How to Sew Your Own Daypacks
Daypacks are versatile and come in all shapes and sizes. For serious hikers, specialized bags with lots of bells and whistles are ideal. But if you're looking for a simple, cheap and easy daypack, this drawstring option is the best choice. Drawstring daypacks work well to carry the basics, such as a water bottle, map, keys, a sweater, a wallet and a magazine for the day. The best part is you can customize yours, choosing size, material and pocket options. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Fabric of choice
- Scissors
- Pins
- Thread
- Sewing machine
- 2 eyelets (optional)
- Safety pin
- Drawstring (approx. 3 feet)
Instructions
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1
Lay your material out flat and decide how large you want your bag to be. This may be dictated by your material. You can use almost anything to make the bag, from an old oxford shirt to a T-shirt. The less stretchy your material is, the better, depending on how sturdy you'd like your bag to be. T-shirts can often be too flimsy to hold much. Vinyl material (like from a windbreaker) is usually the strongest.
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2
Cut two large squares the same size. It's your choice how large you'd like them, but a typical size is 1 foot wide by 2 feet long.
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3
Turn the outside pieces of the material to face each other and pin the pieces together.
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4
Thread your sewing machine and, using a standard straight stitch, sew the two long sides and the short bottom side, leaving 1 inch free at the top opening. Trim excess thread.
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5
Fold over the top flaps 1 inch on the open side and pin down. This is the opening of your bag and where you'll insert the drawstring. Sew the flaps down, ensuring that the tube area you are creating remains open so that the drawstring can be slid through it.
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6
Turn your bag right-side out. Flatten the bag and sew diagonally across each bottom corner with several straight seams. The seams should be around 2 inches from the corner. The corner flaps will be on the outside of the bag.
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7
Poke a hole in each sewn-off corner with your scissors. Insert your eyelets in the hole.
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8
Attach the safety pin to the end of your drawstring and close it. Slide it through one eyelet, and then work it through the front drawstring tube at the top of the daypack. Don't pull it too tightly; you want to allow for plenty of drawstring. These serve as the adjustable straps to the bag. Then loop the drawstring through the other eyelet, and push it through the back drawstring tube. Then, bring it down to meet the beginning of the string, at the first eyelet. Make sure you have plenty of room to put your arms through the straps comfortably, and then cut the string and tie it to the beginning with a strong knot.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't have eyelets, you can begin by sewing your drawstring into the bottom corners of your bag when you initially construct it.
If you'd like to line your bag to give it more sturdiness, simply cut four pieces of material instead of two, and sew them all together in the same way described in the steps.
