DIY Lined Back Sack

I had been doing a LOT of Easter sewing lately that my FB wall started to look almost like a store. One of my friends (yes, an actual friend...not a random) loved one of the boxy bags I had posted and stated it was perfect for her buttons.

Well, after a few texts, I wound up doing a project for her I had never tried before: a back sack.

So after searching for just the right print, I measured out 13" x 18" panels for the front and the back. Do the same with the inside lining fabric.  I ironed  the interfacing to all 4 panels...I find it easier to cut the fusible interfacing just slightly larger than the fabric before ironing it in place. Pictured is the printed fabric along with the solid colored lining fabric I chose which is a muslin fabric. 

Place the panels together with the printed side and the solid fabric facing each other so that the interfacing is on the outside. Either pin them or clip them in place along one end measuring 13". I find using clips are easier than using straight pins. Do the same with the other two panels.

   Sew the one side of both panels. As you can see, I measured the edge of my fabric to the outer edge of the standard sewing machine foot.

   Once you have both panels sewn, set your stitch to a zigzag stitch and adjust your stitch size if you need to. I have a Singer Sewmate, so I set my stitch to 03 for zigzag, 4.0 for width, and it automatically goes to 2.0 for the length of stitch.

Now, at this point,I eyeball the fabric placement so I know exactly where the needle will land as I feed the fabric through. I'm not an expert seamstress and am pretty much self taught aside from the few sewing lessons my mom gave me when I was a teenager and I made my first A-line skirt. I never sewed again after that until quite a few years later off and on. I've only started seriously sewing again about 3 years ago. Before that, I was designing my own flair of Steampunk jewelry for about 5 years. I still do a few pieces here and there, but for the moment, my passion is sewing.

   Once you have your two seams sewn, open the panels and iron the seams open so it will be easier to work on your side seams.

   Keep the panels open and measure a quarter inch seam on both sides all the way down.

   Right here, I used clips again as I folded down the line I drew and ironed the sides in place.

Sew the seams all the way down. This is so you will have a clean look around the opening for the drawstring pulls.

   Now, turn each panel separately so the interfacing is on the inside of each individual panels and iron the top seams down.  If you want to,you can sew the top seam in place about half an inch down across the top.. Once you have the fabric panels aligned, place both panels together with the print facing each other and check your alignment at the top. Trim off any uneven measurements and clip together to keep the panels in place for sewing.

   Sew a straight stitch across the bottom of your back sack and   then set your machine back to athe same zigzag stitch and go across the bottom again to ensure sturdiness and to prevent fraying.

   Unless you already did so, at this point, measure and sew your bottom tabs for your drawstring. I measured a scrap of fabric that was 4" x 2". Fold your scrap in half lengthwise and sew along the edge. Turn your strap rightside out and iron flat. Then cut the 4" length in half so you wind up with two straps measuring 2" by 1".

   Open your panels Fold your strap in half and pin or clip it in place at tthe bottom of your back sack about 2" from the seam. Do the same on the other side of your bag.

Now sew across your tabs so that when you sew your two panels together to finally form the sack, they won't get all wonky.

Once the tabs are sewn, it is time to work on the drawstring area at the top of each panel. I had planned on using a rope cording, so I measured a sew line 1" from the top of the bag on both panels and pinned the liner and printed fabric in place to prevent them from shifting. If you had chosen to sew the panels down across the top, measure from the seam, not the topmost part of the bag. Also, take into account the width of the strap you will be using and measure your sew line about a half inch wider than your strap.

   Sew down the line and do the same thing to the other panel.

Now, you are ready to sew the sides of your bag together. Place both panels together with the printed sides facing each other. Make sure everything aligns up properly and clip in place. I measured the fabric side panels at the edge of my standard sewing machine foot and started sewing from the bottom seam and worked my way up to the area just below my drawstring area. Do the same to the other side. I also did a zigzag stitch on both sides for that clean professional look.

Before turning your bag, you may or may not want to square the corners off to give your bag a little more width at the bottom. To do this, measure a square inch at the bottom corners  (measure exactly from the seam...not from the very bottom of the bag), mark your square inch with a sharp pencil and then pin the fabric on either side of your square so the material does not shift when you are ready to cut the corners off. 

Open your bag and match the side seam to the bottom seam and pin or clip in place. The cut part should match up naturally and will look like a diagonal cut. Just sew a straight line about 1/4" from the edge and do another zigzag stitch to prevent fraying. Do the same thing to the other side. It's just like doing a boxy bag corner.

You will need about 4 yds of cording which will be cut into roughly 2 yds for each strap. This part is pretty simple. String one cord through the drawstring "pocket" of both panels and match up the ends. loop one of the ends through your loop at the bottom of the bag and tie it to the other end. You may also use an alternative method  and loop both ends through the loophole and accent the drawstring ends with either a single bead for both ends to fit through (then tie the knot), or two beads (one for each end). Just make sure the beads are large enough to not slip through the loophole.

Do the same thing with your second drawstring, stringing it through on the other side of the bag. 

And there you have your finished lined back sack which is perfect for a day at the park, beach, shopping, whatever!

Pictured with the small boxy bag I had made with leftover fabric.