When I made the mini Balsam bag last month, I changed the top to a drawstring because the small size and thick corduroy didn’t fold down well as per the original design. That inspired me to create a full sized Balsam that could be used as a regular drawstring bag or mini backpack. Mini backpacks have made a comeback, it seems. I remember rocking mine in middle school- and I even had a mini mini backpack keychain that I hung on it for tissues. That was back when tissues came in different colors and a friend of mine let a boy think that my pink tissues were feminine products when he was snooping while I was in the lunch line. I don’t think he ever touched my mini backpack or my mini mini backpack again.

One of the fun things about this bag is that there are several handle options. It can still be carried like a regular purse or the straps can be criss-crossed so that it stays on better.

I strongly considered adding a flap to the top to make this more backpack-like. I think the pocket piece would work well sewn to the back. I might try this again…

I especially love that the proceeds from the Balsam Bag pattern benefit A21, which works to combat human slavery. You can get the pattern HERE.

So anyway, here is a little tutorial for the adjustments that I made to the pattern to create the drawstring backpack.

Sofiona Balsam Drawstring Bag Hack Tutorial

I used the large size version for this bag and cut the lining at the small version line at the top.

I also cut two handles and four D ring tabs.

Place a buttonhole with the top at the same location as the snap. (I actually forgot to do this until later, but it would be easiest to do this first. Oh, and make sure that you put the interfacing correctly. Oops.

The D ring tabs don’t need to be finished on the ends, but I did because the fabric I used frays easily.

Place the D ring tabs 4 inches from each corner.

The rest of the bag assembly is the same as the original instruction but when the lining is attached to the main fabric, it is shorter. Fold the main fabric to the inside 1”…