Book bag

YOU WILL NEED

■ Main fabric: 1mx115cm or 1mx150cm

■ Matching thread

■ Basic sewing kit

FINISHED SIZE

■ Little bag: 28x33cm (WxH)

■ Regular bag: 35.5x40.5cm (WxH)

■ Little 3D: 25.5x30.5x5cm (WxHxD)

■ Regular 3D: 32x37x7.5cm (WxHxD)

NOTES

■ Seam allowance is 1.3cm unless otherwise stated.

■ The strap is a bit longer on the regular-size bag; feel free to customize the strap length or size if you’d like. You can sew both a little and a regular size from just one yard or meter of fabric. We’ve made these in linen, cotton canvas, thin denim, and some squishy waffle knit found in a thrift store as a pair of old kitchen curtains. This bag is one you can take in a lot of directions, depending on the fabric you choose.

PREPARE STRAPS

Step one Fold the top long raw edge of the Strap down 6mm to the wrong side (WS) and press. Step two Fold the bottom long raw edge of the Strap up 25mm and press. Step three Fold the top long edge down to overlap with the bottom raw edge to cover it. Press. The folded-over edge should be in the centre of the Strap. The Strap should be approximately 3cm wide. Step four Edgestitch near the centre fold, on the side with the seam allowances, so you sew through all four layers of fabric. 01

Step five Repeat steps one to four for the second Strap.

SEW BAG BODY

Step one Fold the bag Body in half with right sides (RS) together, press well and pin in place if desired. Sew the bag body side seams with a 13mm seam allowance. If you’re making the regular (not 3D) book bag, backstitch extra-well at the ends that will be the bottom of the bag, to reinforce them. Step two Press the seams open (to help make them crisp), then press them to one side, and finish the raw edges of the seam allowances together. 02

MAKE IT 3D THE SIMPLE WAY If you are making the 3D book bag, now it’s time to shape the bottom of the bag. Otherwise, skip ahead to TACKING THE STRAPS.

Step one Pinch out a triangle on each bottom corner of the bag Body by shifting the fabric so the side seams run up the centre of the triangles. Measure across the bottoms of the triangles to find your seamline – make a 5cm triangle for the little book bag or a 7.5cm triangle for the regular book bag. 03

Step two Mark your triangle seamline with a ruler and chalk, then sew along that line on each side. Backstitch well at both ends of the triangle. Repeat for the second triangle. 05

Step three Trim the triangles, leaving 13mm of fabric as a seam allowance. Finish the seam allowances and press well. 0