My son was devastated when he broke his his zipper on his backpack as we were headed out the door to preschool. To soothe him, I let him borrow my laptop bag I just finished felting. It made him feel so much better that when he asked if we could go backpack shopping after school I suggested that perhaps I could make him one; he started dancing around the room. lol

We looked through the patterns here on Ravelry and he saw this pattern: http://ravelry.com/patterns/library/bowser-backpack. He loved it.

Of course I’m Mrs. Perfectionist and wanted to have more turtle-shell shaping. So I modified the hexipuffs from http://ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-beekeepers-quilt to work better for the larger yarn. (I increased to 24 stitches in the middle instead of 20.) This made the hexipuffs a little elongated but I like the look; looks more turtle-ish than a perfect geometric shape.

5/5/13 Today I had 5 hexipuffs completed for the shell. I decided to talk with my mathematically/puzzle-inclined hubby to decide how best to piece the shapes together and he suggested soccer ball style which I really like. I found http://ravelry.com/patterns/library/soccer-ball-2 which helped me shape the penta-puff. (I turned her pentagon shape 3D hexipuff style.) I just sewed together the 5 hexipuff around the one pentapuff and I’m stoked about the result!

Here’s the picture I’m referencing for this project. http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/312/9/3/bowser_the... http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/1/16549/5764...

8/24/13 The Bowser backpack went into hibernation for a while. I had other projects and deadlines, won a blue ribbon at the fair for my daughters dress, knitted a couple of mystery knit-along shawls and a commissioned gift. Now I’ve really got to get a move on this before my son starts school in 16 days!

I’ve examined how I was shaping the backpack before I it was looking too round for Bowser. My OCD kicked in again. I just wrote up my own schematic. This will use 10 hexagons and 10 half-hexagons and I think will get a MUCH closer shape. If it works I’ll post it up somewhere.

Uh, oh! I didn’t note what size needles I used! I’m guessing size 9. We’ll see… (it was 8)

12/3 Eh, this project took a lot my brain power (and will power to work with Red Heart after getting used to soft wools) to do. I reworked the schematic, took apart the sewing I’d already done and finished all the little pieces to form the turtle shell. Next it to rejoin the pieces. I’m thinking crochet for a nice detail? Then I have to design the spikes, figure out the shape and construction of the undershell and purchase the leather straps with spike studs… I WILL get this done for Christmas. However, will I complete it with my hair intact?

This pattern was finalized and published Nov 2014: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/nemesis-knapsack-...