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Ice Skates Backpack for 18-inch Dolls

This is a wonderful and unique winter-time accessory for the American Girl Doll or other 18-inch doll: a backpack for carrying ice skates, featuring the Figure Skates embroidery pattern.

You will need

embroidery thread (either polyester or rayon)
light- to medium-weight cut-away or tear-away stabilizer,
light, but dense fabric (we used polyester leatherette),
sewing threads to match the fabrics,
9"-10" - long zipper,
measuring tape,
ruler, graphic pencil or fabric marker and sharp scissors.

Free knitting pattern of the pants, jacket and hat are available at www.abc-knitting-patterns.com

Emboridery

Stabilize the fabric with light- to medium-weight cut-away stabilizer for embroidery. Upload the design Figure Skates into the machine and embroider it.
After the embroidery is done, press it if needed.

Cutting:

Download the template of the backpack's front and back panels.
To open and print the template, which is a PDF file, you will need Adobe Reader or a similar program. The program is free to download and install.

Template Download (PDF file)

Print out the template and cut it out. The same template is used for both front and back.

Position the template over the stitch-out. Trace with a graphic pencil. Cut out. In the same way cut out the back panel.

Out of the same fabric, cut

2 strips measuring 1 1/2" x 10",
a strip measuring 2" x 5",
2 strips measuring 2" x 9" for the handles and
a strip measuring 3" x 10 1/2" for the bottom.

Handle and Straps:

Fold the 2" x 5" strip in half, press. Tuck the raw edges inside to the pressed line. Press again. Pin. Topstitch both long sides 1/16" from the edges.

Fold as shown on the picture below and pin to the upper edge of the back panel. Adjust the length of this handle to your preference. Pin.

Topstitch in place 1/8" from the edge.

Fold the 2" x 9" strips in half, press. Tuck the raw edges inside to the pressed line. Press again. Pin. Topstitch both long sides 1/16" from the edges.

Posision as shown on the picture below and pin to the upper and lower edges of the back panel. Adjust the length of the straps as you like. The finished strap should be no shorter than 7 1/2" or it will be difficult to put it on the doll. Pin, then topstitch in place 1/8" from the edge.

The Zipper:

Position the zipper on the table, face up. Position the first 1 1/2" x 10" strip, face down on the zipper and align the long edges. Pin.
Stitch the strip to the zipper 1/4" from the edge.

Unfold the strip. Press. Topstitch it in place close to the zipper, about 1/8" from the edge.
Repeat with the second strip.

Sides and Bottom of the Bag:

Check that the part with the zipper is 3" wide, with the zipper in the center. Trim if needed.

Take the 3" x 10 1/2" strip. Position over the zipper piece, face down. Align all edges. Stitch one of the short sides with seam allowance 1/4". Open. Press the seam allowance towards the bottom and top-stitch it from the right side, about 1/8" from the seam.

With the measuring tape, measure the perimeter of the panels. It's 20", just double check this. Now measure the length of the zipper-bottom strip and trim it to a 20 1/2" length. If the perimeter is less, adjust the length accordingly: the length of your perimeter, plus 1/2" for seam allowance.

Fold the strip face inwards, align the unstitched short edges. Pin. Stitch them together with seam allowance 1/4".

Turn right side out. Press the seam allowance towards the bottom and topstitch it from the right side, about 1/8" from the seam.

You'll get a ring, similar to the one on the photo below:

With pins, mark the center of the bottom and the center of the zipper parts.

Assembly of the Backpack:

Position the back panel, face up, on the table. Turn the sides/bottom ring inside-out once again. Position the ring over the panel. Align the edges and pin them together.

On your sewing machine, stitch with seam allowance 1/4".