Making your own messenger style school bag

As everyone knows, students have their own responsibilities when attending school.  Such as having supplies for class ready and keeping track of all of their books.  Some people carry their books, but as many of us know there are just too many classes; not to mention books to go along with them.  So at some point you are going to need something to carry those books in.  I have an excessive amount of fabric so I decided to make my own bag for school type uses.  

This is how to make your own personalized messenger bag, with a pillow lap cushion and an adjustable strap.   You can even make it big enough to fit your laptop in it.


Let's get started!

Step 1: Required Equipment, Material, and Knowledge

First we are making the base for the bag

*= optional
( ) = explanation

~Equipment

Sturdy scissors (which are sharp enough to cut fabric.)
Sewing Machine (Unless you want to sew it all by hand which would take forever and a day)
Measuring Device (ruler, yard stick, or tailors tape.
Straight Pins
*Iron (if you chose to add the iron ons to the bag)
Chalk (to mark the measures)
Needle
Spool of thread
Adjustable strap connectors ( 1 three bar and 2 single.



~Materials

*Iron ons (with different motifs)
Button or Velcro for the closure on the bag
Quilt Batting
Pillow Stuffing
A lot of Fabric in colors of your choice

~Knowledge

It is recommended that you know how to hand sew because some parts will be too thick for the sewing machine and will have a chance of breaking the needle. 

You need to know how to sew on a button and make a button hole.  (If you want to go the easy way use Velcro. :) )

Comments

[Crystalline_Chaos]

I'm actually thinking about re-doing this in jean pants material, and maybe making a design with fabric paint or something. I purchased a new camera,(unlike the last one) this one works fairly well. So the picture quality should improve in theory. Re-construction may have to wait, as with my current living conditions, I am lacking the space to do much of anything.

As of now, if anyone wants to do this project, just use a thicker or stiffer material of some sort instead of what I used. You can still use my instructable as a guideline, use some of its principles, or just a few steps even. You would have to make adjustments accordingly; thicker material, depending on what quality of sewing machine you are using (if any) can end up snapping the needles and prove difficult to work with.

So, I will be finding choices of possible material(s) and developing my methods in the mean time, and maybe uploading a few "smaller" projects if everything permits.

[EngineerJakit]

This looks quite good, but why not use a pic of yourself wearing the bag as a size reference? That way, any reader would get the full view of the bag.

[Goodhart]

This is VERY well written.

[craftyv]

I definitly think a stiffer or thicker fabric should be used, at least on the inside. It also might benefit from an extra line of sewing around the edge to give it support.

Taking better photos; Try hanging the bag, in the way it will when being used. Put something inside to pad it out. Try for a plain background so it stands in relief.
Add more light.
We all tweek our Instructables, from time to time. It shows you are trying to improve. Well done.

[TheEbonyEmoFairy]

I used recycled shirts.