Valley Yarns #289 Joyous Bag

Valley Yarns Joyous Bag: Woven Drawstring Backpack

Project Overview

The Joyous Bag is a modern lightweight backpack designed by Yvonne Ellsworth for carrying items while on the go. This downloadable weaving pattern creates a functional holiday tote or everyday bag without requiring you to cut your finished woven fabric. The finished dimensions are 14 inches wide by 18½ inches long, making it an ideal size for carrying gifts, groceries, or daily essentials.

What Is Being Made

This project produces a complete drawstring backpack constructed entirely from woven fabric. The bag features a sweet drawstring closure system and is lined with cotton fabric for durability and structure. The design combines woven construction with basic sewing techniques to create a finished garment that is both practical and visually appealing.

Weaving Technique and Structure

Double Weave Tube Method: The primary technique used in this project is double weaving a tube, which creates a hollow, three-dimensional fabric structure. Double weave is an advanced weaving technique that produces two layers of fabric simultaneously on the loom. For the Joyous Bag, this technique is applied to create the majority of the bag's body, resulting in a sturdy, reversible fabric with excellent body and structure.

The weaving structure incorporates a section of plain weave in the middle of the project to divide the main body of the bag. This variation in weaving structure provides both functional and design benefits, creating distinct sections within the finished piece.

Stitches and Sewing Details

While primarily a weaving project, the Joyous Bag incorporates sewing to complete the construction. The woven tube is sewn into a functional drawstring bag shape without cutting the woven fabric, preserving the integrity of the weave. A 6-inch section of 1-inch wide webbing is incorporated into the construction, likely serving as reinforcement or structural support. The bag is lined with 1.5 yards of 45-inch wide black cotton fabric, which is sewn to the woven exterior to create a finished, durable interior.

Loom Setup and Equipment Requirements

This pattern requires a 4-shaft loom that is at least 20 inches wide. The project uses 2 shuttles and 3 bobbins for weaving the double weave structure. Additional equipment includes a safety pin for securing threads, a bodkin for threading drawstrings, and a lighter for finishing the parachute cord ends.

Yarn Specifications

Warp Yarn: Valley Yarns 6/2 Cotton in two colors—Pine (1,080 yards) and Hunter (240 yards). This 100% unmercerized cotton yarn has a yardage of 2,520 yards per pound, providing a smooth, durable foundation for the weaving.

Weft Yarn: Valley Yarns 6/2 Cotton in the same colorway—Pine (492 yards) and Hunter (105 yards). The weft yarn creates the horizontal interlacing that forms the double weave structure.

Warp Specifications: The project requires a 2-yard warp of 660 ends, threaded according to the provided threading draft. The sett is 40 ends per inch (20 per layer in double weave), threaded through a 4-dent reed in a 10-dent reed setup. The pick density is 32 picks per inch (16 per layer). The width in the reed is 16.5 inches, which draws in to the finished width of 14 inches.

Additional Materials

Beyond yarn, the project requires 4 yards of 3mm parachute cord (cut into two 2-yard lengths) for the drawstring closure system. Black cotton lining fabric (1.5 yards of 45-inch width) provides the interior finish and structure to the completed bag.

Design and Color

The Joyous Bag uses a two-color warp arrangement with Pine and Hunter shades of Valley Yarns 6/2 Cotton. The warp color order chart guides the placement of these colors across the 660 warp ends, creating visual interest in the finished piece. The threading draft specifies 165 heddles per shaft, with the pattern repeating 165 times across the warp width.

This design brings joy through its combination of functional construction and thoughtful color planning, making it an ideal project for weavers seeking to create a practical, handmade accessory.