Bison Drawstring Backpack Sewing Pattern

Give me a home, where the buffalo roam…or a bison drawstring backpack for exploring parts near or far. Sew this fun and easy bison backpack in a weekend with this step-by-step sewing pattern which includes tracing templates.

We’ve created the bison backpack for the kids at our Vacation Bible School but thought others might enjoy making these bags, too. There are two sizes to fit younger children and older kids. The bison bag measures 10″ wide x16″ tall or 12″ wide x16″ tall. It’s perfect for carrying books, water bottles and other treasures you may find on a walk to school.

The pattern is fun and easy; perfect for a confident beginner. There is top stitching for the facial features which may be a new concept for new sewists, but the pattern will guide you every step of the way.

Bison Drawstring Backpack Sewing Pattern

The bison drawstring backpacks you see pictured here were made from upcycled materials. We used denim jeans for one book bag and old bed linens for the others. The sewing pattern will guide you step-by-step in creating your own bison backpacks. The sewing pattern includes:

  • Bison Head Tracing Templates
  • Lined Drawstring Bag Instructions
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Lots of color photos
  • Helpful tips and tricks throughout the pattern
  • Instructions for adding a stripe to the bag
  • Instructions for 2 sizes: 10″x16″ and 12″ x 16″
2 Drawstring bags (blue and leaf print) with bison faces on them.

Bison Drawstring Backpack Sewing Pattern Available on Etsy

You can instantly download your copy of the Bison Drawstring Backpack Sewing Pattern right now on Etsy.

Available now on Etsy!

Buy the pattern on etsy

Bison vs. Buffalo

In the USA, bison and buffalo are terms often used interchangeably when referring to bison. The bison is such a beloved creature that the USA named the bison its national mammal in 2016. 3 of the 50 states in the USA have the bison as their state mammal including Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. Many, many sports teams have the bison as a mascot including but not limited to:

  • Bucknell Bison,
  • Buffalo Stampede,
  • Buffalo Beauts,
  • Buffalo Bills,
  • Buffalo Bisons,
  • Buffalo Blues,
  • Buffalo Braves,
  • Buffalo Bulls,
  • Buffalo Destroyers,
  • Buffalo Sabres,
  • Colorado Buffaloes,
  • Gallaudet Bison,
  • Harding Bisons,
  • Howard Bison,
  • Lipscomb Bisons,
  • Marshall University Thundering Herd,
  • North Dakota State Bison,
  • Oklahoma City Thunder,
  • University of Manitoba Bisons,
  • West Texas A&M Buffaloes.

Personalizing You Bison Drawstring Backpack

As we were designing the bison drawstring backpack, we considered many different ideas, but ultimately settled on the face. It captures the essence of the beast really well. The pattern touches on the concept of moving some of the elements around to create a more fierce looking beast should you desire a bison with a bit more fire in the eyes. Feel free to print out, modify and tweak the pattern to create the bison backpack or book bag you’re wanting.

The sewing pattern is for your eyes only, but we encourage you to give away or sell your finished pieces with credit to yarnovations.com as the original designer.

Buy the Bison Drawstring Backpack Sewing Pattern

The Bison Drawstring Backpack Sewing Pattern is available for immediate download in our Etsy Shop: Yarnovationsshop.

Avaialable now on Etsy.

Buy the pattern on etsy

Pin Loom Woven Gift Bags

Weave your own gift bags!

 

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Christmas is four days away and I decided today that I just had to weave 8 little drawstring gift bags for family members! Shouldn’t be too hard with a toddler and preschooler around. Not to mention that there is paint involved. What could go wrong?

I love these bags because they can be personalized to match the recipient and can be made for any season or reason. The color of yarn and stencil do all the work!

What you need:

Yarn

4 inch pin loom (I use the Zoom Loom)

Stencil and paint brush

Paint and some form of paint tray

Scissors, yarn needle

How-to Make a Drawstring Gift Bag

Plain weave 8 four inch squares per gift bag. I sewed the squares together so they were 2 x 4, then folded it in half so it was 2 x 2 with the top open. I always sew on the inside and use the double overcast method. It seems to make the nicest looking join on the front (in my humble opinion) and is sturdy for holding things in the bag.

Next I made a twisted cord. (I started with about 16 feet of yarn, twisted it, folded it in half and let it twist on itself.) Then I turned the bag inside out, folded the top of the bag over the cord, and sewed it to the bag making sure not to sew through the cord. I centered the cord in the bag and tied a knot about eight inches from the bag and trimmed off the rest.

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I bought several stencils at the store making sure they were small enough to fit on a project 8 inches square. I turned the bag right side out, inserted a piece  of paper in the bag (so the paint wouldn’t soak through to the other side), and painted the desired scene. To give it extra pizzazz, I used a Sharpie marker to add shading.

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And voila, I was on my way to making the gift bags I needed. Excuse me now, I need to weave more squares for the rest of the gift bags!