The ‘You Can’t Go On a Train Without a Backpack” Craftplosion

Late Saturday night, on an enthused whim, my glorious friend Rena and I leapt upon the idea of taking a train to Chicago on Sunday morning for some pre- St. Patty’s day fun. Never having been on a train before and only having visited the Windy City a small handful of times, I vowed to go to bed early, so that I would well rested for this adventuring. Of course, Pinterest and Craigslist pet oogling  swept me away (Dan and I are getting a dog in the fall!), and I came to my senses around Midnight. Figuring that I should probably pack at night, because 7:30 comes far too early for a nightbird like me, I began shuffling things around in my room. Contemplating how to transport my always-over-prepared regiment of stuff, I came to the sudden horrifying realization… I don’t own a backpack anymore!  I was a bag lady (tote) in college, so I must have given mine away after high school… and my camelpak won’t do…

Fie! What to do?!

Suddenly, in this moment of panic, my crafty senses took over, and I declared, “I shall craft a backpack!”

I had barely begun rummaging around my craft room when I stumbled upon one of my Pad’s (Padre, Dad) old shirts, a soft red corduroy button-down. I seized upon it and quickly snatched up a pair of sewing scissors, my trusty tapestry needle, and a bobbin of antique weaving yarn that I have been saving for its color and strength.

 

All ready to go!

 

 

Improvisation time!

Settling down with Sweetness, the cutest crafty kitty ever, I set to work.

 

 

Firstly, I decided that I wanted the bottom of the pack shorter and much more curved than the bottom of a button-down, so I cut off a few inches at the bottom, and started whip-stitching around the edge to create by pack’s base. I love the decorative, hand-made vibe of whip-stitching, don’t you?

 

 

Tucking in the extra material and stitching, I curved from the base of one sleeve, down, around, and back up to the base of the other, giving us a pretty well enclosed ‘pack’ shape.

 

 

I had planned on stitching the end of one sleeve to each side of the pack’s back, but after fiddling around a bit, I decided to switch things up. Sewing the bases of the sleeves together would give me so much more versatility!

 

 

 

Now we have a reversible knapsack that can loop over your shoulders and ride comfortably on your upper back…

 

 

 

 

…Or a side satchel if you are wearing a bulky coat or need a great range of arm motion… perhaps freeze tag?

 

 

You can even do this odd fanny-pack like thing with it… disc golf here I come!

 

 

Holy Guacamole! I whipped that out in an hour! Chicago, here I come, upcycling the whole way!

 

… We didn’t actually end up going… but I’ve got my upcycled pack of creative explosion, and plenty of ideas to refine my design.  What do you think about adding a hood?

Craft on, my lovelies!