Birthday backpack for sweet Maisie K.

For Maisie's third birthday this weekend, I am at a complete loss for what to get her for her birthday.  I already made her a bucket for her bike and a "3" t-shirt, but what do you get the girl who only wants to ride her bike and play with her older brother's cars and trucks?  Well, I hope she likes this backpack.  Maybe she can stick her lovies in there for safe-keeping?

I am bordering on stalking-level adoration for the sewing tutorials that the lady behind Sweet Bee Buzzings puts out (I have recently made her Straight-Sided Flat-Bottomed Pouch, her Double-Zip Wristlet, and her She's a Brick Pouch).  I want to be her friend and have half the sewing mojo she does.    So, I guess it was only natural that I continue this trend and sew SBB's Lined Drawstring Backpack.

Maisie's favorite color is green, so I appliqued some green flowers onto some dark denim.  I used my favorite parachute cord for the backpack's drawstrings (seriously, I need to start buying that stuff in bulk).

The lining (and the fabric for the flowers) is from an old sheet that my mom and I cut apart and hemmed to be used in a pack 'n' play a few years ago.  So this is actually the third life for this fabric.  I love using old sheets -- they are nice-feeling fabric and usually the print is actually on grain (unlike a lot of quilter's cottons I have bought).

I tried to get one of my kids to model the backpack.  Charlotte said "no thanks."  Peter put it on, but then proceeded to tear around the house and refuse to actually stand still for a picture.  So you will just have to trust me that it's the perfect size for a three-year-old (though I am toying with creating something to hold the straps together in the front so the bag doesn't slip right off Maisie's little shoulders).  I love how it turned out and now I kind of want to make myself one in a bigger size for carrying supplies when the kids ride their bikes to the park.  I tried sticking the things I wanted to carry in the kids' bike baskets, but they informed me there was no room after their own toys had been stuffed in there.