Cot pockets organiser Mark 1

I recently saw "cot pockets" somewhere on the web whilst googling baby stuff, and asked my daughter if she'd like some. Yes please she said. I particularly liked some that had multiple pockets on them, and decided to have a go. This is the final version, photographed on the cot that awaits our grandchild. (The photos don't seem very good - not sure why. More investigating to be done...)

I made these out of some old curtains that a friend gave me ages ago (recognise them, Barbara?), and the plain cream backing was from a bag of offcuts I was given from the wonderful Wesley-Barrell furniture factory in Witney a while ago. Daughter has still to choose some fabric that goes with the lovely wall paper in the background and the other bits and pieces in the room.

Diagrams and maths!

I had taken measurements of the cot, as I wanted the pockets to fit in the right place with regard to the position of the bars, so that it looked neat and tidy. At this stage I also worked out how big I wanted the hems to be, and the size of the pockets.

Top layer and backing cut to the same size.

I cut four pockets, and stitched a double hem on the top
and folded in a single hem on the bottom. The sides don't need hemming as they will be tucked under the backing when it is turned over to the front.

I turned in a single hem all round, and then placed the backing on top (wrong sides together).

I didn't take enough pictures, but then this wasn't meant to be a tutorial, more just to give you the general idea of how I did it! Across the top of each pocket piece I sewed twill tape, for decoration and for added body. I then stitched the pocket pieces to the main piece at the sides only, very close to the edge - just to hold it in place. I turned the backing over to the front - at the bottom the backing sits just below the pocket bottom. I was intending to do mitred corners, but as you will see later on I changed my mind and didn't as it was easier. (I was making it up as I went along!)

Here I have now added the top pockets as well, and turned over the edge all the way round, and tacked it. I stitched down the centre of each pocket. In these two pictures you can see that I have pinned in place the gussets at the sides and centres of the bottom pockets. (The creases you can see at the bottom of the pockets is probably the original hem fold of the curtains.)

 I then pinned in place all the gussets, and stitched them in place across the bottoms of the pockets. I stitched the hems all the way round, on the outer and inner edges, and added twill tape to the back of the top corners for attaching it to the cot.

NOTE: Regarding safety, I would not tie the tapes in bows with long loops like I did in the first picture. I would wind them round the bars to shorten them and then tie them in double knots. I will probably add some more tapes along the top as well, otherwise the whole thing might end up sagging down in the middle once the pockets have stuff in them. 

Of course, this organiser could have all sorts of uses, e.g. on the back of a door attached to hooks, or on the inside of a wardrobe (although I think it is too nice to be shut away!).

The pockets are a good size for small soft toys, and even for books. I love the idea of a favourite soft toy being tucked into one of the top pockets, and the baby, once it's at the standing up stage, reaching over to pull it out! Or maybe reaching in to get its copy of Mrs Armitage on Wheels, or Burglar Bill (said daughter once sat up in bed at about the age of two and ripped up the copy of this - naughty girl! - that I had bought when I was young and worked in the children's department of George's bookshop in Bristol) or Cops and Robbers ("Here are the cops of London town, hardworking, brave and true....") or one of the Mog ("in the morning we have a little stretch!") books, or The Tiger who came to Tea (he drank all the water in the taps) or Lucy and Tom (I once met Shirley Hughes in said bookshop).......can't wait to read these again....

And speaking of Mrs Armitage (if you are not aware of my blog's connection to this book then you haven't read the About Me page!) I must write a letter to her (c/o Quentin Blake) apologising for pinching her words without asking. Another post perhaps!

Has anyone else made cot pockets? Any tips?

And now, I'm off to check over my bike which has some funny noises coming from it. Hopefully I'll get in a decent ride in the next day or two while we have this lovely weather!

Lizzie