How to Make Backpack Handbags

A backpack-style handbag keeps your necessities close, while leaving your hands free for shopping, holding your children's hands or other tasks. These bags work up easily and can be made in any color or pattern to work with your wardrobe. Try adding a simple little pocket inside to hold your keys or cellphone.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton canvas
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Grommet tool and grommets
• Cording
• Worsted weight yarn
• Size G crochet hook
• Ribbon

Instructions

Drawstring Backpack

1. Cut two 16-by-18-inch pieces of prewashed cotton canvas. Layer the two pieces together with their wrong sides facing each other. Pin around three sides.

2. Sew around the three pinned sides with a 1/4-inch seam, stopping 3 inches from the unpinned edge on each side. Trim across the two sewn corners without cutting through stitches. Turn the bag inside out. Sew around the three sides again, with a 1/2-inch seam. This seam will encase the first seam, making it stronger.

3. Fold the top edges of the bag down, toward the wrong side of the fabric, by 1 inch and press. Fold down another 2 inches and press again. Sew these seams along the bottom, making two casings.

4. Cut two pieces of cord to 2 yards each. Thread one end of the first cord through one casing and back through the second so both ends are on one side of the bag. Repeat with the other cord so that the two ends are on the opposite side of the bag.

5. Use a grommet tool to place a grommet through both bottom corners of the bag. Thread both of the right ends of cord through the right grommet, and the left ends through the left grommet. Tie the right ends together in a knot to hold in place and repeat with the left ends. Pull the tops of the cords to close the bag and lengthen the cords.

Crocheted Backpack

1. Chain 36 using worsted weight yarn and a size G crochet hook. Chain one and turn, then single crochet in each stitch across. Chain one and turn. Repeat this row until the crocheted piece is 4 inches tall. This is the base.

2. Single crochet in each stitch across the base, working in the back loop only. Single crochet three times in the corner, then once in the back loop of each stitch across to the next corner. Repeat around, with three single crochet stitches in each corner. Chain one and turn. This is the first row of the body of the bag.

3. Single crochet in each stitch around for row three of the base, chain one and turn. Repeat row three until the base of the purse is 12 inches tall. Chain one and turn.

4. Single crochet in next stitch. Chain two and skip next two stitches. Repeat around, ending with a single crochet. Chain one and turn. Single crochet in each stitch around. Tie off and cut the yarn.

5. Chain 80. Single crochet in each stitch across. Chain one and turn. Single crochet in each row across. Chain one and turn. Tie off. Repeat to make two straps. Cut a piece of ribbon to 24 inches to close the bag.

6. Use a darning needle to attach the straps at the top and bottom of the left and right sides of the bag. Weave the yarn through the chain two spaces in the second to the last row of the body of the bag. Pull the ribbon to close the top of the bag, then tie the ribbon in a bow.