School Backpack Water Bottle Strap Holder

My daughter lost water bottle after water bottle in elementary school. The night before her first day in middle school, I decided to fix the problem for her for good by sewing a water bottle strap holder which is permanently attached to her backpack and allows her to easily take out or put in the bottle to drink or refill. The bottle is also clasped by a jump ring and metal swivel clasp and cord to the top handle on her backpack. The possibility of her losing her bottle again is slim unless she threw it to trash can after drinking. Got water bottle losing kids? Follow along please.

Things You'll Need:

Sewing machine (optional but stronger stitches and job done faster)

Strap (I recycled from worn out bags)

Metal swivel clasp or something similar (I got mine in a parking lot a few years ago. By now you know I'm a junk collector.)

Denim sewing machine needle (You probably can get away with the largest universal sewing machine needle. I have denim sewing machine needle, so that's what I used.)

Upholstery thread (You probably can get away with all purpose thread. I have upholstery thread, so that's what I used.)

Seam ripper, Straight pins ,ruler, and other regular sewing tools and notions.

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Step 1: Make a Cross With Two Pieces of Strap

I picked out two sections of the strap that are long enough to go up and down the water bottle body, cross them at the center and pin there in place.

Step 2: Keep the Up and Down Straps in Place

Place the water bottle over the center of the cross, fold the fours ends of the crossed straps up against the bottle body. I used a piece of elastic band to keep them in place.

Step 3: Make Three Cross Body Straps

I picked three sections of the straps I recycled that are long enough to go across the water bottle body, pin them in place every 2.3" apart (including the width of the strap).

Remover the extra three but one of the vertical strap ends which are above the top across strap.

Step 4: Time to Sew

Change the sewing machine needle and thread appropriate to this project if your previous sewing project used different sewing machine needle and thread.

Remove all the pins but the one on the bottom cross.

Start with the bottom cross by stitching a box with a cross in it. It's a overkill I think. Such stitches never will wear out in the holder's life time I think. But a box with a cross in it looks prettier than a plain box to me.

Next sew the four crosses of the bottom across strap with the four up and down straps plus one cross which is the overlap of the two ends of the across body strap.

Repeat the above step two times for the two remaining across body straps.

In total, you sew 16 boxes with a cross in each.

Almost there!

Step 5: Attach the Holder to the Backpack

Depending on your child is right- or left-handed, she or he may have a preference for which side her or his water bottle hugs him or her.

Sit the backpack upright on table top, place the water bottle in the holder. With the bottom of the holder on table top, the back of the water bottle flush with the back of the backpack, pin the holder to backpack at top where the vertical strap has an extra section and at the bottom.

Remove the water bottle. Stitch the holder to the backpack at top and bottom. I was able to open the backpack zipper and do the top stitching on sewing machine and I had to hand stitch the bottom spot.

I add a jump ring and metal swivel clasp and section of cord to hook the water bottle to the top handle on her backpack. In the end, not only it's unlikely for the water bottle to get lost, it's really easy to take out and put in the water bottle.

I felt very good when it was completed, although it was 2 AM in the morning.

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