Sling Backpack

It's done!  The Sling backpack I was thinking about last weekend came together and is done now!

The pattern is from Life Sew Savory.  The pattern and tutorial is free, but it may be worth purchasing the $2 printable pattern pdf.  Something was funny about the formatting, and many of the photos were missing and did not line up with the text, when I printed it from the webpage.  It would be worth the $2 to make sure everything was there in a pdf -- unless you're just going to work from her webpage. 

After gathering the supplies, and assessing my stash for possible fabrics, I settled on this woven rayon fabric from an old skirt made in India.  I must have acquired it in the mid-1990s or so.    I knew this would be too flimsy and delicate on it's own, so I layered it onto a piece of clean up-cycled mattress padding (after the fitted corners crap out and they no longer stay on the beds) and started quilting it in a 1-inch grid with the walking foot.  I used a tangerine thread to play off the rich purples in the fabric.

 

Once I had the fabric, I could start cutting out the pieces.  

3 fabrics in all: The main fabric (remarkably soft and supple faux leather from Hobby Lobby) - the quilted rayon - and a lighter lining fabric for inside.   I added a stabilizer / interfacing to the lining fabric, to give it a little more body.

 

Here's the backside, showing the strap and swivel hook.  The strap is padded with more of the mattress pad, instead of foam as recommended in the pattern.  

 

The faux leather was remarkably easy to sew through.  The buckle also came from Hobby Lobby. 

 

The buckle opens to reveal a front pocket behind the pleather.

 

The woven rayon is mostly covered up by the outer main fabric.  That makes me a little sad that I can't see more of it.  But perhaps I need to make another bag where more of that woven fabric is visible?

I was a little worried about putting in the zipper, but with a little patience, and a zipper foot, it was not a problem.  

 

The zipper opens to reveal the main part of the bag, the main compartment.  I like to use a lighter fabric for the lining because it's easier NOT to lose stuff in a light colored bag, rather than a dark cavern.  Inside is another pocket made from the rayon fabric [not quilted]. 

All the seams are covered with 1/2-inch double fold binding, so it's all clean and tidy inside. 

Zipper Action -- Up and Down -- Nice and smooth, no catches.

It's a nice roomy bag. Big enough for my George Costanza wallet, my Kindle, and a water bottle--and possibly a camera, too.   

Now if I only had some place to go!