School Bag

About

You Will Need (7 things)

Steps (25 steps, 159 minutes)

1. 1

   Cut two rectangles of the plaid material measuring 40cm x 33cm

2. 2

   Do the same for the black lining material

   (and cut an extra rectangle measuring 40cm x 37cm)

3. 3

   Now cut two long rectangles from the plaid and the lining fabric measuring 107cm x 11cm.

4. 4

   Take one of your black rectangles, and the slightly bigger rectangle.

5. 5

   Cut 7cm off the top of the bigger rectangle.
   (sorry, the picture is the wrong way around)

6. 6

   Pin and sew in the zip (this will be a big pocket inside the bag)

7. 7

   For the back of the bag, I'm making a pocket as well. Just cut out a rectangle that is 40cm x 23cm.

8. 8

   ...and 'hem' it using the bias binding.

9. 9

   Now take your black pieces. Pin and sew your two rectangles (one of them is the zippered one, and the other one is the 40cm x 33cm rectangle), just like you did in step 9 to the plaid pieces.

10. 10

    Now sew the long rectangle (107cm x 11cm) to one of the rectangles. Pin it all the way around the 3 edges of the rectangle.

11. 11

    Sew it so that it forms this:

12. 12

    Now pin the other side of the long rectangle to the other black rectangle, and sew.

13. 13

    You should get a lining of the bag that looks like this:

14. 14

    Like this:

15. 15

    Take your red plaid pieces. Sew the back pocket to one of the 40cm x 33cm rectangles. Don't worry about raw edges, just sew it on top of the rectangle.

16. 16

    Don't forget to add Velcro to the back, so that it shuts!

17. 17

    Sew the plaid pieces together, just like you did with the lining fabric. (I added piping, but that's optional)

18. 18

    Cut another plaid and black piece of fabrics, measuring 40cm x 37cm. These will be sewn together to form the flap-over bit of the bag.

19. 19

    Sew them RS together, leaving a gap for turning and then turn is inside out and topstitch along the edges, making sure that the gap is sewn shut. Sew a little black ribbon to the bottom of it for decoration.
    Sew it onto the back of the outer bag and cover the edge using bias binding.

20. 20

    So... now you have your lining and outer bag pieces separate. You've just got to attach them together now!

21. 21

    Press the top of the lining out, so that there's a clean edge.
    And press the outer bag IN, so that when they join, there's no raw edges showing.

22. 22

    Pin them all together like so:

23. 23

    (ok, I forgot to take pictures at this point, sorry)
    Cut two small rectangles (mine were 7cm x 18cm), but it depends on how big your handle clasps are.
    Sew them RS together along the long edges and turn them out. Don't worry about the small ends being raw edges, because they're going to be in between the lining and the outer bag anyway.
    Position the handle clasp and sew the bag together, making sure you backstitch over the handle parts. Make sure you do one clasp for each side.

24. 24

    Now make the handle. It's up to you how long you want it (I can't remember how long I did mine). You'll want to double the fabric over for extra support. Sew it, folding it under the handle clasp (like in the picture).

25. 25

    Here's the finished bag!