The Babywearing Bag

Sorry if you missed them - the Special Editions sold out in under two days...! So I wasn't kidding when I said you'd need to be quick ;) There are more on order, so watch this space...

New ByEthicals Special Editions in stock!

These are sure to disappear very quickly, so if you fall in love with one then don't hesitate!

We're leaving the country for the sunny Northern Irish seaside!

Thank you all for the enormous amount of interest, good wishes and kind words about my bags.  

I cannot say often enough how much I have appreciated people's support and good wishes in this project.  It has all been very exciting for me!

I'm afraid that over the next few weeks there may be some delays in responding to queries and orders, as we are in the process of moving house.

There will also be a hiatus before I can restock - for the same reason!  

I will still be working, it may just be a little slower than usual, so do bear with me - and don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.  I will respond as soon as I am able.

Thank you all in advance for your understanding.

Sarah

This is Joanne's new Custom Classic Onbag.  

She has chosen a deep navy blue cotton drill outer, and a shimmering blue taffeta with a swirling design for the lining.

The valuables bag matches, and uses the swirling taffeta to great effect on the straps.

I love the way that the similar colours of the lining and outer fabric work together.  The effect is very subtle but there is real luxury there.

I hope Joanne will enjoy her set, it is very beautiful!

This beautiful set of bags was created for Sarah to match her Rumba Lucia Wrap/Ring Sling conversion.

We've used the wrap to make front and flap panels, and also to create an impact with contrasting side pockets and loops.

 

The lighter outer fabric works beautifully with the darker taffeta lining - the shades really pick up the colours of the wrap.

And if it is beautiful to look at then it is even more lovely to touch!

She will look quite stunning wearing this ensemble - I do hope we get some action photos!

Very very glamerous!

 

Jitka says:

"I love the bag! I can fit everything there and that's great. I regret I kept postponing making the bag for such a long time - I had bought the fabrics half year ago!

I bought a piece of brown fabric long enough and also a piece of fabric with flowers for the lining - both were very cheap.

Both fabrics were quite thin so I used some old corduroy I had at home to put in between them."

Jitka is very kindly working on a translation of my pattern into Czech, so watch this space!

Brooke... Thank you so much for this lovely action shot! 

I'm putting it right up on the front page because I'm so excited to see the first evidence of these beautiful bags being used, and loved.

Brooke says:

"I have been planning on making an Onbag for a while now, and I still will, but I need something for travelling in a month and wasn't sure I would have time by then.

So, in a moment of madness, I bought the ByEthicals Spring Stripes classic set!

It is so much prettier in real life than online.

I liked it a lot online, but I love it now that I can see the textures and true colours.

It looks gorgeous with my Indio! ...

... I wasn't quite sure how an Onbag would work, but now I know that it works however I want it to!  

The sling pouch is so clever, too. I didn't think I would be able to fit my long wraps or mei tai in it, but they actually fit rather perfectly.

I'm excited to make my own and seeing this one has inspired me to use more interesting fabrics, though I think mine will be a little more plain in hopes that my husband won't ask to borrow this one!"

It certainly does look gorgeous with that Indio!

Alison has created a rather fine black denim and shimmery green taffeta bag.

She says:

"I finally got it finished, just in time for a weekend at Centerparcs where it was used plenty by both myself and my husband, we both found it really comfortable.

We got lots of compliments on it too.

I used a shot green/black taffeta lining with black denim outer.

The only thing I altered was the rolled hem round the bottom of the bag as my poor old 1960s singer machine couldn’t cope with the amount of material involved so I did the hem on the inside.

Next on my to-do list is the baby onbag."

I think the green shot taffeta works really well with the soft tones of the black denim.

This is a very beautiful but also dad-friendly bag - we like!

Now we're just waiting for action shots!

Thank you everyone for the huge number of entries I received - it is so exciting to see the interest there is in these new bags!

I have read through all the interesting ideas as to what should be done with these repurposed bags once they (finally!) wear out...

Some of the responses were great - here is a selection of my favourites:

"As I am guessing these bags will last many a year, so by the time they have worn out I may have actually learned how to use my sewing machine. So I'll make them into teddy bears for my grandchildren :-)"

"When I have worn out this set, I will wrap it up carefully and put it in my (soon to be born) daughter's "Memory Box". Inside it will be a legacy wrap, a first size nappy and an item of her baby clothing, something knitted for her by MY mother, her favourite baby toy, pictures and mementos of things we did when she was young. I hope that when she is a mother herself she will recycle the items for her children."

 "Growing up I had a 'lovey' blanket that my grandmother made for me from the back panel of one of my grandfather's 'well-loved' flannel shirts and from a scrap of silky, smooth material she had left from making my auntie's prom dress years before I was born. I think that, once these bags have been 'well-loved' and are no longer useful as bags, that the materials they are made of would make excellent scrapies for making a very soft and unique 'lovey' blanket for a lucky little baby! (I would imagine that I could use these bags for my child(ren) and then lend them to friends to use for their little ones and, by the time I got them back, several families and a dozen or so kids and many years later, they would be perfect for 'lovey' blankets for my grandchildren! Wishful thinking, maybe, but you asked!)"

"As these would be a very important memory of my childrens early years - I would cover and/or line my daughters memory box with them."

 But my favourite... and the winner of the Onbag Special Edition ByEthicals Set is....

Julie Babis with this response:

"I'm collecting fabric from clothes, toys, slings etc from different stages of my children's lives, which I plan to make into a memory quilt.  So should I be lucky enough to win this set, I would aim not to wear them out completely but to incorporate them into my quilt as a reminder of many happy times not just wearing my children, but being out and about with them.  I hope that this will become an heirloom for them in the future."

Your set will be on its way to you soon!

 

Stacy writes a blog called 'Artichoke Anathema', and has written about her Onbag project.  She says it should be making me rich!

 Stacy writes :

"I have completed many projects. One of which was a diaper bag. The hospital sent us home with a simple black Similac bag that I used after I removed the labels. It really wasn't big enough for outings with the cloth diapers plus I was lugging around purse, diaper bag, and baby. There are tons of great free projects on the web, some of which are free for a reason and others that should be making someone rich. The Onbag should be making some rich. It is genius; diaper bag with extremely long straps to be worn around your body and accommodate your baby wearing! My purse fits in in to boot! ...

Wal-Mart $2 cotton with a bit of lycra. It is a cool charcoal color. I didn't want black but yet needed versatility in color. Grey. Who goes wrong with grey?

The straps are tied criss-cross, through the loops, across one another to go back through the loops, then finally knotted together. I think I need to make a little loop to go around the upper part of the straps to keep them closer in at my shoulder blades. I thought the 14" width would not be too wide, but alas, it is....

Opened up, here you can see the pockets and lining. I got a great deal on the salmon colored raw silk. Being one of my favorite colors and fabrics, I couldn't resist."