How to Make a School Bag: Fun Ideas for Kids - Anne Hogan - Anne Hogan

Making a school bag is not as hard as you might think. With these simple steps, how to make a school bag has never been easier! Not only will the finished product be something that your child can be proud of, but it also gives them an opportunity for creativity and free expression.

In this blog post, we are going to cover how easy it is to create one of the most important items in any student’s back-to-school kit: their very own backpack or bookbag!

What Materials are Used to Make School Bags?

The materials that are used to create a school bag include a large piece of fabric, such as denim; two long pieces of fabric for the straps; four narrow strips for holding the sides and bottom together (these can be one-inch wide or wider); three medium width ribbon loops on each side to hold pens, pencils, erasers, and small books; a narrow ribbon for attaching the pen loops to the side of the bag.

How to Make School Bags

Step One: Cut Your Fabric Correctly

Start with cutting your fabric down into four pieces that measure about two feet by three feet (or as wide as you want it). You should fold these in half and then in half again to make a square.

Step Two: Sew the Pieces Along with the Center

With your two pieces of fabric folded in on themselves, go ahead and sew from one end all the way across (about six inches) until you reach another corner. Do not cut off any excess at this point.

Step Three: Sew the Pieces Together

Again, with your two pieces of fabric folded in on themselves, go ahead and sew them together again at a ninety-degree angle. This should result in one “wing” that is double layered for added strength.

Step Four: Cut Off the Excess Fabric

After you have sewn the sides together, cut off any excess fabric. Fold in half and then sew a few stitches to keep it from unraveling.

How to Make a School Bag – Step Five: Sew Straps Onto Front of Bag

With your four pieces of fabric folded in on themselves, go ahead and fold the top and bottom pieces in half. This will create two loops that can be sewn to the front of your bag by sewing across both layers at once, then cutting off any excess fabric on either side.

Step Six: Sew Straps Onto Back of Bag

Along with creating a strap for the back (in the same manner as the front), use your two pieces of fabric to create loops for holding pens, pencils, erasers, and small books. You will sew these on in an “x” shape with one loop coming from each side (not both sides).

How to Make a School Bag – Step Seven: Sew Straps Together Along with the Center

Step Eight: Sew Straps Together Along the Center Again

Once you have sewn the side loops, it’s time to start sewing the straps together. You will create a double strap by doing this, with two loops for holding pens and pencils on one side, and an “x” loop on the other side.

Step Nine: Fold Fabric in Half

Fold your fabric down into four pieces that measure about two feet by three feet (or as wide as you want it) and then in half again.

How to Make a School Bag – Step Ten: Sew Straps Together Along with the Center Again

Once your fabric is folded, go ahead and sew one strip onto each side of the bag at a ninety-degree angle to create two straps that are double layered for added strength.

Step Eleven: Sew Straps Together Along with the Center Again

Once you have sewn your strips together, go ahead and sew them together again at a ninety-degree angle. This should result in one strap that is double layered for added strength.

Step Twelve: Fold Fabric One More Time

Fold your fabric one more time (so that it looks how a book would) and then sew the straps together again at a ninety-degree angle. This should result in two loops with double layers for added strength on each side of the bag.

How to Make a School Bag – Final Thoughts

I hope you’ve enjoyed scrolling through this blog post about making a school bag. If there are any questions that don’t have answers in the article, feel free to leave them below and I’ll be happy to answer them for you as soon as possible.

In the meantime, you can always browse through some of the best selections of backpacks here.