I'm still primarily nursing Ruby but we've been introducing baby food and giving her rice cereal for a few weeks now. When we would go out to eat with Sebastian through his baby food years I had a sporty little lunch bag that kept things cool and could be cleaned easily in case of a spill. I think I gave it away when we moved. I'd been hoarding some oil cloth from Heather Bailey's line so I decided to use it to make a new carrying case for our time on vacation in Florida.
I started it at midnight the night before we left so it's a little more wonky than I usually prefer but it does it's job. I basically cut out a long strip about 50" x 8", folded it in half with right sides together, stitched up the two long sides, turned it right side out, tucked the open end in and stitched it closed. I then folded it so that it had a generous pocket (see first photo) and stitched up the long sides. I had some adhesive velcro that I slapped on after figuring out where it should go when the flap came down but I'd suggest stitching that on if you're not in such a night-before-a-big-trip-crazy-lady-crafting-frenzy.
I probably should've used a different foot because my standard one kept getting suctioned to the laminated sides and would pull and bunch. Regardless, it is wipeable and can carry two or three spoons, a bib, a cloth, and two or three little jars of baby food. My next project, if I didn't already have a perfectly useful one, would be to make a changing mat out of this stuff. I made one from green gingham oil cloth with a dusty blue grosgrain ribbon for the edging for Sebastian but it got lost somehow along the way. Then I replaced it with a vinyl place mat from Target. I kid you not. It folds up nicely and weighs almost nothing and has held up in the wash since 2007. You can see a few projects using laminated cotton on the Sew Can Do blog as well as a beautifully covered bath seat from Prudent Baby. 
In the mean time, we've got some eating to do.
I hope your weekend was productive and/or restful. Ruby is a scooter now so ours included some baby proofing. I also picked up almost everything I need for a Mighty Machines themed birthday party last night (hi, Katie from Target). I could kiss Target on the mouth sometimes. They always surprise me with how much they know exactly what I need.Or don't need. Ha!
xoxo,
Rachel
17 comments:
so handy! and in a beautiful fabric as always.
i love the fabrics you are using. the colors and prints reminding me of all the sheets my family had growing up.
You are the best! I have been wanting to buy some oil cloth to try sewing with it but I have no idea where to buy it! Now I know a place if I can't find it in any stores in Austin. Thanks! :)
Any tips on what foot to use? I've been curious to experiment a bit but a little too scaredy-cat to actually try :/
Cute! And a great idea! I'm always shoving my son's food in my bag worrying it will spill all over or a spoon will get lost in the shuffle. I will have to try this.
To help with the sticking of oilcloth and my machine I've used chapstick along where I'm about to sew to help ease it along, or sandwiching it between 2 pieces of tissue paper helps too. Then just rip the tissue paper away after the stitching is done.
Thanks!
... random tip...
If you tape masking tape to the underside of your foot, the oilcloth won't catch.
"I could kiss Target on the mouth sometimes" is the best line I've heard in a while! I'm an oilcloth fiend; gingham, floral, fruits. I love the stuff.
love love love! Love Target (oh yes indeed-y do!), love this idea, and love that you too turn into a crazy lady the night before big trips...why do we do this to ourselves?!
i've seen some of that at the fabric store. love what you did with it!
xo.
Hi, Rachel!!! It was so great to meet you :) come back through my line anytime!
Katie
Hai there!
I just took some time to discover your blog! And i'm loving it! Great pics, good writing YAY for that!!
Mighty Machines! I forgot all about that show. my son (who is now 13) was a Mighty Machines junkie! When he was 3, a big box mall was being built across the street from our house. He would sit at the window and watch the construction for hours and hours, and if they were on a break, he would start the Mighty Machines VHS (yes he knew how to start the tape player, and yes, this was before I had a DVD player) LOL
Oilcloth is woven from gold! I love working with it!
Ruby is SO cute! I love oilcloth, too! there's aton of it in cool colors and designs here in Mexico, too!
I love the fabric. I need to make a little pouch with oil cloth...I always end up with spilled drink or cracker crumbs at the bottom of my bag. And I totally agree about wanting to kiss target on the mouth. I love going when I haven't been in a while. It's like Christmas morning...they always have something new that I love.
Margaret
I looooove oilcloth!!!! On my list of things to make with it for my girls: bibs & art smocks!
i love oilcloth too, but not sewing with it. i've found they make a vinyl foot for machines, but it didn't help much. i've also done the tissue paper thing, and it was annoying. the best thing i've found was to put scotch tape on the under side of the presser foot and it glides over the oilcloth much better. (i've had to change the tape out every so often too, depending on how much oilcloth i'll be sewing) i sort of like laminated cotton better, its sooo much easier to sew with, and its cheaper. but its not washable, just wipable. ruby is such a doll!
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