I got to sew some pretty little things for my granddaughter who turned two recently…
And one of them was this cute little back pack.
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The pattern is Simplicity #5284. It’s a mini version of a full-size, or adult, back pack.
I used 2 fat quarters (18″x21″ piece of fabric), and some left-over fabric from a little blouse I’d made her.
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I used some lace instead of ribbon for the bow and added a bling button for a touch of fun… I thought she would like it, especially when she gets a little older (like 3). 🙂
I sewed these on by hand so it wouldn’t show up on the under side of the flap. I also wanted to make sure it was on securely so that it wouldn’t come off after much use.
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The pattern called for elastic at the top, which I thought was genius. Everything stays inside, yet it’s easier to access than if it had a tie. (Why don’t back packs for grown-ups have this feature??! 🙂
I sewed on a piece of hook & loop tape for the closure – small enough that she can easily open it without a lot of effort, but big enough to keep it closed when she’s wearing it.
The pocket is large enough to hold a small box of crayons, or pencils, or a little dolly… whatever she likes. 🙂
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I used the wrong kind of interfacing… the pattern suggested light-weight and I knew that wouldn’t be enough, so I used heavy-weight; but it was really hard to sew. – even with a heavy-duty needle. Next time, I will definitely use medium! Lesson learned.
However, it did feel like a “real, store-bought” back pack. So, maybe the heavier interfacing was the right choice after all?
The pattern was easy to understand and the straps went on without a problem. I had never made a back pack before, so some of the placements (such as the tabs to pull the straps through) didn’t really make sense until everything was turned right-side-out. So the lesson here is… follow the step-by-step instructions and in the end it’ll all make perfect sense. Maybe, Kind of like life?… But I digress…
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It was so much fun for me to make this, especially since it was for my granddaughter!
Using the three fabrics was different and gave it a whole other look to it. Maybe next time I’ll just use one… maybe.
I can hardly wait to sew another one!
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Looking forward to sharing with you a pic of her wearing or using her little back pack. I get to see her soon again! 🙂
More projects to share in the coming days. Yay!
Have a blessed week,
Daisy
A Daisy Garden 