Bump Bags and Other Things

I suspect the title should read 'Other Things and Bump Bags' because I'm going to whizz through the other things first....but it just didn't seem right!

Do you remember the last post about us having a 'Busy Time'?  Well, this is an expansion on some of the family bits and a more in depth look at Bump Bags.

Ready.....

Here is a snapshot of our little Olympian and her torch.....

It was for her sports day at pre-school, we had a wonderful morning and the weather wasn't sunny (when was it last?) but the rain held off until the end.

The team colours were taken from the Olympic Flag and each team represented a continent and country (for example the yellow ring was China from Asia) and the children wore a yellow t-shirt. Tiddly Toes Team, dressed in white  to represent the white of the flag itself and participated for Peace...how lovely.

On to the bag repair (along with 2 reinforced school skirts)......

With a denim needle in the sewing machine I threaded the machine with thicker thread (on a green spool).....

Perfect for the job!

The lovely friends who are now back in Australia, the rose which is still upright but slightly rain battered, the wonderful shoes from Next and the coffee and sticky bun don't really need any more explanation other than to say they are all wonderful!!!

The Yarn-y projects and 2 of the fabric projects I'll explain another day!

So, for now....onto Bump Bags....that was this shot.....

They started life as fabric donations from a kids club parent of this spotty fabric......

We use the bags at kids club for bumps and bruises, they're great, they can either go in the freezer or microwave.  For hygiene purposes they need to be wiped off after every use with anti-bacterial spray or wipes, but with a woven sort of surface (which when I touch it feels like fingernails on a blackboard...y'know what I mean?), cleaning these things is unpleasant. 

I imagine that they also don't feel very nice on your skin (poor kids!)

Plus they do look a bit clinical and frightening....... 

So the idea of some washable, bright, fun bags to pop them in for use seemed a great idea!

I started off by laying the bags on double fabric and on the sides that there were no folds cutting the fabric 1cm larger than the bag. 

Where the opening was going to be I turned the fabric over and 'hemmed'........

For neatness I then turned it again and 'hemmed'. 

So the top edge of my bags looked like this.......

Take two of your top hemmed sides........

....and making sure the top meets neatly pin all round........ 

Sew this, remembering your seam allowance and at the ends (start and finish), go backwards and forwards to reinforce.  You can do this in one round of sewing by sewing to within 1cm of the first corner and leaving the needle in the fabric, release the foot and turn the bag  a quarter (90 degrees) turn, foot down and carry on.

Turn right side out.

Here's the open end once the bag is all sewn up.....

When you need to use it simply slip your hot/ice bag inside.......

Now that looks more welcoming and friendly and can be slipped off and washed easily.......

They take about 10 minutes to whip up, so I've made some for Tiddly Toes Pre-School and Playschool as well as for our kids club.....look.....

Ta-Dah.............. 

Aren't they colourful and lovely......that would surely help to cheer up any bump or bruise!

Apart from sharing some more makes very soon I also have exciting news to share!  Teehee...tease aren't I?

See you all soon.... xxx

Nora