I love planning trips. Not the kind of summer vacation that is chock-full of attractions every minute that it is everything but restful. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy going on those kinds of trips, but I much prefer planning one that has never-ending activity carried out with a relaxed gait and enough flexibility that it gives the impression of a casual walk around the neighborhood. Does that make sense? Well this is just the kind of itinerary I put together for a weekend getaway to New York City for myself and a few friends. It involved spending the majority of each day out and about, with all our possessions on our backs all around the city. And of course I didn’t have an ideally sized contraption for carrying all my items. But I’ve always wanted a sort of knapsack, so I tried my hand at creating one.
Denim is probably my absolute favorite material. Ask just about anyone and they’ll tell you I almost exclusively wear jeans even though they’ve been said to be uncomfortable, have bad fit, or feel rough. What can I say, I just really adore the pairs I own. But it’s not just in jeans, I’m obsessed with denim jackets, wallets, decor, baskets, and, of course, backpacks. NYC provided the perfect opportunity to finally make one! Coincidentally my last thrift trip yielded several pairs of oversized jeans for at the time a jean jacket was in the works, which has now been postponed for a different project. I might write more about thrifting and such in later posts, but for now this snippet of information is enough.
That covered the fabric for the outside. For the lining I used some cotton sheeting fabric I found at a second hand craft supply store that I really really love a lot and will definitely bring up a ton of times. (it’s called Make and Mend in Somerville, MA for those interested) I’ve never made a backpack before, so I found this tutorial by @dancing_hip which I followed to a t. It was not smooth sailing, hardly in fact. Especially because the bag I was making had an insane number of pockets. In case you’re unaware pockets mean cutting more fabric, extra sewing, potentially an added zipper. Well in the case of six, you can imagine it was a lot. But I love pockets, so I got through it thinking that the end would justify the means.
What’re some things I learned from this experience? Sewing denim is tough, more so when you sew through more than three layers of it. Be wary of that. You know what else is tough, making and sewing on bias tape, more so when your first time using it is when sewing through layers of denim. Also, highly important, when you want to make a bag that holds more weight than that of two regular sized books and maybe a water bottle and some clothes for the weekend, use stronger clasps for the straps than the cheapest ones you can find on Amazon. Otherwise you might find yourself having to hold tight to your bag from one strap after the other ripped apart as you make your way through Times Square. It’s not as fun as it sounds.
Finally, after several many hours of toil and trouble even though the video was, I kid you not, 20 minutes, I finished my bag. Not nearly perfect, but close enough in my opinion. Just in time for my trip too. Though it may not have lasted the whole trip, it lasted long enough for pictures! More importantly, I guess, I was able to patch up its scratches and bruises afterwards. Now I have a cute little denim backpack, for the low low price of second-hand fabric and hours of hard work. I honestly don’t think anything could be better.
In case you haven’t realized by now this isn’t a tutorial for you to diy through. I like to think of this, and any and all subsequent posts, as amusing commentary from the mind of an avid crafter that’ll maybe inspire you to go on your own crafty journeys. At the end of the entry I’ll include posts for anything that I might have mentioned that has an external site you can visit, but rest assured I don’t get any compensation or gratitude for including them so you can click away with a clear conscience. I am now thinking this might be a good description for my emerging blog so if you see something similar in the about don’t act surprised. That’s all for this week. Till next time!
Links that may or may not be helpful:
Make and Mend shop link!
Pattern link –> diy jeans hand bag sewing!