Whether you're heading to the store, running errands or setting off for school, having an extra backpack on hand is always convenient. Freeing up your hands for taking care of more important matters can be easy with a drawstring accessory that keeps everything from books and pencils to snacks in place throughout the day. A burlap sack simplifies your daily tasks and adds a touch of rustic appeal to any outfit as well.
Burlap is known for its durable yet breathable nature, making it ideal for crafting a drawstring backpack of this type. You'll need a sewing machine for this DIY project, but you can also easily maneuver burlap with a needle and thread. Once you're finished, wear your drawstring backpack as a fashionable storage space, or simply set it on an end table when it’s not in use, and fill it with decorative books to work as a home accessory.
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Materials
-1 panel of burlap
-Sewing machine
-Thread snips
-Measuring tape
-Sewing pins
-Twine
-Scissors
-1 large safety pin
-Sewing machine
-Thread snips
-Measuring tape
-Sewing pins
-Twine
-Scissors
-1 large safety pin
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Serge all four sides of a long panel of burlap.
2. Position the panel horizontally on your work surface, and turn the bottom right corner up ½ inch along the long edge.
3. Flip the corresponding short end of the burlap over 1 ½ inches before pinning it in place. Repeat this on the other short end of the panel, and pin that end in place once the edge has been folded over 1 ½ inches as well.
4. Stitch both of the short ends of the burlap panel in place, trimming away thread as needed at the ends.
5. Cut 60 inches of twine from a spool.
6. Fold the burlap panel in half, so the short ends meet evenly.
7. Tie one end of the twine to a large safety pin, and use the pin to pull the twine through one of the openings on the short side of the burlap panel. You can insert the twine where there’s a space between the fabric and the stitching.
8. Continue to use the safety pin to pull the twine through the opposite edge loop, so that both ends of twine meet on the right side of the burlap panel.
9. Pull one of the twine ends out longer than the other, and repeat the insertion through the two panels using the safety pin, this time moving in the opposite direction through the fabric loops.
10. Tie the twine ends on both sides of the burlap.
11. Position the twine on the left side of the burlap between the top and bottom panel lining, and do the same on the right side, making sure the twine is near the edge but hidden from sight.
12. Pin the twine in place on both sides of the burlap.
13. Stitch both sides of the burlap together, making sure the twine between is secure as well.
14. Flip the burlap inside out, so the twine is on the outside to be used as drawstrings.
15. Pull the bottom corners out completely, and pull the twine on either side of the bag to cinch the top.
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