to the fabric.
- 5
  Cut three rectangles of fabric, each 7 inches wide by 8 inches tall, for the gusseted pockets.
Sew the Diaper Bag Pockets
- 6
  Fold each edge of each pocket over 1/2 inch toward the wrong side. Press the folds flat.
- 7
  Fold the top edge of the pocket over 1 inch toward the wrong side. Press the fold flat. Stitch along the lower edge of the fold using matching thread.
- 8
  Fold a small pleat, about 1 1/2 inches wide, in each side edge of the pocket (these will be the gussets). Firmly press the pleats flat.
- 9
  Position the gusseted pockets along the bottom of the front of the diaper bag, at least 1/2 inch away from the edges of the fabric. Pin the gusseted pockets in place.
- 10
  Stitch along the lower edge of each pocket. Stitch along the hemmed edges of the sides of the pockets. Do not stitch the upper layer of fabric on the gussets, so that they can open fully.
Make the Diaper Bag
- 11
  Lay the diaper bag front right side up. Place the sides right side down on top of it, lining them up along the side edges. Pin the sides to the front of the diaper bag and stitch them in place. Press the seams open.
- 12
  Line up the unsewn edge of one side of the bag with the side edge of the bag back. Pin the fabrics right sides together, then stitch them together along the side edge. Sew the other side piece to the other side of the bag back the same way.
- 13
  Place the two bottom rectangles together, with the fabric facing out and the interfacing in the middle. Stitch around the edges of the rectangle using scant 1/4 inch seam allowance.
- 14
  Pin the bag bottom to the lower edges of the diaper bag front, back and sides. Sew the bottom of the diaper bag in place.
- 15
  Fold the top edge of the bag over 1/2 inch toward the wrong side, then fold it over another 1/2 inch. Press the fold flat, then stitch it in place using matching thread. Turn the diaper bag right side out.
- 16
  Cut the strap material into two equal pieces. Pin both ends of one piece to the inside edge of top of the front of the back, and both ends of the other piece to the inside edge of the top of the back of the bag. Make sure the straps are even, then stitch them to the diaper bag.

Sewing