I've known about Colette Patterns since I first started sewing about 1 1/2 years ago. I'd considered buying some of their patterns before because I knew they were supposed to be both pretty and user-friendly, but there was never anything that I just had to have. Style-wise I'm more of a Deer & Doe girl.
However, I'm really excited about Walden, their new line of menswear and unisex patterns. When I saw the Cooper Backpack I knew my husband would love it. My first ever sewing project was making a backpack for him by sewing overall straps to an old '50s boy scout bag. Said bag is in pretty bad shape after everyday use and a backpacking trip through Europe, so I thought a new backpack would be a great Christmas present!
The green canvas and webbing were repurposed from an old army duffel bag we acquired somewhere. The tan canvas and blue ripstop lining came from the fabric store. And the hardware came from Colette's Gifts for Crafters store. Unfortunately one of the metal slides for the straps was the wrong size, but I was quickly sent a replacement when I alerted them to the problem.
I made self-fabric straps because I couldn't find any webbing I liked locally and I didn't want to wait for an online order. However, I really like the way the ended up looking, and I think I prefer the canvas straps to the webbing.
I'd definitely recommend this pattern. It comes with three variations - backpack, messenger bag, and pannier. The instructions are excellent and have tons of illustrations, plus there are photo tutorials online. There are 8(!) roomy pockets, which my husband loves.
I may have to make a version for myself sometime soon...
<3 LindsayLabels: backpack, colette patterns, cooper, finished project
