Birthday backpack

Charlotte's classmate, Joslyn, had her sixth birthday party last weekend.  As a gift, I sewed one of Sweet Bee Buzzing's Lined Drawstring Backpacks (just like the one I sewed for Maisie last summer, with different appliqué and fabrics).  Here it is, open:

I added some appliqué just for fun, using the lining fabric.  The red fabric is canvas (left over from Barb's baskets) and the polka dotted fabric is a quilting weight cotton.

For the straps, I used some 1"-wide cotton webbing.  For fun, I triple stitched some red and turquoise on them.  Each strap is 52" long, so it took a REEEEEEEEALLY long time to do all that stitching.  It does make the straps a lot more fun, though.

Here is a shot with the bag closed.

I love the lining fabric.  Multi-colored polka dots are always fun.

A note about the tutorial -- the instructions say to leave a gap for the straps in the lining.  Then, in the comments, a reader points out to the author that those gaps are not really necessary and the author agreed.  I hadn't read the comments before I sewed Maisie's backpack, but I remember wondering why the heck those gaps were in the lining.  This time, I read the comments first and skipped that unnecessary (but totally harmless) step!