Free UK Delivery over £50 End of Season Sale, up to 50% Off End of Season Sale Up To 50% Off We’ve finally come up for air after a TOTE-ally unreal Shark Tank weekend! We’re still pinching ourselves to make sure we aren’t dreaming, and we have yet to wipe the smiles off our faces. We got way more than a one-time investment from a shark… We got thousands of investors like you who believe in the Taaluma movement! YOU have kept amazing cultures alive through their equally amazing fabrics. YOU have hired 15 more people on to our manufacturing team in Virginia. YOU have microloaned over $50,000 in just 48 hours. It’s safe to say, YOU are an investor in Taaluma! So to those of you who are already traveling with us, thank you, thank you, thank you for making this more than just a “backpack company”. Together we’re connecting this world’s awesome cultures, awesome people, & awesome places—one tote at a time. And to those of you who think we’re crazy—we totally agree.

But sometimes the crazy things in life are the ones worth fighting for. So if you're crazy enough to join us, pack your tote, because this is going to be a trip to remember... -- Jack & Alley, Co-FoundersCheck out the Taaluma Totes x Shark Tank fabric frenzy HERE (appear at 13:25)!Gauge: 11 sc and 13 rnds = 10 cm / 4 in, yarn held double(If the bottom doesn’t lay flat, leave out the increases for some of the rounds.)When there are 91 sc in the rnd (approx 14 rnds, bottom diameter 24 cm / 9½ in), start the edge. Work 91 sc around until the edge measures 35 cm / 14 in. You can fasten off and join a new yarn or work with sl sts to the middle of the back for the drawstring hole round.Start at the middle of the back:Work one round of sl sts between the last bottom rnd and the first edge rnd.Work a flap out of the 25 sc:s in the back. Starting from the edge, work 4 rnds of sc around, 25 sc each round.Increases: Inc 1 st at both ends (1 sc before/after the edge st) every 4th rnd 3 times (= 31 sc).

Decreases: When the flap measures 13 cm / 5 in, dec 1 st at both ends every 2nd rnd 3 times (= 25 sc). Then work the last two rnds of the flap:Edging: With one yarn of contrasting color and the smaller hook, work one rnd of sc:s around the edge of the flap. Fasten and end off.With double strands of yarn ch — for example — 55 (50 cm / 20 in). Work 4—5 rnds of sc:s and bind off. With contrasting color, work edges as with the flap.Note: The straps are not adjustable after they’re sewn on, so make sure to measure the length carefully! samsonite ict backpack 41Or, you can use D-rings and make the straps longer. samsonite ict backpack 41The width of the straps can also be varied according to your liking.augusta 1916 backpack

Sew on the straps at the top of the back approx 10 cm / 4 in apart. At the bottom, sew the straps approx 23—25 cm / 9—10 in (or 25 sts) apart.NB: Twist the straps once outwards at the bottom. This way the backpack will fit better on your back. Try it on if you’re not sure which way to twist!Make two cords (or use a store bought cord). With contrasting color and the smaller hook, chain until the cord measures 60—65 cm / 23½—25½ in length. 2nd rnd: sl st around.Thread the cords in the drawstring holes, one on each side bringing them out at the front middle. ecocity classic vintage college school laptop backpack backpackAttach at one end, make a knot on the other.backpack aur guitarFor the plastic buckle, make two straps in main color using only one strand of yarn (or you can use store bought straps). clare rojas backpack

[Note: the width of the strap depends on the width of the buckle you are using!] The longer strap should be approx 13 cm / 5 in long. Attach one buckle end and sew this strap in the middle of the flap underneath it (i.e. on the wrong side). The shorter one is approx 8 cm / 3 in long. Attach the other buckle end and sew this strap in the front middle approx 8 cm / 3 in from the bottom edge (the slip stitch round).Editor’s Note (2016): This post is from 2013. For a recent packing post check out: The Ultimate Travel Packing List: A Year in a Carry On BackpackWhen I traveled to Nicaragua in April of 2013, I was so proud of myself that I was able to bring just a 30L backpack and my over-the-shoulder purse for the 8-day trip. It seemed easy enough; I have my go-to clothing for hot weather and I know what I like to wear when I travel. Not to mention that summer clothes just aren’t very big, so I could easily stuff everything I needed into that backpack. No checked bag fees, no waiting around at baggage claim, no dragging a suitcase down cobblestone streets (if you haven’t done this before, it’s quite comical- for everyone watching).

When I began to pack for my recent trip to Europe, I was confronted with a challenge. Our two-week itinerary included two separate flights on Ryanair. Ryanair is Europe’s cheap, Dublin-based airline, and they are cheap for a reason. They can get you in baggage fees, among many other things. There is an art to flying Ryanair, which warrants an entire blog post in itself. On Ryanair you are only allowed ONE carry-on bag; not one bag plus a purse or personal item, just ONE single carry-on, and it can only be 10kg. If you check a bag, it can be 15kg and it will cost you 20 euros as long as you pay when you check in online (otherwise it’ll cost you 40-60 euros at the gate- yes, seriously). The point of flying Ryanair is to save money and not fall victim to the hidden costs. They are avoidable if you plan ahead by packing smartly rather than paying the checked bag fees. Which, by the way, between my husband and I we would have had to pay twice, each. So we accepted the challenge of attempting to fit everything we would bring to Europe in small enough backpacks that they would fit Ryanair’s strict baggage requirements.

Editor’s Note (2015): Ryanair Baggage Restrictions Have Eased Up For 2015My two choices of backpacks: 30L or 50LMy choice for this trip: REI Traverse 30Pictured above on the left are my two traveling backpacks. Instead of using my Gregory Jade 50, the red one which would be my normal go-to for a two week or longer trip, I would try to fit everything into my REI Traverse 30, the blue one. That means that I would be using the two bags on the right, which are the exact same ones I brought to Nicaragua. Eight days in hot, beachy Nicaragua is completely, 100% different from seventeen days in Europe in the fall. But, I do love a challenge…Related: How to Choose the Perfect Travel Backpack (Video)Editor’s Note (2016): Check out my review for the pack I am using now – the Osprey Farpoint 55Related: Canon EOS M Review: A Digital SLR That Fits In Your Pocket!Related: A Complete Guide to Using Your iPhone Abroad, for Dummies*Ninja Packing Tips: You can carry nail clippers on flights, and these can double as scissors (which you can’t bring) for anything on a small scale.

Also be sure to bring safety pins, attach them in a place where you can always locate them quickly. Safety pins are the number one tool for backpackers: fix clothes, glasses, bags, lock your zippers shut, and more. One more thing- you know those tiny sampler vials of perfume? They’re great for traveling light!*Ninja packing tip: Use a pouch like this or a stuff sack for your socks and underwear so A) they don’t get lost all over your bag, B) they always take up the same amount of space, and C) you can find them easily.Related Post: Macchu Picchu and Peru Packing ListThe key to making it all fit is simple: don’t pack too much. Only bring what you need, not what you think you might need.It seems like this should go without saying, but there are some people who forget to pull out something to wear on the plane before they pack it all up. I’m sure you noticed that I decided to bring a pea coat, and perhaps you thought of the fact that pea coats are not ideal for packing. they take up a lot of space.

However, that wasn’t a problem for me because I wasn’t about to pack it. I mentioned we were heading to Europe in October, which is during the fall. It’s not necessarily warm, and I planned to either wear my coat if it was cold enough or carry it in my arm if it wasn’t. I also didn’t picture my boots, because I wasn’t about to pack them either. I planned to simply wear my boots in transit because they are bigger, heavier shoes that couldn’t possibly fit with everything else in my pack.Pictured above are all the items I packed in my “carry-on.” I put quotes around that because technically I carried everything on, but I can’t seem to shake that label for my purse, and if I were checking a bag, I would still pack all this in my carry-on. I carry with me all the things I might need for transportation (confirmations and reservation information), as well as anything I could possibly use to entertain myself while on the plane.I also put my fleece hoodie in my purse to save the space in my backpack and use it on cold flights.

Related: BMT 34 : Ninja Packing Tips: Pack Light and Carry OnRelated: BMT 62: Pack Light and Carry On for Males! Featuring Jason Moore, Travis Sherry, and Nathaniel BoyleMake sure there is nothing taking up space in your backpack that you won’t need. For example, I even took out the waterproof cover that comes with my backpack. I had an umbrella and simply knew I would not have use for the waterproof cover on this trip. That’s the size of a shirt! Veto.Make good use of all the pockets that your pack offers. Mine has a pocket just about the perfect size for my toiletries case, on the outside, which is very convenient for easy access in a security line at the airport. There are other pockets that are long, perfect for my umbrella and flip flops, and everything else I will stuff, neatly folded, in the main pocket. Some people use ziploc bags to suck out extra air, some roll their clothes. I’ve never gotten into either of these habits, but to each their own. Just remember that your pack won’t always be neatly arranged.

It will get messy, and if the only way your clothes all fit is by sucking out the extra air, you’ll have to do that every time you pack up or you’ll have a problem.Now I’m sure some of you are wondering how I will possibly fit in a scarf or other “souvenirs” (I pretty much just buy clothes or accessories) that I’m almost sure to buy on my trip. That is a very good point, and I knew that would happen, especially since we specifically planned to buy lederhosen and a dirndl in Munich for Oktoberfest. With this in mind, we agreed that we would pay to check ONE bag, ONE time, and only on the way BACK (the 2nd of our two Ryanair flights). This way we could fit any new items purchased into our luggage and get away with only paying 20 euros between three of us (my brother was with us, too, and it was his bag we checked because it was expandable and could fit everything).Perhaps you thought this already long post would be over by now, but for those of you reading all the way to the end, I didn’t think it would be complete without adding a section about how all of this actually worked out for me.