DIY Backpack

Last month, I started working on this little backpack for my entry to #sewjapaneseinjuly challenge on Instagram, but I couldn't finish it on time due to my busy life. So, instead of giving up and I continue sewing it. I'm glad I finished it yesterday and I love it. It's a very cute and useful little backpack, perfect to carry my wallet and small things. 

I made my backpack fully lined with silk satin in dark blue. The main fabrics were medium weight cotton blend and printed cotton, both were leftovers from my previous garments. The zipper and plastic buckles were from my stash. 

The pattern is based on a Japanese sewing book and I chose pattern number 18 as shown below. I liked the design and it's a great way to use leftover fabrics and scraps.

Here is the look of my fabric pieces, I fused the fusible interfacing into the bag's flap and the printed fabric.

The instruction from the book came with pictures, so I can look at them without worry to translate them into Japanese. The progress started with sewing the zipper on the printed fabric and then sewing other pieces below.

The picture below shows the bag body and lining inside, flap, upper flap pieces, little handle and straps. 

I slashed the center front of the lining and pinned it to the zipper area. After that, I pinned and hand-sewn along the zipper and around the bag.

I sewed the flap to the upper bag at the front side and the straps on the back. And then hand-stitched the upper flap pieces and handle. 

After that, I inserted the straps into the buckles. 

The backpack is done and I didn't realize that I inserted the zipper upside down. But I'm not going to remove it, I will remember to sew the zipper as the original pattern next time I make this backpack again.

That's it for today, happy sewing ✂✂

A little note:

#sewjapaneseinjuly is an Instagram challenge hosted by @bloglessanna 

I hope I can participate properly in the next challenge.