Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Pool/Swim Bag

I love this project so much. It was meant to be. I have needed a giant swim bag for a long time. When we go to the pool we have so much stuff: goggles, towels, sunscreen, water, snacks, swim diapers, clothes, keys, phone, money/wallet, etc. I have been using a huge Ikea bag where everything just goes to the bottom where I have to search forever to find it. So, I needed a big bag (to fit at least 5 towels + other stuff). I LOVE pockets, so I want t pocket for everything.
I got this fabric (2 yards) for $4.00 and used every bit of it, plus some scraps from other projects.
 I put in small handles and long straps for multiple ways to carry the bag. There are side pockets on both sides on the outside (they are huge). I also put in some boning (okay, they were old metal hangers) in the bias I sewed to each corner for some stability.
 Have you seen the infomercial for the Kangaroo Keeper? It is so brilliant. The lady stuffs a whole pile of stuff into a tiny purse using this implement to organize everything into pockets. This is what I wanted. I put loops on one side for water bottles, sunscreen, etc. One side has little pockets for keys, cell, sunglasses. Then there are still two other smallish pockets for goggles, snacks, wallet, etc.
 Then still plenty of room for towels and whatever else we might need. I reinforced the bottom with some heavy cardboard wrapped in duct tape (for waterproofing). It is super sturdy. Maybe a little too structured? Not sure yet.
It really is huge, but I think it turned out okay. I guess by the end of the summer I will have figured out what changes I should've made.
What bag do you take to the pool? Do you have the same frustrations as I do? Do you have a bag that you love?