Stroller Caddy Organizer DIY

So.   I need a Stroller Caddy Organizer thing.

I want something like this:  LINK

Or even better yet, this:  LINK

But.  I don't have a lot of extra cash, and I need it for a trip in 4 days.   I would probably settle for the ugly version and buy the cheap one from Babies R Us.... except.  The closest Babies R Us is 80 miles away.  Even if I ordered it online, I wouldn't get it in time for my trip.

So I decided sew one, and figure it out on my own.  I thought I would share the process here, in case someone else is interested in doing one of these.

Preparation:

I measured my Chico umbrella stroller and decided that a 16in x 16in organizer would be best for me.

I needed a large compartment in the back to hold toys and a change of clothing for the girls.

I also knew I wanted two small front pockets to hold sippy cups, and a small front pocket to hold my cellphone.

And I wanted one pocket to hold diapers, and one to hold wipes.

I had some yellow chevron canvas that I used for a tablecloth at a craft sale, so I grabbed it to use for the fabric.  If you're buying fabric, 1.5 yards is plenty.

Cut:

Two pieces 16in x 16in, on the fold.  (this will be the front an back of the caddy)
One piece 16in x 6in, on the fold. (this will be the top row of pockets on the front)
One piece 16in x 9in, on the fold. (this will be the bottom row of pockets on the front)
Four pieces 2in x 12 in (these will be the ties)
One piece 4ft x 1 in for binding, or buy a package of binding in a coordinating color.

Oh also, I ran out of parchment paper, and drew my pattern pieces on aluminum foil.   My goal was to only use what I had laying around my house, so I didn't run out and buy any parchment paper :)

(Not pictured is the skinny 4ft piece for binding.  Because I didn't realize I needed it until about an hour after this photo was taken)

I situated all of my pieces so that the fold was at the top of each pocket.  That way I wasn't sewing lots of square pieces of fabric together and ironing them.  I hate ironing seams and top stitching.  Notice the pins at the top of each piece of fabric.  That's where the fold is on each of them.  If you turn each cut over, you see that the fabric doubled.

Sewing:

1. Sew the tops of the four caddy pieces, on the fold.

Fold each piece so that the right sides are facing out.   Each pocket, as well as the front and back pieces should be situated to have a fold at the top.  

I wanted to make the top of each pocket a little stiffer, without using interfacing.  So I topstitched three seams across the top, where the fold is.


First top stitch.   The fold is at the far right side of the fabric.

Second top stitch:

Third Top Stitch:

Do this for the front and back pieces, as well as the two pieces for the front pockets.




2.  Sew the top front pocket (16in x 6in)

You've already top stitched along the top fold for the pocket.    Now, place the correct sides together (wrong sides out) and sew along the bottom,

Leave the sides unsewn.  Turn it right side out and press it with the iron.  This will give you a 'tube' of fabric, that will become the top pocket on the front, for sippy cups, etc.

3.  Sew the ties

Take two 2in x 12in pieces, and sew them together with the correct sides facing each other.  Be sure to leave one short end open!  Turn it right side out, and press with the iron,  Then sew the open end closed.  Repeat with the other two 2in x 12in pieces.

 These become the ties that attach the caddy to the stroller.

Here they are before I sewed them together, turned them right side out, and closed the end with a seam.  I forgot to take a photo afterwards.  Sorry :)



4.   Attach the ties to the back panel of the caddy.  

Fold each of the 12in long tie pieces in half. The fold should be at the bottom, with the two end pieces facing upward.   You'll use the two 'tails' to tie to the caddy to the stoller.

The tie will be sewn to the top corner of the back of the caddy.   Pin it about 1 inch from the side of the 16x16 piece, along the top.    The fold should be facing down.    Sew it to the back panel of the caddy  using a box and an "X".

Reapeat with the other tie, on the opposide side.

Now the ties are secured to the back piece of the caddy.


5.  Now, assemble the front piece of the caddy.  Lay the other 16in x 16in piece flat (the one that you didn't attach the ties to).  Pin the 6in tall pocket piece to the top portion, about 1/2 inch from the top., Pin the 9in tall pocket piece to the bottom portion, about 1/2 inch below the top pocket.

    -  Sew a horizontal seam at the bottom edge of the top pocket, securing it the the 16in x 16in panel (dotted line in the photo).  Then sew a vertical seam 6 inches from the side, on each side.  This will divide the top pocket into 3 sections (top two black arrows).

   -   Sew a vertical seam in the middle of the bottom pocket, dividing it into two sections (bottom black arrow).



6.  Sew the back and front panels together

Layer the top panel on top of the bottom panel, with the correct sides facing up.  Pin everything together.  Use your binding to attach the two panels together.  This will finish all of the side seams.

If you don't know how to do binding, I would go to Youtube and watch videos.  It's so much easier to understand than if I tried to take photos and explain it in writing.

Finished Stroller Caddy Organizer!

Simply tie it onto the handles, and you're ready to go!    I love this for Disney World, because the bright fabrics make my stroller instantly recognizable.

Finding the perfect (free) Rag Doll Pattern.

I found a doll that I love.  They're Baby Be Blessed dolls...  you should check them out here.  They are super cute, but I knew I could never justify spending $50+ on a new doll here at back to school time.  So... I began to hunt for the perfect dolly pattern.

I pinned tons of inspiration photos and links on Pinterest.  I trolled Etsy and Craftsy. My criteria:  I wanted a nicely proportioned, floppy doll with a similar look to the Baby Be Blessed dolls.  And finally, after a week of "research,"  (read: Driving my husband crazy obsessing over fabric swatches and hand drawn patterns)  I was ready to gather my supplies:

You'll need:
- Muslin in the 'skin' tone of your choice
- Safety eyes
- Craft paint for the mouth
- Two scraps of coordinating fabric, for the body and legs
- Minky, flannel, or felt material for the hair.
- Polyfill

I tested 3 patterns, and am sharing the pros and cons of each.  My pinterest board is here...  it's a combination of simple rag doll ideas and Waldorf doll inspiration... I went through a phase where I experimented with Waldorf dolls too.

1.  First pattern, from Martha Stewart's website.  Emily Martin, owner of the etsy shop Black Apple, shares a free video tutorial and pattern for her version of dolls.   The only things I did differently - I used flannel for the hair and added pigtails. I also made the arms and legs double the width on the pattern.  I got lazy and used a square end on the legs, instead of the curved version on the pattern.

Pros:  FREE.  The pattern printed easily and the video tutorial was perfect.
Cons:  The double ruffle bangs are really hard to sew around.  If you fail to sew them to the face, they flip up, like in the photo.  The arms and legs on the pattern are super skinny and hard to stuff. I gave up trying to stuff them with polyfill and sewed thicker arms and legs.

And here is the result.  Not bad, but not great either.  Those pigtails kind of make her look like a basset hound.  I'm also not a fan of my ability to paint on a face.

 

 

2.  Second pattern, from the blog Make it Love it.  This pattern comes along with a blog post with step by step instructions.  The only things I did differently:  I used minky material for the hair, instead of felt.  And I added pigtails.  I also used safety eyes, instead of felt.

Pros: FREE.  The pattern printed easily, and the picture tutorial was great.  I also loved all the extras included in the pattern:  Clothing, ties for the boy, sleeves, shoes, etc.
Cons: This pattern requires that you be a little more advanced in sewing skills.  It also takes longer to sew, because of the added details.  I also felt that the resulting doll looked a bit like an alien, although my 1 year old loves to cuddle it.

And here is the result.  Cute, but not at all like my inspiration dolls.  The head is too large, the legs too long and spindly.  Plus, the hands remind me of lobster claws.

3.  Third pattern, from the blog I'm so Crafty, I Sweat Glitter.  I have to admit - I wasn't so sure that this was the pattern for me.  And honestly, the only reason I gave it a try was because the blog name made me laugh.  But I have to say, it was perfection.  The only things I did differently:   I used minky for hair.  And I did two pigtails instead of the one (I had to iron the minky to some fusible interfacing before I could do the little pigtails like the directions called for).  I also opted for safety eyes for this one too.

Pros: FREE.  The pattern printed really grainy, but worked great.  The photo tutorial was nice, and the tip for putting in rice to weight the arms and legs made a HUGE difference in the final product.
Cons:  The curved neckline makes for trickier sewing, but I'm glad I didn't cut out that step.  It really makes her head stand up better, and defines a neck for the doll.

And here is the result.  She's exactly what I was looking for!

 

Isn't she cute??  She took a few hours to sew, and I opted for pricier details, like eyes, hair, and designer fabric.  But I love her.

And I think my daughter does too.... especially since the doll matches her back-to-school outfit.

 

Edited: I made a few more, and thought I would share fabric combos and hair colors with you guys.  Each doll has its own unique personality, which I love.