Making Backpack Pattern

A backpack that’s perfect in its simplicity, but also great for customizing. Choose your favorite canvas (prints or solids) or waxed canvas and get to work creating your very own custom backpack.

Special features:

front slip pocket
interior zip pocket
adjustable shoulder straps
useful top handles

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner

+ Approx. Finished Dimensions: 11 ½” wide x 15” tall x 5” deep (29 cm x 38 cm x 12 cm)

Please see materials list and purchasing information below.

Materials needed:

Requirements based on 44”-wide fabric.

1 yard (1 m) Exterior Fabric
1 yard (1 m) Lining Fabric
2 yards (1.8 m) Fusible Woven Interfacing (Pellon SF101- 20”-wide)
1 yard (1 m) Medium Weight Fusible Interfacing (Pellon 809 - 42”-wide)^
½ yard (0.4 m) Foam Stabilizer (ByAnnie’s or 1 yard (1 m) Pellon Flex-Foam) ^
(2) 1 ½” (3.8 cm) wide rectangle rings & (2) 1 ½” (3.8 cm) wide strap sliders
(1) 22” (55 cm) zipper for top closure
(1) 8” (20 cm) zipper for interior zip pocket
1 1/8 yards (1 m) of 1” (2.5 cm) wide cotton or poly webbing for top handles
2 ½ (2.2 m) yards of 1 ½” (3.8 cm) wide cotton or poly webbing for straps
3 ½ (3.2 m) yards straight-grain ½” (12 mm) wide double fold binding

* Making Backpack Hardware Kits available here!

Recommended Fabrics: canvas (7-9 oz. weight) or waxed canvas (10-12 oz. weight) for exterior fabric, quilting cotton for lining fabric

^ =omit if using waxed canvas

Additional supplies + tools: Polyester thread, water-soluble pen or tailor’s chalk, cutting mat, ruler, rotary cutter, size 90/14 or 100/16 Denim or Microtex needle, (Optional) 2 1/4” wide x 1 ½” tall (5.7 cm x 3.8 cm) piece of leather for patch, (Optional) 2 rivets - 8-9 mm head with 6-8 mm posts (and corresponding setting tool)

Purchasing Information:

For Digital (PDF) pattern:

Please download (and save) the pattern file to your computer!
You will have 9 download attempts, keep in mind each time you open to view the file counts as an attempt.
This PDF pattern consists of rotary cutting instruction/measurements (no printing necessary!) for all pieces, and includes detailed step-by-step instructions and professional illustrations.
The file is and instant download. Please be sure to check the email address you entered at checkout, the instant download link will be sent to that email address. After purchase is complete you will also be redirected to a page with the download link.

For Paper (printed) pattern:

Paper pattern version includes instruction booklet with step-by-step instructions and professional illustrations, rotary cutting instructions/measurements for all pattern pieces (just cut and sew, no need to cut out paper pattern pieces!), a label sheet for keeping organized, full-color cover sheet, all tucked into a resealable poly bag. Paper pattern is shipped via USPS.

Sell finished items! You (the purchaser of this pattern) can sell finished sewn items made using this pattern (on a home-based scale), credit to Anna Graham www.noodle-head.com is appreciated!
NOTICE: It may not be possible to download a PDF file directly to your iPad or Android tablet/mobile device without a download app. I use Acrobat Reader in combination with Dropbox to download files using my mobile device.