My first handmade backpack!

Hello dear readers!

How are you today? With the bag chair, I sewed lately, I had remnants of fabric. As this fabric is water repellent and quite solid. I thought it would be perfect to create a backpack for Mathieu! After a little chat with him, I decided to work on a roll-top backpack.

As I never sewed a backpack before, I had to think how to do it correctly, and I had to get all the steps in my mind before starting it. I already knew that it was a long work that was waiting for me! I wanted a comfortable back and straps, a pocket in the front, a leathered bottom, and zips to close the pocket.

So I have explored Pinterest to get some ideas and designs in mind and I created my design based on these researches.

So to make the backpack, I needed: leather, ribbon for the straps, stuffing, 2 zippers and straps adjusters. I choose all the haberdashery stuff brown as the colour matches really well with grey.

I started to create the straps, as it was the part I didn’t know how to begin, and place it on the backpack it was important for me for it to be done before starting something else :

stuffing the straps

end of the strap

closing the straps with the ribbon

Placing the strap adjusters

creating the second part of the straps

ring for the straps

End of the straps that will be fixed in the back

Once it was done, I could start the back: Making it comfortable and fixing the straps.

Placing a square of leather for the finished style

After that, I prepared the face of the backpack: making a pocket and fixing it to it.

Placing the zipper

over-stitching the zipper

assembling the pocket

Sewing the pocket

At this step of the work, I could assemble the main part of the backpack and prepare the bottom of it to sew them together.

Face to sides

Back to sides

preparing the bottom

assembling the bottom and the main part

Over-stitching the bottom

The main part of the backpack was made, I still had to sew the top of it and the lining. I assembled them together before fixing it to the backpack.

Sewing the lining

sewing the zipper for the backpack top

fixing the top and the lining to the backpack

flipping the lining inside the backpack

over-stitching the top

As you can see on the pictures I had at this moment already placed buttons on the main part. I wasn’t completely convinced by the result. As I had still some leather I changed the closing system at the end. I chose to put new straps and straps adjuster.

Placing the straps

placing the straps adjusters

To make this backpack was a lot of work and full of details. Again I have made this backpack with no pattern! I am quite satisfied with the result and I think Mathieu too! What do you think?