What materials will you need?
- - dense, but not hard leatherette measuring 150 by 90 cm;
- - fabric for lining measuring 120 by 36 cm;
- - strong (preferably reinforced) threads to match the base material;
- - zipper 14 cm long for a pocket;
- - stitched insulation (batting or padding polyester) measuring 65 by 13 cm;
- - a cord 120-140 cm long to match the leatherette for fastening;
- - a cord 45-50 cm long to strengthen the straps;
- - cord clamp;
- - a pair of strong metal staples.
We sew a backpack from artificial leather with our own hands
You only need to make a paper pattern for the flap and bottom of the backpack. We cut the valve on the base of a 20 by 20 cm square, smoothly rounding its outer side. We cut the bottom based on a rectangle measuring 32 by 18.5 cm, also rounding all corners.The circumference of the resulting oval bottom is 88 cm.
From the lining fabric we cut out the bottom and the main part measuring 88 by 30 cm. The seam allowance for the lining is 1.2 cm.
From leatherette we cut:
- - bottom;
- - 2 base parts measuring 33 by 33 cm and 33 by 55 cm;
- - 2 straps 62 by 9 cm;
- - 4 belt loops 8 by 4 cm for securing staples;
- - 2 valves;
- - top facing 4.5 by 88 cm.
Seam allowances for leatherette parts are 1.5 cm.
We fold all the belt loops in half, facing outwards, and fold the seam allowances again so that they disappear inside the belt loops. Having retreated 3-4 mm from the folded edge, we sew the belt loops and stretch the cord inside.
We bend two belt loops in the middle to secure the staples. We adjust the loops folded obliquely onto the smaller part of the base, retreating 2 cm from the bottom.
We sew along the front side of the leatherette using a special leather foot that slides along the surface. We bend the next pair of belt loops, clasping the bracket, and adjust them to the short edge of each strap so that when finished, the belt loop “spreads out” by 4 cm, taking up half the width of the strap part.
Fold the strap in half, face out, placing a strip of soft insulation inside. We sew the parts, departing from the fold 5 mm.
Without interrupting the stitching, we stitch together the short open (upper) section of the strap and bend the edges of the long sections of leatherette inwards. Cut off the rest of the insulation.
We sew together the folded sections of the strap, also retreating 5 mm from the edge. We perform these operations on both future handles of the backpack.
We set the presser foot pressure of the sewing machine to the minimum value. On the lower edge of the strap, fold the leatherette allowance inward and stitch together the details.
We sew together the side seams of the base parts, folding them facing inward.
On one part of the valve we draw the entrance to the pocket.It is slightly larger in length and width (a couple of millimeters on each side) than the length and width of the teeth of the selected zipper.
Place thick cardboard under the valve part and use a ruler blade to cut out the entrance to the pocket. The rounded edges can be cut with thin manicure scissors.
We sew the flap with a zipper using a special sewing machine foot. We work along the face of the valve.
Having folded the two flaps with the right sides inward, we stitch together the parts along the entire rounded part, that is, 3/4 of the perimeter. Through the remaining open cut we turn out the flap, which will also serve as a secret pocket for the backpack.
We treat the handle of the backpack in the same way as the straps, placing insulation inside. Leave short cuts open. In the middle of the top of the smaller part of the base we adjust the upper edges of the straps and the handle. We place them slightly at an angle to the cut of the main part so that the handles do not become deformed when worn.
On top of the handles we adjust the open sections of the valve folded together so that the pocket zipper is inside the finished backpack.
We join the bottom of the backpack with the lower circle of the main parts, folding them facing inward.
We sew a facing along the upper circumference of the main parts. We begin to adjust the facing, placing its edge 2 cm further than the previously stitched flap, so as not to create unnecessary thickening. We sew the side seam of the facing after stitching it onto the base of the product.
We overcast all sections of the lining fabric parts using an overlocker. We sew the side seam of the base part. We attach the bottom only halfway, so that later the product can be turned inside out. We sew the facing together with the base piece from the lining, folding it with the right sides inward. We make sure that the location of the oval bottom of the lining and the leatherette match.
We turn the lining inside out, as if removing it from the backpack.
We close the remaining open section of the lining (base with bottom) over the face.
We stretch the now solid lining into the backpack itself. We lay finishing (and at the same time securing) lines, connecting the facing to the base, retreating 1 cm from the top edge of the backpack. Using another stitch, we connect the top of the lining (grabbing the lower edge of the facing underneath) to the base of the backpack.
Between the resulting finishing lines we punch out blocks (in a leather goods repair shop) to pull the cord through. Two in the middle on the front side of the backpack at a distance of 12 cm from one another. The next blocks are 6.5 cm apart, then 3, 7, 3 and 12 cm. There should be 13 cm between the two blocks located in the middle of the back. There will be 12 holes in total. We pull the cord through the holes in the pulleys, and its ends into the lock, which will hold the tightened cord motionless, preventing the backpack from opening. Although you can simply tie the ends of the cord without using a lock.
To prevent the cord from unraveling, we tie its edges into a knot, decorating it with decorative bells. We use our own sewn accessory for its intended purpose.
