kojotutorial: the ultimate baby changing station

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One thing I’d forgotten about newborn babies is the seemingly endless supply of gear they seem to require.  I currently have a list taped on the wall next to our front door with Things Not To Forget When We Leave the House because of the many misadventures we had in those first few days when I left my nursing cover or a baby changing pad or burp rags (or something else!) at home.

Here’s the thing, y’all.  I like streamlined.  I don’t want to add one more thing to that List, nor do I want to stuff anything else into my diaper bag (no matter how wonderful it is or how many pockets it has).

And thus the Ultimate Baby Changing Station was born.  It is a baby changing pad, with a little pocket for diapers and wipes all in one convenient little bundle.  Which eliminates a couple of items from my list and frees up space in my diaper bag (and my still-sleep-deprived-and-having-trouble-concentrating-little-mind as well).

To make one of these yourself, you’ll need:
-a receiving blanket (this’ll provide an oh-so-soft surface for your little one’s bum as you change them at the park or the mall or other random places) cut into one 40″ x 14″ main piece (my blanket wasn’t 40″ long, so I pieced together a 40″ x 14″ piece) and two 12″ by 8.5″ ‘flap’ pieces
-a yard of heavy weight fabric (upholstery weight), again cut into one 40″ x 14″ piece and two 12″ by 8.5″ pieces
-a yard of thick grosgrain ribbon
-a sewing machine and sewing supplies

1. Cut out your fabric pieces. Piece your 40″x14″ receiving blanket piece together if necessary.

2. Using a cd as your template, round the corners of all four of your flap pieces.

3. Place your flap pieces in pairs of one flannel piece and one thick fabric piece, right sides facing eac other.  Sew around three of the sides of each pair, leaving the long straight edge open.  Turn right side in.

4. Match up your two remaining ‘main’ pieces, right sides facing in.  Peel apart, measure 7″ from the will-be top of the changing station and pin your finished flap pieces in place (they’ll be sandwiched between the two pieces of fabric when you’re finished).

5. Trace the cd template on the top two corners of the main pieces of fabric.  With the right sides together (and, of course, the flaps pinned in place), stitch around three sides (both 40″ sides and the top 14″ side), following the rounded corner guides and leaving the bottom 14″ side open.

6. Turn the whole thing right side in. Iron the raw bottom edges in and top stitch across the bottom.  This will soon fold up (as shown) to become the diaper and wipe pocket.

7. With the bottom portion folded up and the flaps folded in, fold down the top to line up with the bottom of the flaps (shown at step 6).  Fold again to meet up with the top of the soon-to-be-pocket.  Flip the whole thing over and use a pins to mark the top and bottom edges.

8. Sew thick grosgrain ribbon down the center of the outside of the changing pad. Be sure to use a spool of thread to match your ribbon (in my case, brown) and a bobbin wound with thread to match your flannel lining (I used white).  That way you don’t see the thread on either side.

9. Stitch along the sides of the bottom flap to create the diaper and wipes pocket.

10. Fill with diapers and a supercute wipes case (I used this tutorial) and tie shut.  Add a custom label, if you please.  Stick it in your uber fabulous diaper bag and pat yourself on the back for having an all-in-one diaper/wipes/changing station (and a few less things on your “don’t forget at home” list).

If you make one of these, don’t forget to add your pictures to our flickr group
 
ps- Sorry about the lighting in some of the pics- sewing at night, again… 🙂

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7 Comments

  1. That is so great. I just went to a baby shower this would have been the best gift. Guess I will have to wait for another to make one. What is the name of the fabric you used it is great.

  2. This is so cute! This is just nuts! I made the same thing!!! Different fabric but the same design! Now that my baby is a toddler I dont need it anymore but I think this means there a market out there for these 😉

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