Little Drawstring Backpack
Materials:
-8" zipper
-Two 13 x 16" pieces exterior jean fabric
-Two 13 x 16" pieces lining fabric
-Two 13 x 16" pieces thin fusible interfacing
-Two 3 x 13" pieces blue fabric
-Two 4.5 x 13" pieces striped fabric
-Four 2 x 4" pieces striped fabric for zipper tabs
-Two 2 x 4" pieces red checkered fabric
-One 4 x 5 3/4" piece striped fabric for latch (Doesn't show in photo)
-One 3 x 13" piece thin fusible interfacing
-One 4.5 x 13" thin fusible interfacing
-Cords for drawstrings (length depends on persons's height)
-1 1/2 x 5" piece of thin fusible interfacing to adhere to latch
Instructions
1. Fold the tab pieces in half lengthwise, right sides together, and sew using 1/4" seam allowance. Turn right side out and press with seam in middle.
2. Sandwich two 2 x 4" striped pieces on one end of zipper, wrong sides together, right raw edges aligning with edge of zipper. Sew on that edge using 1/2" seam allowance. Flip to right sides, press, and topstitch two lines on left edge, one 1/8" from the edge and the other 1/4" from that line. Repeat for other two striped pieces and other end of zipper.
3. Sandwich the zipper between the two striped 4.5 x 13" pieces. The striped pieces should be wrong sides together and their top edges should align with zipper's top edge. Sew using 1/4" seam allowance. Flip to right sides, press, and fuse the interfacing in between. Repeat for the two blue 3 x 13" pieces on the other side of the zipper. Before fusing the interfacing on for this one, trim 1/2" off from the top long edge of it.
4. Topstitch with 1/8 seam allowance on top and bottom sides of the zipper.
6. Fold the top long edge of the blue fabric 1/2" and iron. Place it wrong sides together with the outer piece fused with interfacing and sew on pressed line. Position this pocket piece on the outer piece so that when it is flipped to the right side it aligns with the bottom raw edge. Topstitch on the top edge of the blue fabric with 1/8" seam allowance.
7. Baste the sides and bottom of pocket piece to outer piece using 1/4" seam allowance. Also baste on the tabs 1.5" from the bottom.
8. On the back of the other outer piece aka the top right corner of the fused interfacing, mark two little lines, one 1/2" from the top and one 3/4" from that. Repeat for the top left corner. Now place the two outer pieces right sides together and sew the sides and bottom using 1/2" seam allowance. Leave the space between the markings unsewn.
9. Place the lining pieces right sides together and sew using 1/2" seam allowance on the sides and bottom. However, leave a 4" opening at the bottom. Turn right side out. Place this inside the casing of the outer pieces. Sew around the top edge using 1/2" seam allowance.
10. Turn the whole thing right side out through the lining opening, then slipstitch the opening closed. Press well. Topstitch around the top of the bag 5/8 from the edge. Adhere a safety pin onto the end of a cord and bring in through all around the drawstring casing. Repeat with another cord, this time starting from the other side. Tie knots after pulling the cords through the tabs.
11. For the latch, fold the striped fabric in half lengthwise and draw a curve at the bottom. Sew the bottom, the top, and the side using 1/4" seam allowance, but leave a small opening at the side. Adhere fusible interfacing of the same size and shape, turn the piece right side out, press, and topstitch around the bottom curve and sides.
12. Topstitch bottom edge of latch to the back of the bag. Sew on snap closures to the underside of the latch and onto the front of the bag.
Done!
Tutorial is adapted from Noodlehead (http://noodle-head.com/2010/02/boys-drawstring-backpack-from-khaki.html), but I changed it a bit by adding all the interfacing and making the latch myself.