How could something look so cute and yet be so evil?
Okay, okay, I know it's not actually the backpack's fault, nor is it the fault of the
pattern (which was awesome, by the way). My lack of patience and attention to detail are solely to blame for the mistakes that I made while making this bag.
Mistake number one: I blatantly ignored the direction about not sewing one piece of fabric close to the zipper so you don't break your needle...and I then proceeded to break my needle. And then did it again when serging the seams. And now my serger is out of commission until I find time to re-thread it and hope that that fixes the problem.
Mistake number two: After having a hell of a time sewing the front of the bag to the side loop I realized that I sewed it on inside out. And then proceeded to contemplate poking my eye out with my seam ripper.
Mistake number three: After finally completing the bag I realized that I twisted one of the straps when sewing it on. For about five
seconds minutes I contemplated just leaving it, but my better judgement got the best of me and I proceeded to rip through something like 5 layers of fabric to fix the damn strap.
Mistake number four: Did you know that there's a right side and a wrong side to strap adjusters? Yeah, me neither. But now I do. Enough said.
Mistake number five: Perhaps I should have chosen heavier fabric or perhaps I should have interfaced the fabric that I used, but in any case, the backpack came out a little floppy.
Mistake number six: There's a reason that there's such a thing as a piping foot. I tried to sew the whole bag together using my machine's zipper foot, thinking that that would allow me to sew close enough to the piping. Now I know that this has worked terrifically for other people...but for me, not so much. You've never seen such ugly piping. In the end, I ended up going out and buying a piping foot a couple days after the backpack was finished and then I went back and re-sewed all the seams that I could. My conclusion? Piping foot = awesome.
What do six little mistakes added together make? A toddler backpack that this little toddler loves. The day I finished it she packed it up with snacks and headed out with her dad for an afternoon of fun. And that, my friends, makes it all worth it.
Pattern:
Toddler Backpack by
Made By Rae
Fabric: From IKEA
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My child's latest talent? Making the hang loose sign.
Yeah, I know, she's a genius. |