Make it Mini – Adventure Time Backpack

Hi bag makers, welcome back! For the final week of our all-new Make It Mini Series, we are sharing what surprisingly was not a difficult bag to make – the mini Adventure Time Backpack!

I decided to make an Adventure Time Backpack because if I am going to have an adventure making mini bags, I might as well pick the true adventure from the shop! Plus, it’s one of the most popular Andrie Designs pattern, so it just made sense!

Not familiar with the Adventure Time Backpack pattern? Find the PDF Pattern and Comprehensive Video Class in the shop!

Supplies I used:

• Adventure Time Backpack pattern, small size printed at 50%
• Fleece stabiliser
• Lightweight interfacing
• 3/4” (1.9cm) buckles x 2
• 2 dress zippers that were 4” (10.2cm) long
• 1 chunky zipper that was 10 1/2” (26.7cm) long
• Cotton fabric
• 1/2” (1.3cm) magnetic snap
• 1/8” (0.3cm) elastic

Finished measurements:

5” wide x 7” tall x 2” deep (12.7cm wide x 17.8cm tall x 5cm deep)

Straps are 1 1/8” wide x 7” long (2.8cm wide x 17.8cm long)

Mini Adventure Time Backpack

The lining pieces for this little backpack are so cute! Because this is a larger bag, shrinking it by 50% kept the pattern a decent size!

One tip I need to share, though, is to use the smallest magnetic snap you can for the slip pocket closure tab. The little “wings” on the back of the snap that you bend WILL get in the way as you sew and topstitch, so the smaller the snap, the more out of the way the wings will be. I nearly broke a needle topstitching it because my snap was definitely too large for this project!

I absolutely adore how sweet the little straps came out on this mini bag! I used little buckles for the straps instead of your standard backpack sliders. I couldn’t find sliders small enough!

One deviation from the pattern I made for the back of the mini backpack is that I used the Triangle Strap Connectors from the Large Size in the pattern. The small strap connectors came out much too small at 50%, and since it did not affect assembly, I was able to swap sizes. I also placed them 1/2” (1.3cm) up on the sides, instead of the 3/4” (1.9cm) called for in Step 43 of the pattern. Normally, I would shrink that measurement, but in this case, 1/2” (1.3cm) up was a better option!

For the zipper gusset, I was able to make the teeny tiny mesh pockets functional with 1/8” (0.3cm) elastic. Will anything actually fit in them? Probably not, but boy, are they cute!

Another deviation from the pattern happened on the front of the bag! When I shrunk the zipper tabs for the front gusset, they came out too narrow. To accommodate the zipper, I had to add 1/4” to the width of the tabs. This does not affect the assembly in any way, thankfully, so make sure you watch for that if you decide to shrink this pattern too!

Want to know a secret about this mini bag? That dreaded step 14 was surprisingly easy on this little bag! My zipper is unfortunately a little wavy, but that front pocket looks so good nonetheless!

Unlike the Mini Little Freehand Pack, I kept the drop-in lining on my Mini Adventure Time Backpack! The finished exterior and interior look so good!

To make the drop-in lining easier to sew, I used some double-sided tape and assembled the bag inside out, sliding the exterior inside the lining. This allowed me to accurately line it up along my previous stitching!

To do the final stitching, I stitched from the inside on the exterior zipper panel. This was definitely the hardest part of the bag, but it meant I was at the end! I had to be mindful of my presser foot lever as I sewed because it was at the back of the machine and constantly got caught!

Note – this was the only spot I had to fix stitching. My corners are NOT perfect on the lining, but I don’t mind. This pretty little mini bag is just for fun, not to sell!

This sweet little backpack turned out so adorably sweet! I can totally picture it on a cute doll or adding a keyring to it as a keychain!

Now that the Mini Adventure Time Backpack is done, we’ve come to the end of the Make It Mini Series! (for now anyway… I definitely see more in the future!). Let’s take a look at ALL the mini bags together! Aren’t they just darling?!

Left to right: Shades of Yesterday Tote Bag, Stand Up & Tote Notice, Adventure Time Backpack, Little Freehand Pack

What I loved the most about doing this series is seeing just how small I could go while trying new assembly techniques. When sewing such small items, it can really test your patience, but I honestly did enjoy the challenge so much!

While I love every one of these bags, the Mini Shades of Yesterday is still sitting as my favourite one! I really do see myself making more of these using scrap fabrics!

What was your favourite bag for the Make It Mini Series? Do you see yourself shrinking some patterns, too? Let us know if you do, and be sure to leave any questions you have in the comments below! We adore seeing what you do with our patterns!

Until next time, happy sewing!

Aimee