We attend a week-long women-only camping event every year. Concerts, workshops, woods, and good friends. Our campsite is seldom visited during the day, and we carry essentials with us. A ground cloth, water, snacks, raincoat, hat, lip balm, mini first aid kit, layers, etc. I have an LL Bean backpack that works, but is a bit too heavy and has way too many compartments. I keep losing things in the depths. For years, I have wanted to make a custom bag. Lighter, just the right size, and customized to my needs/habits. I don’t need a hiking backpack for treks up a mountain; I need a backpack-like tote bag.
I was researching backpack tutorials and came across this one:
Pattern: Making Backpack Pattern (with Mini size!) – Noodlehead Sewing Patterns
Right size, not too complicated, I like it!
I went down the rabbit hole of sourcing materials, colors, fun straps, and zips. Then I burrowed into my stash. Last year I got a large donation, sold some at a craft fair, donated to a thrift shop, and kept some useful stuff. There it was…a dull green, good weight, waterproof fabric. I found some ripstop nylon, zippers, and even strapping in my stash. Whoa! And in colors that worked.
I had the mindset of a prototype, but in hopes it would turn out well. I did order some buckles; my stash had given up on those.
It’s a 14.5 x 11.5 x 5 inch box.
I added side holders for water bottles, an additional inside open pocket, and modified the front pocket a bit. The straps are too long; I have to figure out how to shorten them without dismantling anything.
What a great bag!! I love the concept of customizing it for your specific needs and I’m impressed that you had so many of the supplies in stash (right down to waterproof fabric in a great camping color)! I really like the addition of the fun colorful straps - they, along with the ‘radiate joy’ patch put the fun in functional!
Wow! At first I assumed you’d added a custom patch to a back pack you purchased. Then I read the full post. It came out soooooo cool and perfect! What a great bag and a great solution for your camp trip.
This is amazing! I love how custom it is and how you had so much in your stash that looks like it was selected for purchase especially to go together to make this. This is going to serve you so well, every year at the festival and maybe even throughout the year!
@Tapestry , @gozer , if sewing on a patch was the only bit. This took me about a week and a half because I went slow, reading all instructions and watching the video, completing each section. The combination of the written pattern and the video were helpful.
I am an accomplished sewist, but following instructions closely is not one of my skills.
And then I just had to customize. There was a fair amount of seam ripping and thinking/designing time.
I think this pattern would have been fairly quick to make without the design decisions along the way.
And I love it! The patch and the rainbow shoelaces made it special.
I love a good custom bag, and your usual attention to detail gives it such a professional look! I love the bright yellow lining, which seems like it will make it easy to find things. I like the addition of the rainbow ribbon on the straps, and I might be a bit biased, but I love the patch, too
I really, really don’t need a new backpack or tote bag, but now I want to make one. Currently scanning the room to see what needs a custom bag…
I took my backpack out for field testing today on a walk around a local reservoir. We did one of those “I wonder where that trail goes” and ended up with 3 mile trek through the woods. Fun! And she passed the test: Comfortable, sat well on my shoulders, my tall water bottle did not fall out of the side pocket. I didn’t have much in her but, she did good.
I found have to shorten the straps, the buckles hut the top of my shoulders, might be a pain with more weight.
Congratulations! This wonderful project is featured this week! 
