DIY Nature Backpacks: 18 months – 4+ years old

In June I woke up one day not feeling absolutely, positively miserable.  I had the thought the day before that I’d like to make little nature backpacks for my kids. My vision was a well fitted regular backpack that also had a spot for a magnifying glass, notebook, and pencil. So instead of using my small window of health to do household stuff, the kids and I jumped into a much needed creative project to feed my soul!

At 6:30am when Emily came into my room I grabbed my little red notebook and the two of us started sketching ideas for our ideal kids backpack.  She tried on an existing kids backpack and we modified the size to be even better. When Nathan woke up we looked at the measurements on him to confirm this size would work for both of them.

In the afternoon things were still going well enough that I went to walmart with the kids to get groceries (for the first time in four months!) and acquisition supplies for backpacks.  They had a heavy cotton in the $1 clearance bin in two shades of green and I grabbed 1.5 yards of each.  Two following trips to JoAnns were necessary as I figured out exactly what I was doing.

Making two backpacks at the same time took me a few weeks, but if I was just doing one it could be completed in a couple of hours if all the supplies were on hand (see supply list below).  I mostly followed a very detailed tutorial of a little hitchhikers backpack from birch organic fabric blog.  I loved the directions for water bottle holders on the side and her clever idea to have elastic around the top of the bag so that things wouldn’t fall out but the kids didn’t have to worry about ties or buttons.

The things I changed: dimensions (listed below), pockets on the inside lining of the backpack (image below), and the straps (details below).

If you can sew in a straight (or mostly straight) line, you can absolutely make this backpack!!!

Cut list for 1 backpack:

Main Fabric (sturdy cotton or canvas)

• 2 – 8in x 9.5in rectangles (front and back panels)
• 2 – 5in x 9.5 in rectangles (side panels)
• 1- 8 in x 5 in rectangle (base)
• 1 – 3in x 7in strip (hanging strap)
• 4 – 6 3/4in x 8in rectangles (pockets)
• 2 – 8in x 7.5in rectangles (flap)
• 1 – 4 in x 23in strip  (elastic casing)
•  1- 5.5in x 11in (inside pocket on lining)
• 2 – 3in x 20in strips (back straps on top)
• 2 – 3in x 6in strips (back straps on bottom)

Lining fabric (I used the same sturdy cotton or canvas, in a different color)

• 2 – 8in x 9.5in rectangles (inner front & back panels)
• 2 – 5in x 9.5in rectangles (inner side panels)
• 1 – 8in x 5in rectangles (inner base)

Interfacing (from one yard)

• 2 – 8in x 9.5in rectangles (front and back panels)
• 2 – 5in x 9.5 in rectangles (side panels)
• 1- 8 in x 5 in rectangle (base)
• 1 – 1in x 7in strip (hanging strap)
• 2 – 6 3/4in x 8in rectangles (pockets)
•  1 – 8in x 7.5in rectangles (flap)
•  4 – 1in x 20in (top back straps)
• 4 – 1in x 3in (bottom back straps)

Notions

• 1 pair of 1 inch D rings
• 1 pair of strap adjustment rings (they are rectangular with a sliding bar in the middle)
• 3 inch strip of velcro
• 31 inches of 1/2 inch elastic (Cut in 3 pieces: 2 – 5in pieces & 1 – 21in piece)

Follow the amazing tutorial from birch fabric with these exceptions:

Sew the inside pockets.

1. Before sewing the inner lining together, take the back panel of of your lining fabric and line up the left edge of the inside pocket fabric.
2. Sew a 1/4″ stabilizing stitch down the edge, then another stitch 5/8″ to be the visible edge of your pocket.
3. Place the item you want to store in the pocket (like a notebook) and lay the pocket fabric over the top and pin on the other side in a straight line where you want the next stitch to go.  Remove the item, checking that it is easy to take out and put back in, and sew a line down the pins (removing them as you go).
4. Continue with the next item, placing it next to the latest stitch line, laying the pocket fabric over the top, pinning it on the other side, and sewing a straight line.
5. Finish with a 5/8″ stitch on the right side and a 1/4″ stabilizing stitch on the very end.

Sew the Straps.  I followed this pictorial tutorial just for the strap portion of the bag.  I wanted backpacks that could be worn for years, even as a mini backpack as they got older.  The straps needed to accommodate that plan and be easily adjustable.

1. Follow the birch fabric tutorial for making the straps with interfacing, using a the 1″ interfacing strips for a 1″ final dimension on the straps.
2. Sew the adjustable slider and D-ring onto the 20 in strap.  I practiced with pins until I got it right (look at the picture tutorial!!!)
3. Fold the 6″ strap in half around the D-ring and sew on (picture tutorial…)
4. When sewing the straps to the back panel of the backpack, I put the top straps at 2.5 inches from the edge in the center of the strap (2″ to the center of the strap at final sewing).  There is a 2 inch gap on the top between the straps where I pinned the hanging strap.  The bottom straps are sewn 1 1/2″ inches from the edge to the center strap, 1″ with the final sewn dimensions.  There is a 3.5″ gap between the edges of the two straps.

The backpacks fit even more perfectly than I could imagine! We haven’t actually used them loads out in nature (because we’ve either been traveling or I’ve been sick/catching up from being sick) but they made excellent travel backpacks! They fit books, a waterbottle (we got $3.50 stainless steel water bottles from walmart for the kids that have been excellent), a rolled up blanket, and an animal/doll perfectly, with a little room for snacks.

Tips for Sewing with Kids. This was  a great project to do with the kids.  Emily and Nathan were both pros at putting the pins I pulled out into the pin cushion or handing me pins from the pin cushion while I was pinning.  They also took turns sitting on my lap and back stitching.  I highly recommend having a bag of carrots on hand that they can eat on your lap while you sew to keep their hands out of the way.  I set up my sewing machine by the back door to our little porch so they could also go outside as they pleased and draw with chalk (which comes easily out of fabric if there is a mishap).