Make a kangaroo rucksack

1. Download your templates print and cut out. Pin the templates to camel fleece and cut out two heads, one centre head, four arms, four legs and two ear pieces, following the grain line as indicated on the pattern. Remember to reverse the templates to cut one head, back of arms and legs.

2. Pin the templates to cream fleece and cut out two ears, two soles and one pouch. Cut out a nose from brown fleece. Sew the dart into the cream ear section as indicated on the pattern. With right sides facing, pin camel and cream ear pieces right sides together and machine stitch. Turn the ear out and stuff lightly. Complete the other ear in the same way.

3. Sew in the neck darts as indicated on the pattern. With right sides facing, pin the side head section to the centre head piece and machine stitch into place. Pin the remaining side head to the centre head and sew. Pin from the nose down to the neck and machine stitch. With right sides facing, pin the nose into place and sew. Make small slits in the seam, as indicated on the pattern and insert large safety eyes. Secure by sewing up any gaps with strong thread.

4. Make small slits in the head for the ears, as indicated on the pattern. Pin the ears into place and hand sew, working over the same area several times to secure them. Turn the head the right way and stuff until nicely rounded. Sew running stitches around the opening of the neck and pull to create a small neck opening. Reduce the pattern to 70% and make the joey’s head in the same way.

5. With right sides facing, pin the leg sections together and machine stitch. Pin the sole to the leg and sew into place. Stuff lightly. Make the other foot in the same way. With right sides facing, pin the arm sections together and machine stitch. Stuff lightly and make the other arm in the same way.

6. Pin the template for the rucksack front to wadding and camel fleece, and cut out one section of each. Fold over a 1cm hem at the raw edges of the pouch and sew small running stitches. Pin and machine stitch ric rac across the top of the pouch. Secure the pouch to the rucksack front and sew into place. Pin the wadding to the wrong side of the rucksack front and machine stitch the two pieces together.

7. Cut out two 22cm x 37cm sections of camel fleece. With right sides facing, pin the long sides together and machine stitch 6cm in from each end. Pin a zip into position and either machine or hand stitch into place. Pin the back template to the piece, lining up the zip as indicated on the pattern and cut out the shape.

8. Pin the template for the rucksack to the cotton fabric, so that the stripes are running vertically, and cut out the lining front. Cut out the rucksack back lining from two sections of stripe fabric measuring 22cm x 37cm. On the long edges of both sections, press down a double 1cm hem.

9. With hemmed edges facing, pin and machine stitch 6cm in from both ends. Open up the vent and pin the wrong side of the lining to the wrong side of the rucksack zip, and neatly hand stitch the lining into place. Cut the lining to the same shape as the rucksack back.

10. Cut a 24cm length of webbing tape. Pin the handle to the right side of the bag, as indicated on the pattern, facing inwards, and machine stitch into place. Pin the template for the straps to the stripe fabric so that the stripes are running horizontally, and cut out two sections, reversing the pattern for the back. Cut out one strap section from wadding. Trim a length of webbing to 13cm and thread through a ladder lock buckle and machine stitch the ends together.

11. Pin the ladder lock buckle strap to the right side of the stripe fabric, facing inwards, as indicated on the pattern, and machine stitch to hold into place. Pin the back and front strap sections together with the wadding on top and machine stitch around the strap starting at the widest end. Turn the strap through the opening and press, then make the other strap in the same way. Pin the straps to the wrong side of the front lining, at the top facing inwards, as indicated on the pattern and machine stitch into place at the edge.

12. Cut two 45cm lengths of webbing, turn over the ends by 1cm and machine stitch. Pin the webbing to the wrong side of the lining, opposite the buckle, facing inwards. Pin the arms and legs to the right side of the front section, facing inwards, and machine stitch or hand sew into place.

13. Layer all of the sections right sides together. Place the front pouch facing upwards, then the zip right side facing the pouch, followed by the front lining facing the lining with the zip. Pin all of the sections together and either machine stitch or hand sew the layers, leaving an 18cm gap at the side for turning. Turn the kangaroo the right way out and push the lining into the bag. Sew the kangaroo’s head securely to the top of the rucksack. Thread the webbing through the buckles.

14. To make the joey, pin the templates to camel fleece and cut one body back and one body front, four arms and four legs. From cream fleece, cut one pouch. Fold over and sew a 3mm hem all the way around the pouch. Cut a length of narrow red ric rac to size and sew across the pouch, pin to the front body section and sew into place. With right sides facing, pin the leg sections together and machine stitch, then turn the leg the right way. Make up the remaining limbs in the same way.

15. Pin and tack the limbs to the right side of the body section facing inwards as indicated on the pattern. With right sides facing, pin the two body sections together and either machine or hand stitch around the shape leaving the neck open. Turn the body through the neck. Fold over a 3mm hem at the neck and sew with running stitches. Pin the head to the body and sew on securely with strong thread. Tie a length of ribbon around the neck to finish.