How to Hand Sew a Book Bag Out of Bandanas

Making a book bag out of bandanas is pretty simple, and it can be a way to express your mood or taste in bandanas to the public. Sewing your own is an inexpensive way to create a book bag or a tote that you can take to the park, school or beach. The bandana book bags are also washable, which is a big plus if you use it to bring groceries home from the store.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Three matching bandanas Inexpensive matching cotton for lining, 45 inches wide and 21 inches long Matching thread Sewing machine Scissors Pins Iron and ironing board

1. Assemble the supplies you need to sew the book bag. Start by cutting the lining fabric. You can lay the bandana on top of the fabric to use as a guide. Take advantage of the fold by using it for the bottom. Not only will you save yourself some sewing time, the bottom fold will be much stronger than the seam. Book bags can be heavy, and most of the weight will be born by the bottom.

2. Sew the two side seams for the book bag lining, using a ½-inch seam allowance. If your sewing machine has a zigzag feature, trim the seam allowances, and zigzag the seam, being careful to not zigzag over the original seam.

3. Put two of the bandanas together and pin them so that they match up perfectly. Sew the bottom together, then the side seams. Trim the excess thread. Use a ½-inch seam. The bandanas already have serged edges, so the seam does not need to be wide, nor does it need to be zigzagged to stop the fraying from unfinished seams.

4. Cut the two straps for the book bag from the extra bandana. Make them as long as the bandana is, and cut them so that they are at least 4½ inches wide. Fold them lengthwise, and sew the bottom. Pin the sides together, and sew the ¼ -inch seam together. Zigzag these seams, staying on the outside of the seam.

5. Turn the straps inside out by using a blunt object to get the process started. You put blunt object (a wooden spoon handle works well for this) on the bottom seam, and start pulling the fabric down over the spoon handle until you have turned the strap completely inside out. Press so that the strap lays flat, and the seamed side is one of the outside edges.

6. Turn both the lining and the bandana bag right side out, and press them flat. Insert the lining inside the bandana bag so that the right side of the lining is visible inside the bag. The bags should be almost precisely the same size. If one is slightly larger than the other, you can make them fit together by making a small tuck in the top hem for the bag that is larger. Make sure that the side seams of the lining and the book bag are exactly in the same place.

7. Put the bag on the ironing board, and turn down the top about 1½ inches for the top hem. Press the hem in place. Fold about 1/8 of an inch of the top edge of the hem under, and press in place as you go. Pin the hem down, and sew it down with the machine. The inside of the fold should not be visible from the inside of the bag.

8. Make a small fold on the top of the straps. Press it flat. Attach the straps to the seams of the book bag, and pin it in place. You will want half of the horizontal side of the strap on each side of the bandana bag's side seams. You will want to have at least a 1-inch overlap on the bag for a secure hold. Pin in place, and sew them to the bag using a couple of rows of stitching on both the top and bottom of the strap's overlap on the bag.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you remove all the pins from the lining, the bag and the straps. Some sewing machines will not sew over pins. If yours is that type, remove the pins just before the fabric goes under the pressure foot.

[Susanh]

on 6/9/2009 Very interesting sewing project! Would love to see step-by-step photos of this project. Instructions were very good! :)