How to Sew a Cord Backpack

Use a cord in any color.

Cord backpacks are very popular with people from toddlers to teens. The cording makes it simple to open and close without getting zippers stuck. Although cord backpacks can't generally hold a lot of weight, they are perfect for carrying lightweight items. Pack it with clothes for an overnight stay or hold a few papers for school in it. A cord backpack can be made in just a few hours without any difficulty, making it a perfect project for beginners.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Scissors
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Iron
• Cord
• Seam ripper

Instructions

1. Lay your fabric on the table. Cut out two rectangles of the same size. The size really depends on who you are making the backpack for; toddlers or small children need one roughly 12 inches-by-14 inches, while a teen's may need to be as large as 14 inches-by-20 inches.

2. Lay the two rectangles on top of each other with right sides facing. Pin them together along all four sides.

3. Sew the fabric together on the two long sides and one short side; you are creating the bag. When sewing along the sides, stop sewing 3 inches from the top, unsewn side. Fold down the top edge of the bag 1 1/2 inches. Press flat and pin in place. This is the cord casing.

4. Sew the casing down 1/4 inch from the rough edge; this should be about 1 1/4 inches from the fold line. This leaves enough room to insert the cord. Because you left the side seams unsewn at the top, your casing should be open at the side seams.

5. Cut two pieces of cording, each about 2 yards long. Turn the bag right side out and lay it flat on the table with the seams on the sides. Insert one casing from the open left side on the top; push and pull the cord through the casing to the opening on the right. Push it back through the casing on the bottom until it comes back to where you started. Repeat with the other piece of cording; start on the right side this time.

6. Knot the two loose ends of the cording on the left to each other; repeat on the right. Turn the bag inside out once more, keeping the cording on the inside of the bag.

7. Rip out a few stitches from the two bottom corners of the bag, using the seam ripper. Slip the knots through the holes. Sew diagonally across the corners, capturing the ends of the cords under the stitches. You may want to stitch several times across to make sure it is secure.

8. Turn the bag right side out once more.

Tips & Warnings

• Decorate the bag with appliques or fabric paint.