Once the materials are gathered and the pattern is bought, there’s “nothing left to do” but… sew? Actually, no. I’ve realised over the course of my projects that a fairly long preparation phase is systematically necessary before actually starting…
If you bought a digital pattern, as I did, you’ll have to go through the printing stage. They are usually provided at least in A4 format, so you can print them on a home printer, then assemble the sheets, and finally cut out the different pieces.
Just when you thought you were done with scissors, it’s time to cut the fabric itself. Naturally, you need to trace these paper shapes onto the technical fabric, which is sometimes not easy, before cutting it with necessarily sharp scissors. Don’t be surprised if you easily get blisters on your fingers from all that work.
For tracing the pattern, I recommend chalk pencils, easily found in sewing stores. For really specific fabrics or materials like EVA foam for the shoulder straps or stretch fabric, you can use Posca pens or Tipp-Ex. Be careful though to draw on the wrong side if the fabric is meant to be visible, because it’s nearly impossible to remove!
Once these two long and tedious steps are done, you can finally move on to the fun part of your project: the sewing.
You need two things to sew your precious fabric well (in every sense of the word):
- thick, quality thread
- new needles suited to your thread
You could have the best machine in the world, but if these elements aren’t right, your seams won’t be clean and the backpack won’t be durable. I recommend Alterfil S50, an extremely strong polyester thread (which is essential). Note that it’s used with particularly large needles (since it’s thick, that’s logical). They need to be new and sharp, otherwise you’ll damage the fabric, and your machine might even struggle with the thick layers.
Why polyester thread specifically? Cotton thread is only suitable for cotton fabrics, because it has the particularity of absorbing water and swelling. In the case of a cotton tent, this is ideal, as it contributes to the overall waterproofing, since the thread firmly plugs the holes left by the needle. For a nylon fabric, this is pointless because it doesn’t deform, or barely, when in contact with water. So it’s better to use a polyester thread and possibly waterproof the seams afterwards with a suitable product.
You’ll need an industrial supply of small plastic clips for adjustments and to prevent everything from shifting during sewing. It’s best to avoid pins, as they would leave visible holes.
The back panel of the backpack is without a doubt the most difficult part of this build. There are many layers to sew: the fabric, the EVA foam, the mesh; and the slight curve on the shoulder strap seam, which is necessary for carrying comfort, can be quite subtle to get right.
As you can see in this photo, I sometimes use a special sewing tape to stick two pieces of fabric together. It can be handy for small hems, or for positioning a small piece at a precise reference point on a larger element. For this somewhat difficult seam, I have only one piece of advice: if it’s not perfect, unpick and start over. The twenty minutes lost will be largely compensated if you are completely satisfied with your work. Moreover, the comfort of the backpack depends on it!
This backpack has a frame, which I consider necessary for loads over ten kilos. Below that, you could imagine doing without it (and even then), but for my comfort, I find it essential. Its operation is very simple: it’s a polypropylene sheet, with two aluminium tubes taped onto it. Nothing you wouldn’t find in a good hardware store, basically. This assembly has the advantage of being simple, inexpensive, fairly light and very sturdy. It is held in the backpack by a large internal pocket that prevents it from moving.
So far I’ve never had any problem with this system on my other backpack, except for the fact that it squeaks quite a bit when loaded… But one could argue that’s my fault.
It sounds silly to say, but it’s essential to test your backpack once it’s finished! If adjustments need to be made, do them, even if it means unpicking. It’s annoying, but better to spend a little extra time now than to have back pain during a 10-day trek. On the pattern I use, there are still some welcome adjustments on the straps, which allow you to change the contact points a bit to relieve tired shoulders or hips.
I made a few adjustments compared to the first version of the backpack, based on my feedback from several hundred kilometres:
- a larger shoulder strap pocket to fit glasses or a snack
- a proper attachment for my hydration tube, which used to wander around everywhere
- large pockets on the hip belt to store my phone, among other things
- elastic fastenings under the backpack, instead of webbing straps that regularly loosened
- the super logo of my make-believe brand, BAG (Béthus Adventure Gear), because you need to have some fun, after all
And now, nothing left but to test it! Apparently, its first trip will be in the Cévennes, on the Stevenson Trail. If you have any questions or feel like making similar projects, don’t hesitate to speak up in the comments.