Packful of Backpacks

In today's post, I offer a selection of backpack patterns. This is the fifth and final post in my series of posts on knitted bag designs, over the course of which I've done posts on selected clutch/wristbag, handbag, tote bag, and messenger bag patterns.

The backpack depicted above is the Verbena Rucksack, by Katie Carlson. I think I'd go with a commercially made straps and toggle for it. The commercially made straps will be much stronger than the knitted ones and, as I've observed in my previous bag posts, using commercially made straps, handles, fasteners, and other fittings upgrades the look of a handmade bag. It can be difficult to find the right fittings for a bag (there isn't a lot of selection on the market), so I recommend buying them before buying the other materials and supplies for the bag you want to make, and then matching and adapting your bag project plan to suit them as necessary.

Macduff tartan bag, by Judy Furlong. This is probably my favourite design of the sixteen I've selected for this post, and indeed, I've singled it out before, for my post on selected plaid-like knitting designs.

Black Plaid Felted Mini Backpack, by Sherrie Kibler. Here's another, simpler, tartan backpack, and it's ever so smart.

Rainbow Back Pack, by Phoenix Bess. This one is so fun I think that, if I had one, it would cheer me up every time I used it. I'd also really enjoy picking out a pretty colourway for it.

Felted Shoulder Sling Bag, by Katie Nagorney and Ann Swanson. Here's a simple and serviceable one. As with the Verbena Rucksack above, I'd go with commercially made straps.

Felted Flannel Backpack, by Patons. Cute and rather stylish bag.

Felted Knapsack, by Megan Lacey. Basic but attractive backpack, and this one's of a more practical size than some of the other bags in this post. But then of course an experienced knitter and felter can always enlarge any of these patterns.

Now that I've done the adult-appropriate, serviceable backpack designs, we're going to move on to the fun part of this post: backpacks for kids. This one is the Orla Owl Felted Backpack, by The Yarn Genie. So cute! But I would use shank buttons for eyes for this design rather than the kind with holes.

Sheep Backpack, by Tatyana Fedorova. There is something about a knitted sheep -- it's so meta. And this one is especially well-rendered.

Kitty Backpack, by Dale Hwang. I know a couple of cat-obsessed little girls who would love to get something like this.

Birdie Backpack, by Alison Stewart-Guinee. Here's another, more cartoonish-style, owl backpack. This was a pattern from the now defunct Petite Purls, but it's still available online for free.

Berry Cute Backpack, by Amanda Saladin. The strawberry is perennial favourite motif in children's design, and it's easy to understand why given the appealing shape and colours of real strawberries. This is such a cute bag, and the side pockets and zippered pocket are such practical touches.

Ulyana Unicorn Felted Backpack, by The Yarn Genie. Fun little bag for the unicorn-obsessed child (or adult?) in your life.

Robot Backpacks, by Brenda K. B. Anderson. Here's a nice bag to make when artificial intelligence takes over the planet and you want to show our robot overlords that you're being a good and properly subservient person.

Punk Rock Backpack, by Heather Barnes, as published in Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook. Backpacks can be surprisingly easy to make. Heather Barnes writes on this pattern page for this one that, except for the intarsia, "all you’re doing is stitching together knitted squares, then throwing in a zipper and some straps". This would be a good basic backpack pattern to customize any way you care to by replacing the monkey with any motif you like.

Nemesis Knapsack vs Hero's Half-Shell, by Rachel Sanchez. I'm not a gamer, but I'm going to tentatively suggest that this backpack might be meant to represent a Koopa from Nintendo's Mario franchise. (I am sure one or more of my readers will correct me if I've gotten the reference wrong.) The level of detail here is amazing, and the spikes are also removable so that the backpack can be used as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume -- there are accessory horns, wristbands, and masks included with the pattern.