The Challenge: Create something to do with TRAVEL. Anything from places to go, to how you get there, and anything in between. Maybe even an alligator? You decide! The theme is really your own interpretation, surprise us!
Thank you Carla from Creatin’ in the Sticks for hosting this hop! We are not big travelers but more homebodies. However, I had the perfect project already planned before the hop was announced.
My daughter has been using the same backpack since kindergarten and it is still going strong. I believe she should use this backpack till it no longer fits her supplies or falls apart. To make her backpack seem new each year, I have embellished and changed up the look with key chains or patches. One thing that I knew I needed to fix was the fact that her backpack had no side pocket for a water bottle. This made it challenging for her to bring a bottle of water to and from school without it leaking all over the bottom of her backpack.
So, I finally fixed the problem and decided to share it with all of you. For this hop I created a tutorial on how to add a pocket/water bottle holder to a backpack with no bottom seam.
Check out the steps below to see how you can create your very own. The backpack shown here is a JanSport Superbreak backpack. The tutorial measurement will be for this specific backpack, but you can adjust the measurements to work with your specific bag.
If you need to adjust the measurements, you simply need to add 1″ to the size of the backpack measurements. Example: My backpack from the zipper seam down to where it hits the floor measured 7.5″ so my measurement was 8.5″. The top seam near the zipper measured 5″ across so my measurement was 6.” I chose the 10.5″ on top for the gather. I decided to do 2x the zipper seam measurement plus 1/2″.
Supplies:
- Thermoweb HeatnBond Medium Weight Non-Woven Fusible This gives the pocket a little more stability to hold those heavy water bottles. 8 1/2″ x 10 1/2″
- Front cotton piece. 8 1/2″ x 10 1/2″
- Heavy Weight Canvas fabric (1) 8 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ and 1 8 1/2″ x 6″ (You can use thinner fabric, but I suggest adding interfacing such as Medium or Craft weight for stability.)
- Basic sewing notions
- Seam Ripper
- Iron
- 3/8″ elastic
Sewing Instructions:
- Begin by finding the center of your cotton front fabric piece. Measure 3″ on either side of the center point and mark. (The 3″ on either side is for this bags specific measurements. Make sure to change according to the size of your bag. The measurement for this step will match the smaller back canvas piece.)
2. Cut from the marked point to the top corner on each side.
3. Using your cotton piece as a guide cut out the interfacing and larger canvas piece to match.
4. Fuse the interfacing to the back of your cotton front fabric.
5. With right sides together, sew a 1/4″ seam along the top long edge. Turn right side out and press.
6. Turn wrong side out after pressing. Align the smaller canvas piece to the bottom of the front fabric piece then later the larger canvas piece on top. Sew a 1/4″ across the bottom.
7. Turn right side out and press. Just the 2 diagonal sides should be open.
8. Sew a casing for the elastic. Insert the elastic and secure it on one end. Pull the elastic and gather the pocket till it is approximately 6″ in width on the top. Secure the elastic on the open side.
9. Now for the SCARY part! You will need to rip out the seams of the backpack where you plan to place the pocket. The seam across the zipper needed the binding taken off entirely. However, do not cut the binding off the two side seams. Rip out the seams slightly past the size of the pocket and keep the side binding intact.
10. Attach the back canvas piece only to the zipper seam. Reattach the binding. Make sure to not sew the front of the pocket into this seam. Reinforce the stitches over the zipper.
11. Pin/Clip all side pieces together and sew. I used a 3/8″ seam on everything but it also helps to just follow the old seam lines. Sew both sides. Finally add the side binding. Make sure to reinforce the bottom and top of the pocket by back stitching. This pocket is going to hold heavy water!
FINISHED!
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Wednesday, August 24th
Continue to bloom by choosing JOY ~ Julia
Great idea for reducing our footprint on the earth. I’m sure your daughter would love the sweet print you used as well. Thanks for showing the way.
What a great bag! Thanks for all the detailed instructions too.
So clever and a great project indeed. It does look scary to rip the seams out, but you make it seem very easy to do. Thanks for the inspiration – No more soggy backpacks!
That’s pretty darn ingenious! Who would have ever thought it could be done that easily! Love it!
Great idea for attaching a water bottle pocket. Thanks so much for the tutorial.
I’ll bet she just loves the new bottle pocket. You did a fabulous job on adding this pocket. She’s smiling, I’m sure.
What a great way to update a backpack with a bottle holder. So cute! Thanks for this idea, Julia!
Great idea to modify the backpack and make it fresh for each year. Our students’ backpacks are required to be transparent, so they don’t seem to last very long at all. Thank you for sharing!
Very clever idea. No more having to open the pack to get a drink bottle out.
Wow, Julia! This is a great idea!! I bet your daughter is thrilled with her new pocket! Thanks for sharing this with us!
What a great backpack! The colors are so fun. I know your daughter will love it! Thank you so much for the tutorial.
such a clever idea! love that fabric you used too!
Adding the water bottle is really useful and cute. Thanks for haring with us.
ooh, how clever! Thanks for sharing this with us!! xx