Opposites attract

Ultimate Diaper Bag w/ Stroller Straps
Originally uploaded by watermelonwishesforyou

Every now and then, a customer will surprise me with their fabric selections. I especially love it when someone selects a combination which I would probably never have chosen and it comes together absolutely beautiful.

The bag pictured, is crafted from three Amy Butler fabrics which on their own are stunning but when combined create a true one of a kind look. I especially love the whimsy evoked by the combination of orange and blue which are opposites on the color wheel.

Caught in the middle

While I like my diaper bag to be an extension of my personal style, there are many parents who prefer to have a gender specific theme. Shopping for girl fabric really is a breeze; however, finding modern prints that appeal to those expecting baby boys are much harder to come by and perhaps even more challenging is locating those fabrics one would consider to be gender neutral.


When shopping for masculine or unisex fabrics you may find it helpful to keep the following tips in mind.

---Polka dots, stripes and geometrical prints are generally gender friendly and come in a wide array of scales and colors.

---Nature prints, specifically those featuring trees, mushrooms and birds, are wildly popular and ideal for a baby boy or girl.

---Strike a perfect balance by selecting a textured fabric like wool, corduroy or denim for the exterior and a feminine floral for the interior.

---Prints that utilize red, green or orange as the primary color are good choices too.

While there are endless options, when it comes to shopping online, I always point my customers in the direction of Hawthorne Threads which offers a wide selection and stellar service, time after time. That being said, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of my top ten favorite gender neutral combinations from said fabric shop.

1. Martini in Green paired with Fresh Poppies in Green

2. Stripe in Summer paired with Birds in Summer

3. Walk in the Woods in Galosh paired with Stripes in Galosh

4. Cherry Wallflower paired with Cherry Full Moon Polka Dot

5. Antler Damask in Celadon paired with Weave Stripe in Azur

6.Willow Shroom in Orange paired with Lime Full Moon Polka Dot

7. Herringbone in Timber paired with Flower Fields in Berry

8. Ironwork in Grey paired with Poppies in Yellow

9. Colorful in Grass paired with Simple in Grass

10. Bird and Seed Heads in Brown paired with Seed Pods in Brown

Feel free to add to the list by posting your favorite unisex print in the comments.

The story behind the name

When I was pregnant with our first child, my husband would rub my belly and say in deep voice "I wish I had a Watermelon, I wish I had a Watermelon." I'd laugh and he would too. Hence the name of our company, Watermelon Wishes.

Selected with care, a name can be used to bestow meaning and evoke sentiment. When naming a company, there are several factors to consider. The ability to build a brand and sentimental value were my top priorities.

Janis DeVore, president of DeVore Marketing advised me to select a name that could double as my web domain and suggested it be short enough for the entire url fit on my business cards.

Your company name should be unique but easy to remember and spell.

Although a bank teller once asked me “Do you sell Watermelon’s?” For the most part, the product or service you provide does not have to be incorporated into the company name but it should evoke conversation. On your business card you can include a tag line to explain what it is that you offer. For example: Watermelon Wishes “Handmade Diaper Bags and Accessories”.

Whenever someone asks me “What is Watermelon Wishes?” I simply tell them it is the brand under which I market a line of handmade diaper bags and accessories.

It is also very important that the name appeal to your customer base. The majority of my customers are expectant mothers who in a roundabout way can relate to the watermelon.

To attain maximum value and with the assumption that your business will grow, care should be taken to select a name that does not limit your ability to expand your offerings in the future. Let’s say I had named my company “Andrea’s Diaper Bags”...

Get a notebook and brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm. Write down anything that appeals to you and then come back to it in a few hours, days, weeks and see what you still like. Ask friends and family what they think. Host a blog or Facebook survey.

Last, but not least, before you commit to a name, key it into several search engines to be sure you will not be affiliated with a conflicting product base or service.

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