How to Turn Your Backpack Into a Workspace

It's a fresh Monday morning (hard to believe, but it is) and you have had a wonderful breakfast. The weather is nice and now you've reached your office. You go to your table and start taking things out from your backpack.

Everything sounded happy till now, right? Absolutely. Because the real pain that we have to go through, the task that makes every Monday the worst day is when you need to sit down and take out your laptop, its charger, the mouse, your headphones, your files, your books, pens, cookies, almost everything you have in your bag - one by one.

But what if your bag became your work space! Sit down, open the bag, and its done! You're ready to work!

Want to have such a backpack? Let's make!

Step 1: Make a Plan.

Decide the size of your bag. Map it out in a plan.

The dimensions that work for me are these.

Step 2: Get the Material.

You will need

Thin foam sheet with cloth on both sides Black, 2 mtr

Synthetic Suede Black, 1.5 mtr

Suede, Grey, 35 x 35 cm

Polyester Thread, Black, Grey

Buckles, Black, 2

Velcro, Black

Zip, Black, 50 cm

Zips, Turquoise, 50 cm, 4

Bobbin, Bobbin case, thread cutter, a pair of scissors, chalk, ruler

Step 3: Cut Leather and Foam Into Pieces

Step 4: Make the Laptop Compartment.

Stitch the 1 inch long foam strip along three sides of the 40*30 cm foam piece keeping both the pieces inside out.

Don't forget to pin them up before stitching so that they stay in place.

Step 5: Attach the Laptop Compartment to the Bag.

Keeping the seam allowance inside the pocket, stitch the compartment to the center of the 115*30 cm foam piece.

Step 6: Make Pockets and Their Flaps.

Take the 5 cm broad foam strips and finish them from one side.

Finishing is folding the edge inside and stitching from the top so that edge doesn't show.

Do the same with all four strips as well as the main pockets. (Two 17*13 cm, two 17*30 cm)

Step 7: Stitch the Pockets and Flaps to the Main Sheet.

According to the plan we made, place the pockets upside down (so the the seam allowance stays inside. You can cut it off once stitched.)

Place the Flaps for each pocket as well.

Stitch them along the length.

Step 8: Make the Smaller Pocket.

Mark a line with a chalk on the 17*30 cm pocket dividing it into 17*17 cm and 13*17cm.

Stitch on that line.

Step 9: Make the Straps (part 1)

Take the 2 right triangles.

Fold the right triangle in the center and keep the end of the nylon strap.

Step 10: Make the Straps. (Part 2)

Stitch along the border of the folded triangle.

Finish the ends of the nylon straps.

Attach the triangles to the main Black suede piece (85*30 cm) as shown in the photo.

Step 11: Make the Straps (Part 3)

Fold the 10*45 cm strips of black suede in half in length and stitch with 0.5 cm of seam allowance.

Now turn the tubes inside out so that the seam hides inside.

Make a stitch in the middle from the top to prevent it from twisting.

Step 12: Make the Handle

Take the 10.5*7 cm black suede piece and 27 cm long nylon strip.

Put the nylon strip on the suede in the center lengthwise.

Cover the strip and stitch on the top. Fold the edges of the suede to finish it.

Stitch this strip and the two straps as shown in the photo.

Step 13: Add the Buckle.

stitch along the the breadth 5 cm above the loose ends of the straps.

Cut the loos edges so that it becomes two different sides of the strap.

Take a 10 cm nylon strap and pass it through the upper slit of the buckle.

Put the ends of the strip inside the two parts of the strap and fold the parts inside at and angle as shown in the photo.

Step 14: Finish the Straps.

Put the other nylon strap throught the lower slit of the buckle and finish the straps.

Step 15: Join the Suedes.

Stitch grey and black suede together keeping the seam allowance inside.

Step 16: Add Zips.

Place the zip upside down on the side edge of the pocket and stitch.

Turn the whole bag inside out to stitch the other side of the zip on the outer suede.

Do a top stitch to make stronger.

Do the same with all zips.

Step 17: Add Laptop Zip.

Similarly, stitch the main zip on the edge of both sides of the laptop compartment with the seams inside.

Do a top stitch to make the zip stronger.

Step 18: Fix the Velcros.

Hand stitch Velcro strips according to where both the flaps will touch the surface below.

Step 19: Finish the Bag.

Turn the whole bag inside out.

Stitch the edges of the bag.

Finish the base edges.