Drawstring Backpack

First, let me start by saying that my mom cannot stand when I make something without using a pattern. Every time I paint, make, crochet, or sew something without doing it directly from a picture or pattern, she gets this frustrated look on her face. And when I sewed up these bags, and went to show her one, I predicted her response. Exactly. I even told my husband exactly how she would respond.

As soon as I handed a finished bag over to my mom, she got that look on her face, and Brian and I both started laughing. Sure enough, that look was followed by exasperated disbelief and the words, "I can't believe you did this without a pattern!"

My mom is super creative. And very talented. People say that my artistic talents are from her. I don't know how much that is genetic, but she definitely raised me to be crafty. (She also raised me to hold on to random supplies and fabrics, never knowing when I'd be able to use them in a project down the road. My husband is thrilled.) What she couldn't teach me, though, was how to follow a pattern. That is why I've avoided sewing so long. I can't follow those directions to save my life. Not exactly, anyway. And in sewing, that kind of thing needs to be a bit more exact than what I'm capable of. Otherwise, those little triangle marks don't match up, and sleeves end up different lengths, and pants become capris....

 So ANYhow, this bag is something I wanted to take on our vacation to DisneyWorld in June. I like drawstring backpacks for stuff like this. Diaper bags that go over the shoulder are too cumbersome. I found some nice waterproof nylon-type material on clearance at Jo-Ann's and thought, "Weeee! Backpack time!"

This is the final product. (For a Disney touch, I made some Mickey buttons out of clay!) And the best part? It's all straight lines. Which explains why I could sew it. Seriously...I'm terrible at sewing. But with enough practice, maybe one day I, too, can sew a curve, or a zipper, or even a buttonhole!

****A money-saving tip: The cord can get very pricey! I recently found an excellent, very cheap option! 550 Parachute cord. People are making a lot of corded bracelets out of this stuff right now. I found lots of it at JoAnn's, for around $3.50 for 16ft!! It is just slightly thinner than the decorative cord I used the first few bags, but infinitely cheaper, and just as strong. You can also order it online from numerous sites.

Drawstring Backpack PDF instructions