It’s back to school for my kids this week, and I’m sharing some super simple sewing projects like this easy DIY drawstring backpack.
Soccer season is right around the corner for us and getting my 3 boys ready for practices and games during the week can get hectic.
We try to keep everyone’s stuff in their own drawstring bags, but they all look the same, so occasionally one picks up the equipment of the other. So, I decided we weren’t going through another soccer season without easily identifiable bags for everyone.
Enter the easy DIY drawstring backpack. There’s two pockets for water bottles, suncreen, and shin guards. You can easily fit a full size ball and cleats on the inside and have a sweatshirt if the weather gets cool.
You can make them up in just about any fabric along with some paracord and basic straight line sewing. And I made up a free pattern for you! Let me show you how to make a drawstring backpack
Supplies for DIY drawstring backpack
- 5/8 yard cotton quilting fabric
- 3.5 yards paracord (you can find it in most craft stores) or other thin sturdy cord
- 1/3 yard contrast fabric
- loop turner (my favorite one is in this list of 11 helpful sewing tools along with the elastic threader)
- elastic threader
- sewing machine/thread/scissors
- DIY drawstring backpack PDF pattern: The pattern is free for my email subscribers. If you’re not on my email list, you can sign up right here:
Cutting your DIY drawstring backpack
The pattern for the Drawstring Backpack is in the Resource Library. You can print it out for free when you sign up for the newsletter below.
Sign up for the newsletter and gain access to the Resource Library
To find the pattern, head over to the Resource Library. Enter in the password, and then you can print out the pattern.
It’ll print out on 4 pages that go together in a 2×2 grid. Match up the symbols per the instructions and cut out the pattern pieces.
Next, lay out the bag piece and the loop on your main fabric. Cut out 2.
To finish up cutting, cut 2 pocket pieces on the fold from your contrast fabric. Now it’s time to sew!
Elizabeth Farr is the writer behind the Elizabeth Made This blog where she shares helpful sewing tips, step by step sewing tutorials and videos to help you explore your creativity through sewing. She has written sewing Eguides and patterns, been a featured teacher at Rebecca Page’s Sewing Summit and Jennifer Maker’s Holiday Maker Fest and her work has appeared in Seamwork and Altered Couture magazines. She also created a line of refashioned garments for SEWN Denver. When her sewing machine isn’t humming, she’s playing and teaching violin, and hanging around a good strategic board game with her husband and 4 kids.
Definitely a practical item, it’s going to get a lot of use! Wish I had thought of that when my kids were in soccer!
Thanks Linda! Any bit of organization when it comes to kids sports is a win!
You make it look so easy! Thanks for sharing!
You’re so welcome Patricia!
There are two places in the tutorial that you say put the backpack pieces wrong sides together to sew the side seams – I’m assuming you mean put the right sides together? The pictures show the fabric right sides together.
Yes, you are correct. It’s all fixed now. Thanks for the eagle eye!
How do we get the pattern?
It’s in the Resource Library which you can access when you sign up for the newsletter. Hope that helps!
Hi Elizabeth,
I printed out the pattern; however, I don’t know how to figure the size to cut the fabric per pattern piece. I’m new to sewing by pattern.
I’m excited to sew this for my soccer granddaughter!
Thanks much,
DIana Cokeley
Can you guide me to your tutorial – brand new sewer here! I signed up and have the pattern for the drawstring bag but would love to see your tutorial.
Keep reading down in the post for the full tutorial, and there is a video tutorial in the post as well.