Joining the rest of the crowd
I’m so excited that this week I’m showing you all my new Denver Backpack. After seeing sewers around the world make the Denver over and over again, I knew it was time to join the crowd! Particularly since it’s a Swoon pattern and I just love the bags I’ve made of theirs – like my Sydney Crossbody. And since I was going on my cruise I knew it would be the perfect travel backpack.
The Denver Backpack is aimed at the more experienced sewers and at an intermediate level. But an advanced beginner might want to take it on as a challenge. Particularly if you are confident with sewing zippers. The two external side pockets have quite a unique shape so you do need to sew the zipper around a curve which can be quite tricky. Another thing to be conscious of is cutting out all the pattern pieces the correct way around. Half of the pattern pieces should mirror the other half. Also take note of the pattern direction of your fabric and that your sewing the pocket pieces the correct way around. I’ve seen a few on social media where people have accidentally sewn the pockets on incorrectly.
There is quite a large list of materials needed to make this backpack, as well as a few different interfacings. So you might need to raid your online craft stores to collect it all. Etsy and eBay are both good options for sewing supplies. Luckily I have a pretty good stash of bag hardware at home. The exterior fabric I’ve used for my Denver is a black waxed canvas (instead of vinyl) and ‘Tidal’ from the ‘Underwater’ collection by Cloud 9. I just love their fabrics! The lining is a Prima Homespun cotton in Iron. The Denver Backpack pattern comes in two sizes. I absolutely love it when you get a couple of options on size. I’ve made the larger of the two backpacks which is the perfect size for all my daily needs.
In their usual way, Swoon have supplied a very clear set of instructions with pictures to guide you. And if you need any inspiration about colour and fabric choices there are about a million pictures of the Denver on social media. Swoon also have a good selection displayed on their website. If you haven’t checked out their webpage it is really worth it. There are even a few free patterns available which is a great place to start if you are new to making bags.
What else can I say about the Denver Backpack… Not much, other than I absolutely love this bag! I’ve never really been a massive fan of backpacks. I think it’s because they always remind me of the terrible school backpack I had. But the Denver has changed my view forever. It’s so stylish and different from the usual backpack design. And I just love the two exterior zipper pockets. It’s also functional and spacious like a backpack should be. There is no doubt that I will be making another Denver Backpack in the future. Thank-you Swoon for another great pattern!
