Mock up Mocka Bag

Macie has a new bike. We won it off Trade me on Sunday and picked it up today. In the process of finding out about the bike, we saw one on the Mocka site that had a little bag on the front to carry your little dolls or a drink bottle... she wanted one.

Today after collecting the bike we headed to spotlight to choose some fabric to make the bag with. Oh what fun that was... checking out fabric with mini me. She was soooo cute. "Mummy look at this, this is cute. Oh Mummy I like this can we take it home...."

Macie chose cute strawberries. And this is what we made together this afternoon..

 It is only a small pouch.. big enough to fit her Strawberry shortcake dolls or her spotty dog.. Not really suitable for her baby doll but she loves it anyway.

If you're keen to know how I made it ... check out the tutorial below. ;)

Mock Up Mocka Bag

You will need

• about 25 cm across the bolt of your chosen fabric
• medium weight interfacing (I use iron on)

Cut:
Two rectangles of your chosen fabric 8"x 14 1/2"
Two circles of your chosen fabric 4 1/2" in diametre
Four straps 5  1/2" x 3"

NB: Seam allowance is 1/4"

1. Iron one rectangle and one circle onto your interfacing

(The straps are in this pic but are not interfaced)

2. Take one of your rectangles and with right sides together, sew down the short edges forming a tube.
Press open the seam. Repeat with other rectangle. Leave tubes inside out.

3. Take the interfaced circle piece. Place over the end of the interfaced tube. The right side of the fabric will be facing into the tube. Pin the circle in place. I found it helpful to mark the tube and the circle with 1/4 marks so I could get it even. If you have directional fabric, check before sewing you have it so it faces the right way.

 4. With the circle on the top, sew a seam the whole way around. Take care to ease the fabric with your fingers. Clip into the seam allowane every 1/2 inch taking care not to cut your seam. Turn in the right way and finger press the seam to give it shape. Repeat with the other tube and circle.

5. Fold the straps in half  long ways and press with iron. Fold the long edges in about 1/4 inch and press.

6. Sew a seam along one short edge. Trim the folded corner and turn in the right way.

7. Fold the pressed edges under and sew an edge stitch along the long edges to close. Sew an edge stitch along the folded long edge to make it look pretty.

8. Now you need to fit the straps to the pouch and make sure they will be a sufficent length. To do this I centred the back seam of the pouch and then pressed it flat.  I marked the edges by pressing them with the iron. (The back of the pouch has the seam on it.)I pinned the straps on the back of the pouch inside the pressed mark with the raw edge of the straps closest to the top. Two straps on top of one another on one side, two on the other.

9. Now test the straps for length on your bike and adjust accordingly. Remember to take the 1/4" seam into account here. When you are happy, sew a basting stitch across your straps.

10. Turn the lining tube inside out and put it over the top of your tube with the basted straps. Tuck straps well away from the top. Sew around the top leaving a 3" (ish) hole. Turn in the right way and press. Sew an edge stitch all the way around to close the hole.

11. Fit your velcro or if you have one, use a snapper to attach snaps.

You're done! I hope your little one enjoys it as much as mine. Ax