Confederate Haversack

Found this, too. http://www.theyoungcampaigner.com/2007/11/make-your-own-c.html

Why is it that I find these things AFTER I go to the effort to make my own??

Haversack Tutorial

So I don't know what the difference is between a haversack and a possibles bag, but after researching haversack, here's what I came up with.

I used some cheapo cotton muslin. This was a BAD IDEA. The strap is going to rip right out the second my boy drops a couple rocks in the bag. One source I read mentioned using "heavy cotton muslin," but perhaps a comparable choice would be white/natural canvas.

How I did it:

Body
1. I cut a piece 13" x 33".


2. I pressed under both my 13" edges 1/2" and stitched them down. (If you are not using a selvage edge on the upper edge of your body, I'd turn that edge down twice to hide your unfinished edge. I just folded my flap edge down one time because it will later be folded to the inside of the bag and stitched down.)


3. Then, I folded one end up 12" and stitched and re-enforced either side. I used a zig-zag to re-enforce (hint: NOT PERIOD).

4. While still inside out, I folded the flap down to meet the upper finished edge of the body.


5. Then I stitched either side of the flap.

6. Then I turned everything right side out. I did some top-stitching along all four edges of my flap.


Strap
7. I cut another piece 6" x 44" (I didn't need it quite that long, but I'll shorten the strap later with a knot or something). I used 6" wide so I'd be able to self-strengthen my strap. I pressed it lengthwise down the middle, pressed in my short ends 1/2", then pressed the top half and the bottom half into the center.


8. Then I stitched around all four sides.


9. Then I fastened the strap to the back of my bag.


All done! You could add a button or two or three on your flap. Maybe I'll do that later, or maybe I'll just leave it.

I think this took about 30 minutes.

Haversack/Possibles Bag

I was just browsing for a minute and saw this Mormon Battalion Trek website.  It had a really basic elastic waist pioneer skirt pattern -- not authentic, but it would probably work for a petticoat.

It also mentioned a "haversack."  That's one of those terms where I'm feeling like I should have heard that before, but don't recall it at all.  Apparently it's one of those over the shoulder bags made out of "heavy cotton muslin."

"Size was one foot square with one or three closure buttons. The strap is about 1½” wide and long enough to let the haversack rest on your left hip."

Hmm, I feel a tutorial coming on.  I'll have to research a bit more, though.

According to http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-haversack.htm, "At one point, haversacks were standard issue for many militaries. Soldiers carried a small amount of food in their haversacks, along with other vitally important supplies. Over time, haversacks were replaced by rucksacks and later backpacks."

Water Bottle Cover Tutorial

Where I'm a volunteer, they don't want their Pioneers passing out in the sun, so they do encourage us to have water bottles - but covered. Here's how I made our water bottle covers. (When I make one again, I'll add real pictures.)

But wait . . . This just came in my Google reader and is totally easier! No button holes! Take a look at the Drawstring Bag Tutorial from Skip to My Lou. All I can say is, duh, why didn't I think of that? You'll just need to adjust your size for your bottle.

1. Cut your fabric:
Width: Our water bottles are 9 1/2" around, so a 5 1/2" width seemed to work well (with 1/4" seams)
Length: Take the height of your bottle, multiply it by two, then add 7-8" for the casing and base
(for a 10 1/2" tall bottle, my length was 28 1/2; for a 7 1/2" tall bottle, my length was 22")

2. Make a small buttonhole centered 1 ¼” in at each narrow end of the fabric for your double-pull drawstring. (If you want just a regular single pull drawstring, just make one buttonhole at one narrow end of your fabric.)

3. Fold your fabric in half, right sides together.

4. Fold the folded end (the end without the buttonholes) up 1 ¼”. Press.

5. Add Strap (Optional)

1. If you want to add a strap to your water bottle cover, cut a 2 ½” x 45” piece for an adult (long) or a 2 ½” x 30” piece for a child (short) strap.
2. Fold strap in half lengthwise. Press. Stitch ¼” seam on one short end and the long side (I suggest stitching one short end to make turning the strap easier). Turn. Press.
3. Place strap inside your pressed and unseamed water bottle cover. Put one of the strap ends right above the bottom folded end of your cover. Put the other end 1” below your buttonhole. Secure the strap with pins.

6. Stitch side seams ¼”.

If you made a strap, reinforce the strap areas by backstitching over the strap. Zigzag the entire edge. Push the U-shaped part of the strap into the water bottle cover so you can seam the remaining side. Seam again at ¼”, then zigzag the edge.

7. Turn right side out. Press button hole end raw edges down ¼”, then again ½” (or enough to form casing below your pre-sewn buttonholes. Stitch casing closed all the way around.

8. Cut buttonholes open.

9. Thread your string/yarn: To make a drawstring you can pull from each side, thread the yarn, attached to a small safety pin, all the way around one time. Pull the yarn out through your starting buttonhole far enough to go all the way around again, plus 4”. Thread the yarn again to the second buttonhole, but this time, pull the safety pin and yarn out through the hole. Then re-insert your safety pin and thread back to starting buttonhole leaving about 2 inches of yarn hanging out at the last buttonhole. At the starting buttonhole, clip yarn a couple inches away and tie a knot.

For a printable PDF of this pattern, click here.