A Modern Bag For Lucas

Vibrant Colours!

And his name is......LUCAS DANIEL BRYER. We finally have a name, and a lovely one at that, honouring my dad, Daniel.  This past weekend went by in a blur of activity. I had ensconced myself in my sewing room with the express intention of finishing up the diaper bag I planned to make for my soon to be born nephew, Lucas. By the time I emerged, the house looked as though it had been turned upside down and shaken a few times! It seems that teenagers are unable to pick up after themselves - dishes, laundry, shoes, and coats....all over the place! On the positive side, the bag is complete, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. I have spent the last couple of days getting the house back in order and just found time today to take some photos of the diaper bag. The lighting was perfect for the job. A bright sunny day was good not only for photography, but also for a lingering sense of despair about the poor weather we have been experiencing. Oh happy day! I even opened a couple of windows...imagine that!

I once again used my favourite diaper bag pattern, from Susieddesigns on Etsy. I love that there is so much opportunity to combine several fabrics in one tote bag. The vibrant colours I chose for Lucas' diaper bag just made me happy to look at them : ) I must admit to one stumbling point, however. I REALLY wanted to put orange polka dot handles on this bag. But I had to keep in mind for whom this bag was being created, so I went for a blue accent handle that I felt would better suit my brother's taste. My brother is a very talented artist. He is the type of person who, with an almost imperceptible  sleight of hand, can create beautiful drawings. I love watching him draw. His hands fly across the paper in what appear to be short strokes, and he has full knowledge of where his design will end up from the first line. He is an animator, and so many of his drawings are comic style, often of robots and various other creatures. After he has visited our house, I usually find some drawing lingering about that gives me pause to smile, and be left in awe of a talent that flows so effortlessly. There is currently some Star Wars type creature sitting in with my pens by the phone that was scrawled on an earlier visit. I like it, and keep moving it around the drawer just because. All this to say, that my brother and I have very different artistic sensibilities. His tastes run to a distinctly modern aesthetic, which I couldn't recreate if I tried. His home is all clean lines, and modern woods, timeless wall colours and as much minimalism as is possible with kids around. His home flows, and despite being modern, is warm indeed. You will almost always find a dog on the couch, or a kid riding a scooter through the living room. Now, contrast this with my own preferences - colour, and lots of it! I love anything vintage, antique and well used. So, I knew that I would have to temper my unbridled desire to throw even more colour at this bag, keeping it as clean lined as I could possibly manage without losing my own vision for its outcome. I think I succeeded!

A tote for Lucas

I used a grey denim for the main panels that I happened upon while visiting King Textiles in downtown Toronto. What a find! The denim is just soft enough to be perfect for tote bags, and durable enough for consistent use. Not to mention it looks gorgeous! I put the name in simple, straight letters across the front of the tote, which I think looks very sharp. Of course, there are some polka dots, but my brother will just have to live with that! Also, I couldn't resist a sweet little fox tag for the back. I didn't put a Bryer Patch label on the tote, as I'm pretty sure my brother and his wife will know exactly where it came from!

Don't lose that soother!

So, this bag is going to be a gift at the upcoming baby shower. I will fill it up with lots of little goodies for the new baby. I made a very handy soother holder to match to colours of the bag. Nothing worse than losing a soother to a dirty floor with a tired baby! The side pockets are so great. They are the perfect size, and convenient for things that will be used with regularity.

Handy side pockets

Only a couple of weeks left until we will be celebrating with a family baby shower. I am busy getting all of the goodies ready for the party, and will share some photos of our book themed gathering. It won't be long now until Baby Boy makes his appearance and I am beyond excited. Better get going on filling this bag up with necessities. Have a happy day!