Kid's Animal Backpack

 I thought it would be fun and very appropriate if I included a kid related tutorial because of one.......how could I not include little Beckster in faux fur week?! and two I know for a fact that some of you moms/dads or aunties/sisters or whatever can totally benefit. This might have been my favorite of the week, probably because Beck loves it so much and it looks so cute on him when he runs around with its ears, arms, and legs flop all around. SO CUTE. I love how he walked in to his grandma's house last week and ran up to her and said "look at my packpack gama". We jammed lots of candy and sponge bob toys.

SUPPLIES:

-stuffed animal that is pretty light and soft.

-lining fabric 2' X 1' - I prefer knit fabric.

-thread that matches the stuffed animal.

-Zipper - size depends on how big you make the opening

-Cording for the straps that is at least 1" wide. Length depends on the size of backpack you are making and if you want it adjustable or you can make your own fabric straps like I did.

*If you want it adjustable buy those adjustable metal or plastic rings.

-Needle must be new or meant for heavier fabrics

-sewing machine

-scissors

-ruler

INSTRUCTIONS:

 1. Cut open the middle back of the stuffed animal at least 6" long. Anything smaller you won’t be able to fit many toys or books inside.

2. Pull out most of the stuffing from the main body, make sure to keep the head, arms, legs and a little in the booty area (to retain some cute stuffed animal shape).

3. Secure the remaining stuffing using fabric glue and hand stitching pieces of fabric over the stuffing, or just hand stitching the stuffing in place. You don't want the stuffing to move!

4. Time to sew on the straps - there is the easy way and the long way. The easy way is to directly pin and attach the end of the strap with zigzag and straight stitch to the outside of the animal. The long way involves cutting a slit where the end goes, sliding the strap end in, and from the inside sew the opening and the end together so there are no seams shown. Make sure no matter what way you do it that secure stitches will be able to handle the weight of the backpack contents pulling on the straps.

5. Time to sew the zipper in. Pin one side of the zipper to the opening, making sure that the ends of the zipper are plenty hidden. Allow a good amount of space between the zipper teeth and the fur (I did a 1/4"). Sew! Repeat with the other side, make sure that when you pin/sew the other side it matches up perfectly with it's other zipper half. I made sure by closing up the zipper first and pinning, then unzipping when I sewed it in.

6. Make the lining by taking a piece of fabric that is either 1.5'-2' long or sewing pieces together to get that length and 1 foot wide and fold it in half hamburger style, i.e. the longer side should be folded in on itself. Measure the opening you cut in the stuffed animal and that will be the length you need the open end of the lining to be plus 1/2". Make it a circular shape as you sew, leaving the opening ready to attach.

7. Pin the opening of lining to the inside of the zipper/hole. It should line up perfectly. It's ok if not, just do some stretching or pulling as you sew. That is why I like knit! When you pin, fold inside itself and to the zipper in order to leave a clean fold edge as you sew it to the opening. Remember! Make the bobbin thread match the lining and the main thread to match the stuffed animal. Unless you don't care, of course, then no worries.

NOTE: be careful that you don't sew into the teeth when you get to the ends as it sewing onto zippers tends to break needles. So… when you get near the zipper slow down and make a big stitch over the teeth and go back and forth a few times to secure the zipper ends in. If any of these parts get tricky (which some did for me) it doesn't hurt to get out the old needle and thread and do it by hand.