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Ellie and Mac Pack Your Bag Backpack Review
Review has 6 Very Helpful ratings
Posted 2025-01-15 09:21:25. 105 Views.
| AnnaFlamma
|
|
| Finland | |
| Member since 11/13/17 | |
| 493 Reviews (patterns: 493) | |
| Skill: Intermediate | |
| Favored by 86 people | |
Pattern Size:Regular Petite
Pattern Description: Simple one-compartment backpack that closes with a flap. Pattern includes pieces for a kangaroo style front pocket and a zippered pocket that can be made either to the lining back or outside against the wearer back.
The flap is held closed by a magnetic snap. Pattern has pieces for making the carry straps in self fabric or you can use nylon webbing like I did.
I made some improvements on the pattern, which I will describe later on.
Pattern Sizing:Includes three sizes: small 6”x10”x6”, medium 9” 14”x8”, large 12”x18”x10”
I made size large. I loaded it with four books and a large knitted shawl for the photos.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except for my modifications.
Were the instructions easy to follow?I didn’t like the way the instructions tell you to construct the bag. They have you make a separate front and back all with the bottom forming boxing seams. You are then joining the front to the back, sewing around the whole side seams and bottoms. You would be leaving just a gap in the lining bottom for birthing the backpack through. This would leave the lining loose, just hanging inside.
I wanted my lining to stay neatly put, so I finished just the side seams treating the main and the lining separately. I chose to sew the bottom seams through all the four to six layers and to finish off with self fabric bias bindings. I think this will create more structure to hold the shape of the bag bottom and to keep the lining from drifting around.
The original instructions were quite clear if you wish to follow them. There is also a full video tutorial available that you might like to check out.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the traditional sacklike simple shape of this one-compartment backpack. This type of sacks with a flap to close it up with, have been around for centuries.
The kangaroo style front pocket is a nice addition to the bag and easy to make - if you ever made a hoodie, you know how to add one. The zippered pocket is a nice basic pocket to add to keep your keys or phone safe if the bag topples.
Talking of toppling… I feel the flap held together with a simple magnetic snap is bit of wishful thinking on the designers part. It may work in the mini size, if you dont load the bag heavily. In the size large bag the weight of the contents will cause the flap to pull and strain around that snap unattractively, as can be seen in one of the tester photos on their site.
The bag opening is bigger than the flap, so it obviously needs some pleats to be sewn in to hold the shape. Even the four pleats cannot totally control the shape of the opening when you toss it on your shoulder all loaded. The weight of the contents will cause the opening to collapse and to open up at the side. The opening needs an extra internal strap to be sewn in to keep the side seams tucked in together so that the flap will totally cover the opening.
Fabric Used:PVC coated poly canvas for the main, medium weight printed cotton canvas for the lining. Most tester specimens seem to be made of quilting cotton that would need interfacing to hold the shape. My both fabrics were stable and rather stiff, so I only interfaced the zippered pocket opening.
I could have used quilting cotton for the lining, but came across this home decoration canvas at the local textile factory shop called Finlayson co. The print had such matching shades, I couldn’t resist. I also love the idea of carrying a piece of my hometown’s textile production history on my back… : )
I wanted a fairly weather-proof and utilitarean bag, so I used the light weight and durable 1” nylon webbing for the straps and plastic slide buckles for adjusting the straps and closing the flap. I also needed a piece of 2” wide webbings because I made an extra anchor for the back straps. The extra internal strap I made closes with a Prym plastic snap.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I added a buckled strap closure to the front of the backpack to keep the flap closed. I suspected the magnetic snap would not hold up well when the weight of the backpack is pulling on it. It would be disastreous to have the flap snap pop and to spill all my books and stuff outside in the snow…
I also added an internal strap to keep the sides of the opening close together and under the foul weather covering flap. I pressed on a plastic snap to keep the 3” long webbing pieces snapped together.
I drafted an extra anchor to fix the straps and the handle to the back of the backpack. The original pattern instructions tell you to slide both the straps and the handle between layers of the main, the lining and the flap. I suspected that would be less than ideal when using heavy fabrics like mine. I also didn’t like the idea of not securing the webbing ends to the main in any way.
I anchored my straps and the handle to a 6” long piece of 2” wide webbing first, x-stitching them down well. I then stitched and x-stitched the anchor with the straps to the main back piece securing it well enough to withstand all the weight I may be loading on the bag.
I made the carry handle longer than the original piece, just because I dislike the small hanging loops that you can only put two fingers through to handle the bag. I prefer an actual handle that you can carry the bag by, even when wearing mittens.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I first will use this one for a while to see if it performs well. I might need to tweak the pattern further it something doesn’t quite work for me.
I can only recommend the pattern if you’re willing to make some changes to it. The flap closure by a single magnetic snap possibly giving in, the opening sides collapsing, the poor design on the carry straps fixtures and the loose floating lining are all reasons to maybe give it a pass. There are better backpack patterns around surely.
Conclusion: Even if I had to make several changes to the pattern to make it actually perform, I quite like my new baby blue backpack!
I wore it over a heavy puffer coat in the photo to test the right length of the carry straps.
The flap is held closed by a magnetic snap. Pattern has pieces for making the carry straps in self fabric or you can use nylon webbing like I did.
I made some improvements on the pattern, which I will describe later on.
Pattern Sizing:Includes three sizes: small 6”x10”x6”, medium 9” 14”x8”, large 12”x18”x10”
I made size large. I loaded it with four books and a large knitted shawl for the photos.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except for my modifications.
Were the instructions easy to follow?I didn’t like the way the instructions tell you to construct the bag. They have you make a separate front and back all with the bottom forming boxing seams. You are then joining the front to the back, sewing around the whole side seams and bottoms. You would be leaving just a gap in the lining bottom for birthing the backpack through. This would leave the lining loose, just hanging inside.
I wanted my lining to stay neatly put, so I finished just the side seams treating the main and the lining separately. I chose to sew the bottom seams through all the four to six layers and to finish off with self fabric bias bindings. I think this will create more structure to hold the shape of the bag bottom and to keep the lining from drifting around.
The original instructions were quite clear if you wish to follow them. There is also a full video tutorial available that you might like to check out.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the traditional sacklike simple shape of this one-compartment backpack. This type of sacks with a flap to close it up with, have been around for centuries.
The kangaroo style front pocket is a nice addition to the bag and easy to make - if you ever made a hoodie, you know how to add one. The zippered pocket is a nice basic pocket to add to keep your keys or phone safe if the bag topples.
Talking of toppling… I feel the flap held together with a simple magnetic snap is bit of wishful thinking on the designers part. It may work in the mini size, if you dont load the bag heavily. In the size large bag the weight of the contents will cause the flap to pull and strain around that snap unattractively, as can be seen in one of the tester photos on their site.
The bag opening is bigger than the flap, so it obviously needs some pleats to be sewn in to hold the shape. Even the four pleats cannot totally control the shape of the opening when you toss it on your shoulder all loaded. The weight of the contents will cause the opening to collapse and to open up at the side. The opening needs an extra internal strap to be sewn in to keep the side seams tucked in together so that the flap will totally cover the opening.
Fabric Used:PVC coated poly canvas for the main, medium weight printed cotton canvas for the lining. Most tester specimens seem to be made of quilting cotton that would need interfacing to hold the shape. My both fabrics were stable and rather stiff, so I only interfaced the zippered pocket opening.
I could have used quilting cotton for the lining, but came across this home decoration canvas at the local textile factory shop called Finlayson co. The print had such matching shades, I couldn’t resist. I also love the idea of carrying a piece of my hometown’s textile production history on my back… : )
I wanted a fairly weather-proof and utilitarean bag, so I used the light weight and durable 1” nylon webbing for the straps and plastic slide buckles for adjusting the straps and closing the flap. I also needed a piece of 2” wide webbings because I made an extra anchor for the back straps. The extra internal strap I made closes with a Prym plastic snap.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I added a buckled strap closure to the front of the backpack to keep the flap closed. I suspected the magnetic snap would not hold up well when the weight of the backpack is pulling on it. It would be disastreous to have the flap snap pop and to spill all my books and stuff outside in the snow…
I also added an internal strap to keep the sides of the opening close together and under the foul weather covering flap. I pressed on a plastic snap to keep the 3” long webbing pieces snapped together.
I drafted an extra anchor to fix the straps and the handle to the back of the backpack. The original pattern instructions tell you to slide both the straps and the handle between layers of the main, the lining and the flap. I suspected that would be less than ideal when using heavy fabrics like mine. I also didn’t like the idea of not securing the webbing ends to the main in any way.
I anchored my straps and the handle to a 6” long piece of 2” wide webbing first, x-stitching them down well. I then stitched and x-stitched the anchor with the straps to the main back piece securing it well enough to withstand all the weight I may be loading on the bag.
I made the carry handle longer than the original piece, just because I dislike the small hanging loops that you can only put two fingers through to handle the bag. I prefer an actual handle that you can carry the bag by, even when wearing mittens.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I first will use this one for a while to see if it performs well. I might need to tweak the pattern further it something doesn’t quite work for me.
I can only recommend the pattern if you’re willing to make some changes to it. The flap closure by a single magnetic snap possibly giving in, the opening sides collapsing, the poor design on the carry straps fixtures and the loose floating lining are all reasons to maybe give it a pass. There are better backpack patterns around surely.
Conclusion: Even if I had to make several changes to the pattern to make it actually perform, I quite like my new baby blue backpack!
I wore it over a heavy puffer coat in the photo to test the right length of the carry straps.
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9 Comments
kiddo said...(1/16/25 9:31 PM ET)
I like everything you did. The self bias binding to hold the bottom and sides together is excellent and solves the lining shifting problem well.
  tracy cre8s said...(1/16/25 12:27 PM ET)
Nice bag, I like the pop of color in the lining. Brilliant idea to use a side release buckle instead of a magnetic snap. Great job customizing the bag for your needs.
  Camerio said...(1/16/25 8:15 AM ET)
Beautiful bag in great colors despite the many tweaks you needed to make to the pattern.
  Usta B said...(1/16/25 2:57 AM ET)
practical and pretty too
  wabisabi55 said...(1/15/25 1:53 PM ET)
Impressive! Your backpack looks so neat and professionally sewn! You are very courageous :) I have two questions: Which type of needle did you use? And did your sewing machine handle this stiff material easily?
  AnnaFlamma replied...(1/16/25 2:47 AM ET)
Thanks, wasabi55! I forgot to mention that I used Schmetz Jeans needle throughout the project. It punctured my PVC coated fabric with ease. Even ran over my straps once when topstitching the opening without noticing… whoops..! Had to unpick and redo the back of the opening. : )) I have a very basic Husqvarna Viking Emerald 116 sewing machine and it handled all the layers well. Only when applying my self fabric bias binding on the boxed corners' seams, I did a little hand cranking to secure the folded binding ends.
NotionsStitches said...(1/15/25 1:52 PM ET)
Quite extensive overview. You knew what to do to tailor to your needs quite impressive. Thank you for sharing your skills.
  zora said...(1/15/25 12:03 PM ET)
That is an impressive amount of modifications! I do like the result, looks great.
  Cupid Dog said...(1/15/25 11:32 AM ET)
Nice! Super useful list of modifications to make this better!! Keep us posted on how it works in the world.
 
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