An Old Standby Gets An Athletic Update

I've been using this backpack pattern for more than a year now and I just love it.  When I found out our gym was having a gift exchange as part of the Christmas party, I immediately thought of this backpack.  The real problem?  Finding the perfect fabric.  I logged on to Spoonflower, where I sourced this Doctor Who fabric, and found this amazing kettlebell fabric!  Perfect for Crossfitters, wouldn't you say?

Then I headed to Hancock Fabrics, got some coordinating fabric (solid grey, in this case) and made two of these bags...one for someone at our gym and one for my sister!

I love the way this turned out (both times!)

Isn't it cute?  I love it!



Nice big pocket which zips shut.

It is the perfect combination of looks and function, with a zipper pocket on the outside, and it is washable.

See, not nearly as bright as the image would have you think!

Drawstring opening at the top forms the black straps so the straps won't show dirt.  The perfect little backpack!

Kids Backpacks!

I can finally show you the backpacks I made for my niece and nephew in California, as I shipped them off Thursday via Priority Mail, so the recipients have got to have them by now.  These are a quick and easy project and the result is a kid-friendly, soft-sided backpack that is oh-so-washable.  I love that the backpack stays closed while being worn and that there is a good-sized outside pocket.  I used Kwik Sew 2379 (view C) and these are the 3rd and 4th time I've made this backpack and I still love how it turns out.

Two backpacks, plus to little zippered pouches...

Still, judge for yourself:

Boy stuff!

  My nephew got this cute little superhero version.

Love the lining, don't you?

I added a little zipper closure keychain bag in the same fabrics.  (Kids love little pouches and bags for their important "stuff".)

Love the mango lining...it is so cute in real life.

My niece got this very girly Hawaiian print, with the coordinating lining.   It is sooo pink!

Love the white vinyl and cording...

I made a little zippered keychain bag for her, too.

Better view of the little pouches.

I am so pleased with how these both turned out.  I hope the kids get a lot of pleasure from them.

Doctor Who Backpack and Pouch

Normally, I wouldn't show you another backpack made from the same pattern I used to make this cutie, but the fabric for this project was so cool, I just couldn't resist bragging a little.  A friend of our was turning 18 in February and I really couldn't think of what to give her.  She's away at college and I didn't want to give her something that would just be in the way in her dorm room.    I thought the backpack I made Buttercup would be perfect for my friend, but I wanted to come up with amazing fabric (the kitty fabric I used for Buttercup's bag was far too young for this bag).  A quick search at Spoonflower provided the perfect fabric:  Doctor Who fabric!  In case you didn't know it, the Nagle5 are total geeks!  Serious geeks.  As such, I happened to know that my young friend is a huge Doctor Who fan.   Honestly, the most difficult decision at this point was figuring out which fabric to pick!

This one with the Tardis by Studio Fibonacci was my ultimate choice.  I liked the color and the subject material...it is just so cool.   (It is okay if you're not a Doctor Who fan and you just don't get it.  Just work with me here.)

After the fabric arrived, I headed to Hancock Fabric to find a suitable fabric for the lining.  I think the one I found matched beautifully and "girled" up the entire project.

Since I planned to include a check, I sewed this little zipper pouch to go with the backpack and put the card and the check in the little pouch.  All in all, I was thrilled with how it turned out.

Best of all, the recipient loved it (she actually called me to thank me!) and the bag is currently enjoying winter break in the U.K.   Taking the Doctor Who bag to the land of its origin!  How cool is that?

Drawstring Backpack

I did a little bit of sewing last week and I must confess to being tickled with how it all turned out.

I used KwikSew Pattern 2379 to make the bag.  Buttercup is a crazy-cat-lady and picked out this adorable cat fabric, plus I had some red vinyl at home.

It was a pretty easy pattern to follow and all the sewing was straight lines.  Honestly, the most difficult part was figuring out how to make holes for the grommets. 

Buttercup really likes it and is wearing it everywhere.  The bag is fully lined (in bright green) and has an outer pocket with a zipper.  The best part is that when you're wearing it, the top is closed and can't be opened without you know it.



"Bun - James Bun"

While Buttercup wanted it in lieu of a purse , it is also a great bag for bringing along your stuff animal du jour.

"Honey the Hamster"

While I still plan to make the bigger backpack included in this pattern, I am so glad I made this one first.  She's getting a lot of use out of it and it was a terrific one to start with.