This solar backpack is composed of recycled materials from a worn down backpack along with new materials to create an up-cycled backpack that is organization, renewable source, and function friendly.

Step 1: Gathering Your Materials

For this project you will need the following items:

° 1 yd canvas fabric
° 6 ft ribbon

° 4 medium carabiners

° 2 eyelets

° 1 elastic mesh

°1 pair of backpack straps

Step 2: Preparation

After gathering all the materials, this step will primarily cover measuring and cutting out all the necessary parts for your backpack. As this is a sewing project, a good quality sewing machine along with the proper measuring and cutting tools will make this step much easier. You will need to cut out the following:

° 2 x - 6” x 18” (sides)

° 2 x - 12” x 18” (front & back)

° 2 x - 5”x 5” (strap base)

° 1 x - 6.5” x 12.5” (bottom)

° 1 x - 12” x 16” (cover flap)

° 1 x - 7” x 6.5” (utentil holder)

Step 3: Assembling the Base

For this part, we will be assembling the base of the backpack. With the mentioned parts for this portion, you want to work in sections to make it easy. Start with the front piece, and sew its right edge to the left edge of side 1. Then sew the right edge of side 1 to the left side to the edge of the back. Continue this process until you have sewn the front, back, side1 , and side 2 all together. Once you finished, follow this pattern with the bottom.

Step 4: Cover Flap Exterior

For this step, we will be assembling the exterior part of the cover flap. You will want to use the ribbon material and hem the edges of the exterior edges leaving the top part unhemmed ( this will be sewn into the base once we finish everything). Once you finish hemming the edges, you will punch two small holes onto the red area as seen from the visual above and put in the eyelets. These holes will act as opening for putting in our reusable bags.

Step 5: Cover Flap Interior

In this step, we will create the utensil pouch inside the cover flap. With the necessary fabric material, you will want to measure the width of the utensils you will want to insert and use that number to mark on the fabric for the pouch ( this will act as our line for sewing along the line to make the opening for each utensil ). Once you get the numbers and make the marks on the pouch fabric, sew along these lines to create the pocket for the utensils.

Step 6: Cover Flap Exterior Pt.2

In this step, we go back to the exterior of the cover flap and make 4 small holes on the marked red spots. This will act as the holes that allows the carabiners to be attached to the flap and the solar panel.

Step 7: Accessories

In this step we will add the elastic fabric mesh for the cup holder and also add and sew in the square base for the straps. Sew in the edges of the elastic mesh. Afterwards, fold the square base into triangle halves twice. Then you will sew these into the sides of side 1 and 2 for the straps.

Step 8: Strap

Finally, you will sew the top edge of the straps onto the back. To finish this, you will also want to sew the back edge of the cover flap exterior parallel to where you sew the edges of this strap to close everything off.