A New Design

The changing bag is finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The fabric my customer chose is just yummy and perfect for a girl or a boy. There was some wastage as I cut the pieces to show the pattern off to it's best.

The front;


I managed to line the top flappy panel up with the print on the front of the bag to keep the zebra in all his glory;


I used two of my lovely Dutton's buttons (well, she is a very special customer) to keep the front shut, I figured most Mummies can do buttons one handed but maybe not tie a bow?

The back shows the lion;


There are monkeys (monkies?) climbing up the side panels and I cut the straps to show the giraffe's long neck at both the front and back when worn cross body;

I am really pleased with how this turned out. There is a large middle section to the interior with four large patch pockets each big enough for a packet of wipes or a couple of nappies, spare clothes etc, I didn't add any external pockets as I didn't want to spoil the images on the fabric but think there is more than enough storage space for a day out with a baby.

I think I may be under selling myslef slightly though. I know there is alot about pricing going on at the moment and nothing annoys me more than someone selling the same sort of item for half what I'm selling for but equally I have trouble putting a price on my time and care and lack confidence in the value of my product. Gina has talked about this recently as has Nifty, there has been lots going on on the Folksy Forums today too but I haven't been to look yet.

The customer is paying me £15 for this one of a kind, handmade, designed by me changing bag for her daughter's new baby girl. She came to choose fabric for a shoulder bag for herself, I charge £15 for my slouchy shoulder bags, they sell well and people like them as much as I like to make them. Some of the fabrics I use cost little and some cost more so pricing the bags like this means the profit I make for each is different but felt I needed some continuity and that it would all 'even out in the end'. The changing bag took me longer to make, partly because it's a new design, partly becasue there are more components which makes construction longer and harder. I am thinking that maybe I should be charging twice that for such a lovely item. But then I think what would it look like sitting next to an equally lovely shoulder bag at half the price on my craft fair stall, is one too expensive and one too cheap?

This bag will go for £15 becasue that is what I quoted the customer and becasue she is so lovely and I know the bag will be loved (and lets face it yummy baby bags are probably worth their weight in advertising).

I need to do some thinking and would be grateful for any input.

Thanks, Daisie xxx