It seems that wherever babies go, a lot of paraphernalia follows. Armed with blankets, diapers, bottles and high chairs, babies' companions never travel light. Here are two great designs to sew, created by Susan Hart, that will make excursions easier and more enjoyable for you and your little one.

The Roll-up Baby Chair, easy enough for beginners to sew, is a tie-in seat that packs up into a small, neat roll. Unfold it, slip it over the back of any straight-backed, unupholstered chair and tie your tiny tot into his or her very own seat. Our roomy Diaper Bag, complete with pockets for diapers, tissues and bottles, looks like a fashionable tote and unfolds to become a handy changing pad.

Both are made of double-faced quilted calico fabric. Woven braid binding in a co-ordinating color adds a professional finish.

If there's a new baby in your life -- or there's soon to be one -- you'll want to make both of these accessories. Just follow our easy step-by-step directions for the Roll-up Baby Chair and the Diaper Bag.

Recommended for beginner sewers.

You need:
Download the pattern by clicking here
(PDF format requires free Adobe Acrobat Reader)
• 1.20 m double-faced quilted fabric, 115 cm wide
• Matching thread
• 4 m co-ordinating folded woven braid binding, 13 mm wide (when folded)
• Brown paper

To make:
Enlarge pattern by squaring method: On brown paper, draw a grid of horizontal and vertical lines 2.5 cm (1 in) apart. Each square on the diagram equals a 2.5 cm square on your paper. Enlarge by drawing each line of design onto the corresponding square of your paper. Cut out.

1. From quilted fabric, cut out baby-chair shape. Clip notches to mark fold line and centre back. Mark loop placement lines indicated on pattern.

2. Cut 55 cm (21-5/8 in) of binding. Encase front edge of baby chair in fold of binding. Baste or pin. Edge-stitch close to inner edge of binding, making sure to catch underside of binding in stitching.

3. Cut two 10 cm (4-in) lengths of binding. Sew edges closed. Fold each piece in half to form a loop; baste raw ends together. With raw edges even, baste loops to right side of baby chair (the side of fabric you want to have showing over back of chair) at loop placement lines indicated on pattern.

4. Fold baby chair along fold line so right sides are together. Sew down each side through both layers using a 13 mm (1/2-in) seam allowance to form pocket that will fit over back of chair. Turn right side out. Press.

5. Locate midpoint of remaining length of binding; match this point to center back of baby chair. Working from this point out in each direction, pin binding along back edge and around each leg opening to front edge, encasing raw edges of fabric as in step 2. You will have a length of binding extending beyond the front edge/leg opening corner at each side. Do not cut these off – they are the ties. Edgestitch close to inner edge of binding and sew open edges of ties closed. Knot end of each tie to prevent unravelling.

6. To use, slip back pocket over back of chair. Seat child, bring front up between child's legs, thread ties through loops at sides and tie securely at back of chair.

When not in use, fold front and ties into back pocket and roll up.

Recommended for sewers with some experience.

You need:
Download the pattern by clicking here
(PDF format requires free Adobe Acrobat Reader)
• 1.60 m double-faced quilted fabric, 115 cm wide
• Co-ordinating flannelette, 80 x 54 cm (31-1/2 x 21-1/4 in), for changing pad
• Quilt batting, 50 x 36 cm (19-3/4 x 14-1/4 in), for changing pad
• Matching thread
• 4 m co-ordinating folded woven braid binding, 13 mm wide (when folded)
• 2 separating zippers in co-ordinating colour, 65 cm long
• 2 zippers in co-ordinating colour, 55 cm long

To make:
Use a 13 mm (1/2-in) seam allowance throughout unless otherwise indicated. Decide which side of quilted fabric you want to have showing on outside of bag. This will be the right side. The other side will be the reverse side.

1. From quilted fabric, cut pieces according to cutting diagram. Mark pleat lines on pockets by measuring 21 cm from each side toward centre of pocket. Mark placement of handles.

2. Outside: Press under 1.3 cm along zipper edge of one outside upper pocket and along one 56 cm edge of outside lower pocket. Centre one 55 cm zipper between these edges and topstitch in place. Attach second 55 cm zipper to remaining upper pocket and opposite edge of lower pocket. When this piece is folded down centre fold line, it will form the 2 outer sides of the bag.

3. Handles: Fold each handle in half so long edges meet and right sides are together. Stitch long edges together. Turn right side out. Press. Turn under 1.3 cm at both ends of each handle. Position ends of one handle just above zipper on one upper pocket as indicated on diagram. Topstitch ends in place securely by stitching a small square through all layers. Repeat with second handle on other upper pocket.

4. Inside pockets: Cut a piece of binding to fit along one long edge of diaper pocket. Repeat for tissue pocket and bottle pocket. Encase edge of fabric in fold of binding. Edgestitch close to inner edge of binding, making sure to catch underside of binding in stitching. The bound edge is the top edge of each pocket.

5. With reverse side of fabric facing, pleat each pocket as indicated on diagram by folding broken line in direction of arrows to meet dotted line. Baste pleats along bottom edge of each pocket.
With reverse sides together and edges even, sew diaper pocket to tissue pocket at sides, then tissue pocket to bottle pocket. Press seams open.

6. With reverse side of pleated pocket section and right side of inside bag piece together, place bottom edge of pocket section so it overlaps centre fold line of inside bag by 1.3 cm. Stitch pieces together along centre fold line. Fold pocket section back in direction of seam allowance; baste side edges to side of bag.

Topstitch down seamlines where pockets join each other and down centre of bottle pocket to make 2 small bottle compartments.

7. With wrong sides together, pin inside to outside bag; baste around all edges. Topstitch layers together along centre fold line.

8. Pin remaining binding around basted edges of bag, encasing raw edges in fold of binding. Cut off any excess binding. Edgestitch close to inner edge of binding.

9. Separating zippers: With right side of zipper tape and inside of bag together, and starting with bottom of zipper at centre fold line, baste one side of one zipper up left-hand side, around corner and along top edge of bag, ending near centre of top edge. Stitch in place.

Baste other side of zipper to left-hand side on other half of bag in same manner (edges of zipper must match when bag is folded). Stitch. Repeat with second separating zipper on right-hand side of bag.

10. Changing pad: Fold flannelette so short ends meet and right sides are together. Sew together at one short end and long edge, leaving open at one end. Turn right side out. Press. Insert quilt batting flat inside flannelette bag. Turn under 1.3 cm along open end; slipstitch opening closed. Machine-quilt 4 evenly spaced lines of stitching down length of pad.

Place changing pad inside diaper bag and close zippers.