Sew Along Toddler Backpack {Part Three - Finishing}

Just in time for some Sunday making, we've reached the last stage of our backpack sew-along! I'm really hoping some of you have nearly finished backpacks just waiting for the finishing touches. If you've missed the first two parts, you can find them here:

{Part One - Cutting}

{Part Two - Sewing}

For the final stage of this tutorial you will need:

• 4 'D' Rings for the strap adjusters
• One Toggle
• Cord for the drawstring opening
• Beads for the cord-ends
• Velcro/popper for fastening the flap - I used permanent, self adhesive velcro
• A safety pin
• Sewing machine and thread
• Scissors 
• Iron and ironing board

So, if you've completed parts one and two, your backpack should be very nearly finished and be looking something like this...

First, were going to secure the lining to the inside of the bag so it stay s in place and looks nice and neat around the top.

Making sure the lining is evenly tucked inside the bag, give it a good press with the iron. We will be sewing close to the top edge of the bag, just below where the lining is attached.  Place under the machine foot making sure that the flap and straps are kept well out of the way, you don't want to catch anything under the needle at this stage! 

Using the edge of the presser foot as a guide, top stitch all the way around the top of the bag, beginning and ending at a seam.

Next, we need to close up the hole in the bottom of the lining. Pull it out of the bag and use pins to neatly close the opening, tucking the raw edges inside. You could hand stitch this for extra neatness, but given that it will be on the inside of the bag, I went for the more secure option of simply topstitching the opening closed.  

Push the lining back inside the bag, making sure it is evenly in place. We're now going to sew the channel which will later contain the drawstring cord. Measure the distance between the top of your button hole and the previous line of stitching you made around the top of the bag, then measure the same distance away from the bottom of the button hole and make a mark. Replicate this mark every so often around the whole opening of the bag, then join the marks up with a row of stitching.  

Thread the end of your drawstring cord onto a safety pin, I chose a red and white striped bakers twine style cord. Feed the safety pin into the button hole and use it to draw the cord along the channel between the two rows of stitching.

Once you've worked the safest pin all the way around, pull it back out the the button hole - cute or what!! 

Thread the toggle onto both ends of the cord, then trim the cords so they're just long enough to allow the toggle to be let out all the way, then thread a bead onto each end. I used some yellow wooden beads I found in Tiger. 

Now to finish the straps! Take two 'D' rings and thread them onto one of the sections of strap attached to the top of the bag. Fold the webbing under and secure with some bulldog clips while you machine sew in place. I sewed backwards and forwards 3-4 times as close to the 'D' rings as the foot of the machine would allow. Trim off any excess, then repeat on the other side making sure they are the same length.

Undo your drawstring toggle, and flatten out the sop of your bag. To secure flap I used a permanent stick on velcro dot, but you could use a popper, magnet, or other fastening (though bare in mind you may need to add it earlier on in the process if you don't want it to be seen from the other side)

To make sure the dots are perfectly lined up, peel the backing off one side of the velcro, and stick it to the corresponding piece, then stick both sides to the inside of the flap. Peel off the other piece of baking paper, and carefully close the flap, pressing down the velcro so the adhesive sticks the second dot to the front of the bag. Leave it in place for a few minutes then you should be able to carefully re-open the flap, leaving the velcro dots stuck in place. 

The very last job is to join up the strap pieces! Take the bottom piece of webbing and thread it up through both 'D' rings, then back down over the top ring, and under the bottom one. This will allow you to adjust the length of the straps as the wearer grows (or the bag gets borrowed!) 

And there you have it! One finished toddler sized back pack ready to be filled with books and snacks, pine cones and pebbles or other secret bits and bobs! 

I really hope you've enjoyed this series! If anyone has followed along and actually made a backpack I would absolutely love to see them, and would also really appreciate any feedback on this style of tutorial! 

Happy October everyone!

Sew Along Toddler Backpack {Part Two - Sewing}

Slightly later than planned, here we have part two of my sew along toddler backpack! 

If you've been following since part one, you should have all your pieces cut out and be ready to sew, which conveniently is what part two will focus on! If you need to go back to part one you can find it here:

{Sew Along Toddler Backpack Part One}

Just to recap, for this part you will need:

• Your cut pieces from part one of the tutorial, including: front and back panels, gusset panel, 5 lining pieces, one flap piece pinned to its lining, two rhombus shaped pieces pinned to one larger piece, inside/outside pockets both pinned to their lining fabrics
• Two meters of webbing for the straps (I used 1.25 inch white webbing)
• Bias binding for the flap and pocket
• Wadding/batting/stabiliser for the quilted back, I used an iron on foam stabiliser
• Sewing Machine/Matching Thread/Scissors/Pins/Snacks/Tea/Podcast...etc....

First, we're going to sew the outside pocket,  sewing along three sides and leaving one long edge open for turning. When I cut my pocket piece, I drew out the measurement of the finished pocket, then added a seam allowance, you if you've done the same, you can sew along the drawn line. 

Sew Along Toddler Backpack {Part One - Cutting}

So, today I'm trying something new. I've posted a few tutorials already, but wanted to do something a little different... 

I don't know about you, but I find it really frustrating when I see something online, or in a magazine which promises to be a 'tutorial' but has such vague instructions that I still end up feeling mystified by the end of it! So, I decided that I 'd like to start writing a series of really in depth tutorials for some of the things I've loved making! 

I tend to come up with things after seeing (or imagining) something I like and playing around until I've figured out how to make it, so mostly these tutorials will be for things I've figured out along the way, and there should be lots of room for alterations or adjustments! 

Practice Makes Perfect (Sewing Zips)

I learned to sew when I was quite young. Cross stitch first, then some hand sewing, then eventually my Nanny started teaching me how to use her old sewing machine to make little drawstring bags to keep my jigsaw pieces in.

I've always made things, and quickly claimed my Mum's old machine, but didn't buy one of my own until I was about 18. I've sewn ever since, but something I've never really got to grips with is zips. The zipper foot that came with my machine sat in the bottom of the box with a multitude of bent pins and empty thread spools, and I always passed it off as something I couldn't do. It's daft really - I've always assumed it's complicated and therefore put of learning properly - until now.

Little Things For Little People {Bunting}

It was D's cousins little girl's 1st Birthday a few days ago, and I wanted to make her something little, but also something that she could keep in her room for a good few years and wouldn't outgrow too quickly. 

So, I reverted to an old favourite of mine and made her some pink floral bunting with a fun pom-pom trim! Bunting has been done a million times over, and I think most people are kind of over it, but I still think it's cute, and I did try a new technique, which probably has a real name but I just sort of made it up as I went along! 

I made pink felt triangles for the front of the flags, and white triangles for the backs, then cut the  letters out of the pink triangles. I bought a fat quarter of this pink and purple floral fabric a while ago, and I thought it would be great as its pretty, but not too young! I cut out some little pieces and used tiny stitches to secure them to the pink felt so the pattern showed through the cut out letters. I then attached the white felt backs (to hide the stitching and the back of the floral fabric) with pink blanket stitch, and stitched each flag onto the pom-pom trim! 

I really like how this ended up, and really enjoyed hand sewing something for a change! I'm told that it went down well with Amelie too and that it's already hanging in her bedroom! Perfect! 

Another Little Gift For Another Little Person

Most of the things I make (or get asked to make) are for little people. Most recently I've made this little comforter for a lady I work to pass onto a friend as a gift. 

Just like the bunny I made for a friend recently, I love the idea that these little things have the potential to become treasured, well worn and maybe even passed on one day!  My godson Connor (you can read all about him and his brother here, his Mummy has recently jumped on the blogging wagon!) still sleeps with his 'tuggy', a very similar little comforter I made him when he was newborn! Here's a picture of him with it a while ago...he's quite a bit bigger than this now! (Also, apologies for the terrifying-faceless-baby look...but you just never know!)

For this one, my instructions were bright and boyish! So I went with primary colours and farm animals! I would just like to request that anyone else who wants anything with a monogram, please name your child something which starts with a letter which has only straight edges...such as A, or N! Sewing curves is tricky! 

        

For the towelling fabric back, I embroidered baby's birth details onto stars, and the hem got some loops of ribbon for fiddling with (and yes, everyone is aware that baby shouldn't be left unsupervised with this just yet, as hands and feet could get caught in the loops!)

I'm pleased with how this rather loud comforter turned out, but I'm definitely favouring more more muted colours at the moment. I've recently bought some lino printing bits. I vividly remember spending several hours trying to perfect it as school and pretty much just gouging lumps out of my hands. I'm hoping I might be a little more skilled at it now and am going to have a go at carving some stamps and printing my own fabric soon, although I've got a pretty long list of things to make before Christmas so that may have to wait until the New Year! Ugh, New Year talk already, wherever does the time go!?

A Little Gift for A Little Person

Today I'm sharing a little gift I made for a friend. Louise founded the U and Your Skin Lounge in Norwich, and ever since the first email I sent her, which was some thing along the lines of "I'm getting married in two years and my skin is a mess helllllpppppp!", she has been a pillar of support. From her beautiful facials and product advice, to always being just an email away when I was freaking out about it all! I know I wouldn't have ended up with either the skin I have, or the feelings I have towards it now without her (and needless to say it looked great in the wedding photos!!) If you are local and have any skin issues, or just want an amazing treat I would highly recommend a treatment at the skin lounge!

I feel really lucky to count her among my friends, and when she had her beautiful baby girl Maggie in the Summer (only a few weeks before the wedding which I had expressly told her not to do!) I knew I wanted to make her a special gift. I gave it to her on Tuesday, and I think she rather liked it!

Anyone who's seen the Belle and Boo Book of Crafts may recognise him, but I tweaked the pattern a little, adding a little webbing tag with Maggie's name embroidered on it, and the fluffiest pom-pom tail! Maggie is still too little for him really (he's nearly as big as her) but Louise has already read her the Velveteen Rabbit so hopefully he will become a favourite one day! 

I love making special things for little people, I love the idea that something I've made could become something to treasure, and that one day things may get passed down through families. I've decided this year to make Christmas presents for all the children I usually buy for, we'll see how that works out time wise, but I've made a start and I'm quite excited about them! I'm really loving being off work this week, hiding from the rain and sewing with a cup of tea and the radio. Bliss!