Gifts I made this year, Part II : String Backpacks

From that stack of burlap coffee bags I showed you previously, I used some to make these string backpacks for our nieces and nephews. I kind of used the pattern found at Mama Urchin, at least I kept looking at it as I was deciding what to do next. It's a great tutorial for these bags, just not written for two layers. I also put the strings in differently so it would cinch easier.

I tried to save as much of the sweet graphics as I could and lined them with a pretty heavy striped canvas I had in my sewing stash. The most time consuming part of this project, besides the planning time, was waiting for the glue to dry. I used Aleene's 'Stop Fraying' glue on every edge of the burlap. I would sew and then glue the edge over the sewing on one side, leave that over night, and then have to glue the opposite side the next day, and wait for that to dry... I also put the glue around the holes for the grommets.

The kids seemed to enjoy them and the other day, one parent told me that they'd nab it if it wasn't being used all the time. Win! He's a shot of one of the kids wearing his:

I'm also making something else with the coffee bags, but they are not quite done. Stay tuned for details on those, they won't be gifted for a couple weeks.