How to Make a Homemade Drawstring Backpack for a Child

A homemade drawstring backpack can be a useful and convenient way for children to carry items that they need when they are out and about. This is a simple backpack to make and use because it does not require any hardware. There are no tricky buckles or clasps that might make it difficult for a child to use. Choose a colorful fabric and some bright cording and make a useful backpack for your child.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 rectangles of sturdy fabric (24 inches by 11 inches)
• 110 inches cording (3/8-inch diameter)
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Scissors
• Pins
• Iron
• Tape measure

1. Place the two fabric rectangles together with right sides facing each other, matching up all sides and corners. Pin along one short side.

2. Stitch the rectangles together along the pinned short side using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Press the seam open.

3. 
    

   Lay the fabric out so that the wrong side is facing up and the raw edges of the center seam are facing up. Measure down 5/8-inch from both remaining short sides of the fabric and fold the fabric at these places. Press the folds with the iron.

4. 
    

   Stitch the 5/8-inch folds on both short edges 1/8-inch away from the raw edges to make two casings for the cording.

5. Place the fabric rectangles together with right sides facing each other, matching up sides, the casings, and corners. Pin to secure.

6. 
    

   Cut two 4-inch pieces of cording and fold each piece in half. Place a folded loop of cording at each bottom corner of the fabric so that the folded side is between the two fabric layers and the ends of the cord are even with the raw edges of the fabric. Pin the cording into place. When this is done properly, you will not be able to see the cord loops, except for the very tips of the ends as they are even with the raw edges of the fabric.

7. Sew the sides of the rectangles together, starting just below the casings and continuing down to catch the ends of the cording in the stitches. Reinforce the stitching over the cording to make sure that the cording is secured in the stitching. Do not turn the fabric right side out yet.

8. 
    

   Cut two 50-inch pieces of cording. Insert one length of cording through one of the casings and the other length of cording through the other casing.

9. 
    

   Turn the fabric so that the right side of the fabrics is facing out and the cording loops at the bottom are extending out from the sides.

10. On each side, tie the ends of the cording together around the loop at the bottom edge. Tie the cording together in a tight double knot. Pull the cords on each side to cinch the backpack closed at the top edge.