Emergency School Outing Backpack Tutorial

I told you I made a backpack on a whim at 9pm the other night, because my daughter needed one for a school outing the next day.

So here is the tutorial for an emergency backpack. Yes you can literally make this after dinner and be in bed by ten. I promise.

All you need are the following materials:

1 yard fabric (any will do, but I used a cotton print).
Thread to match
A shoelace (Yes this is an emergency. I took one out of my trainers).

To begin:

1. Cut two rectangles 10 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches out of your fabric for the base.

2. Use an old CD to trace rounded edges on each corner and cut out. I did this first on a piece of cardboard so I could keep it as a template.

3. Cut two rectangles 31" wide and 13" high out of your fabric for the body.

4. Cut two rectangles 6" wide and 20" long out of your fabric for the straps.

5. Fold each piece of body fabric in half lengthways, right sides together, and seam the 13" sides together.

6. Pin a base piece to one end of the body opening and seam, right sides together to form a bag shape with an opening at the top. Do this with both pieces. Turn one of them right side out, and leave the other right side facing inwards to form a lining and an outer piece.

7. Put the piece that is right side outside inside the piece that is right side inside so that the right sides of each part are facing each other. Pin the top edge together, and sew the seam, leaving a small hole to turn inside out.

8. Pull through the lining so that the right side of both pieces are facing outwards, and then push the lining inside the outer. 

9. Top sew the upper edge of the bag about 1/2" from the top, to form a channel for the pull string.

10. Press the bag neatly.

11. Make the straps. Fold each rectangle in half right side out, and press the fold. Open up again and fold the edge in towards the centre, wrong sides together. Press. Then fold in half again so that the raw edges are inside. Press and sew 1/4 inch from each edge. Turn over a small hem on the short edges of each strap and sew.

12. To join the straps to the bag, pin one end of each strap to the top of the bag on either side of the long seam at the back. Sew with a diagonal and square shape for strength.

13. Join the bottom of the straps with a single row of stitching at the bottom of the bag just near the corners of the base.

14. Unpick a small section of the seam at the top edge of the bag where you want your drawstring to come through, and thread the shoelace through.

You're all done!