An excellent method to contribute to environmental conservation (and save some money) is by repurposing old materials and transforming them into something new! Thrift stores serve as a valuable resource for materials that are typically costly and difficult to find. For less than $10, I crafted this recycled roll-top backpack using an old wool blazer and some leather belts sourced from a thrift shop.
MATERIALS:
Size 16 or larger men’s wool blazer*
3 leather belts (2 belts at least 38 inches long, including buckle)
3/4 yard lining material**
3/4 yard lightweight interfacing
Small scrap of leather, pleather, or vinyl ***
14 inches of 3/4 inch wide elastic
leather needle
walking foot****
heavy duty thread
quilter’s clips
optional: magnetic purse snaps
Notes:
*Spring is an ideal season for searching for wool coats and jackets at thrift stores. Many of these stores are clearing out inventory to make space for next season's items, so look for significant discounts and bargains. I purchased my wool blazer for only 99 cents!
**This is an opportune moment to utilize fabric from your collection. In the interest of maintaining the recycled nature of this backpack, I incorporated scraps from an old drop cloth. Additionally, I used reclaimed elastic from a pair of old leggings!
***You will only require a small piece of leather measuring 13 x 2 inches, allowing you to repurpose an old purse, leather jacket, or remnants from other leather projects. Ensure that the leather is of upholstery or fashion weight, enabling easy sewing with your sewing machine.
****As you will be sewing through multiple thick layers of leather in this project, it is essential to use a walking foot and a leather needle.
SEAM ALLOWANCE: 1/2 inch (unless specified otherwise)
STEP ONE: Cut out your materials.
Cut your materials following the provided diagram. Discard the lining and retain only the wool outer fabric.
If possible, remove existing pockets and reuse them if you wish.
Please note: The cutting diagram specifies that the largest bag pieces should be cut to a length of 25+ inches. This is to facilitate optimal rolling at the top of the bag. Given that you are working with recycled materials, you may find, as I did, that you do not have sufficient material to meet this length requirement. I was only able to cut my pieces to 22 inches. To address this, I added optional magnetic purse snaps at the end to enhance the security of the bag.
Additional notes: When utilizing clothing, particularly jackets, as fabric, anticipate the presence of seam lines traversing your pieces. Furthermore, due to the shaping incorporated into the clothing, these seam lines may exhibit curvature. This can create an optical illusion, leading you to perceive some pieces as misaligned when they are, in fact, straight (as evidenced in some of my photographs). Utilize a quilter’s ruler to verify your measurements and accept the imperfections that come with using pre-owned and reclaimed materials! 🙂
STEP TWO: Incorporate interfacing into the primary bag components.
To guarantee that your bag is robust and durable, apply fusible lightweight interfacing to the reverse sides of the primary bag components.
NOTE: Should your primary fabric be notably thick, you might opt to omit this step, or alternatively, you may wish to trim the interfacing to be 1/2 inch smaller on all sides compared to the primary fabric pieces, to prevent your seams from becoming overly bulky. My wool “fabric” turned out to be thinner than anticipated, prompting me to apply interfacing across the entirety of the main pieces to strengthen the fabric, facilitating sewing, and enhancing its structure.
STEP THREE: Attach leather straps to the main back component.
Taking the main back fabric piece, indicate a line 12 inches from the bottom. Fold the fabric in half and mark the center fold with a pin approximately 3 inches above the indicated line. Position the bottom of the leather or vinyl piece in alignment with the marked line, and secure it in place on the sides using quilter’s clips.
Begin with the top closure strap (the shorter strap featuring holes) and position it at the center of the upper section of the leather piece, ensuring the right side is facing up. Next, attach the hanging strap adjacent to each side of the top closure strap, also with the right sides facing up. Following this, place the backpack straps outside of these straps, with their right sides oriented downwards. You may secure these straps in place using clear tape and then sew over the tape, or alternatively, you can mark the placement of the straps in advance and add them as you sew.
Sew five horizontal lines of stitching, evenly spaced at 3/8″ apart, across the leather piece using a lengthened stitch of 3.5 mm. The initial two lines of stitching may prove somewhat awkward and difficult to handle, so proceed slowly, ensuring that at least 1 inch of the strap ends is positioned beneath the leather piece. It may be beneficial to sew over the first two lines with an additional line of stitching to guarantee the straps are firmly secured. As an alternative, a triple stitch can be employed instead.
STEP FOUR: Construct side pockets.
Pin and sew the main and lining pocket pieces together along one short end, ensuring the right sides are facing each other.
Turn and fold the pocket pieces so that the right sides are facing outward. Perform a top stitch close to the seam edge, followed by another stitch 3/4 inch below the first line of stitching to form a casing for the elastic.
Pro Tip: When folding the pocket pieces to have the right sides facing out, elevate the main fabric slightly above the lining to partially conceal the lining and achieve a neater appearance.
Thread the elastic through the casings. Pull the elastic taut so that the top of the pocket gathers to approximately 6 inches in width. Baste each end of the casing closed to secure the elastic in place.
Pin the pockets to the bottom edges of the main side pieces. Pleat the bottom of the pockets as desired and baste them in position.
STEP FIVE: Construct the front bag piece (and optionally add a pocket).
If you are repurposing pocket pieces from a jacket or blazer, sew one onto the smaller front piece, positioning it about 1.5 inches below the 13-inch long top edge.
Align the two primary front bag components along the 13-inch edges, ensuring the right sides are facing each other. Use a pin to mark the center line and position the buckled closure strap between the layers, aligning the cut edge of the strap with the raw edges and ensuring the right side of the strap is directed towards the smaller front piece. Secure with clips and pins. Stitch all layers together and unfold the front piece. Raise the buckled strap so that the right side is facing upwards, and perform a top stitch just below the seam line using a lengthened stitch (3.0 or 3.5 mm).
STEP SIX: Combine the main bag with the lining bag.
Attach and sew the side pieces to the back piece
IMPORTANT: Ensure to cease sewing 1/2 inch from the bottom of the bag for all seams in this phase.
Baste the buckle back straps to the bottom of the main back piece, positioning them approximately 3/4 inch from the side seam lines.
Attach and sew the front piece to the side pieces.
Secure and sew the bottom of the bag in place. Since you concluded your seams 1/2 inch short of the bottom, the bottom piece should fit perfectly. Stitch each side of the bottom piece to the base of the main bag components, commencing 1/2 inch from the top and halting 1/2 inch from the bottom, ensuring the corners align as illustrated.
Construct your lining bag in a similar fashion.
Trim the corners to minimize bulk.
STEP SEVEN: Insert lining and complete the assembly.
Turn the main bag right side out and position it inside the lining (which remains inside out), ensuring the right sides are facing each other.
Pin the top raw edges together and sew around, leaving a 3-4 inch gap along one of the long sides.
Turn the bag right side out through the gap, and place the lining into the main bag.
Fold the raw edges of the opening inward and pin around the top of the bag, with the main bag slightly elevated above the lining to assist in concealing it. Perform a top stitch close to the seam line, from the lining side.
OPTIONAL: If necessary, incorporate magnetic purse snaps. Roll the bag initially to ascertain the optimal placement.
Your bag is complete and ready for your next adventure!
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