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From: e50e
Date: 08-31-2004, 02:19 AM (1 of 7)
| I'm looking to make a very simple canvas backpack and I am wondering if anyone has suggestions on creating comfortable straps for it. I have had a lot of difficulty in searching for a pattern. If you have any suggestions I would appreciate it! thanks! |
User: e50e
Member since: 08-28-2004 Total posts: 21 |
From: dmoses
Date: 08-31-2004, 08:15 AM (2 of 7)
|
You could try widening the part of the strap that goes on the shoulders, and padding that section. If you will be using the backpack to carry a heavy load, you will definitely need to reinforce the seams where the straps are attached. The straps on my son's [expensive store-bought] backpack started to pull away by the second day of school, due to the heavy load of books. Also, you may want to pad and reinforce the bottom area. You could possibly do this by adding some padding and sewing an extra piece of fabric over that before putting the bag together. Hope this helps. Take care,
Donna |
User: dmoses
Member since: 02-22-2002 Total posts: 964 
|
From: MaryW
Date: 08-31-2004, 08:16 AM (3 of 7)
Hi there e50e and welcome.  Webbing can be bought for straps at most fabric stores. This is very strong stuff and it's made for straps on bags, etc. Saves you the time of making straps and is just as strong if not stronger. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
|
From: paroper
Date: 08-31-2004, 09:07 AM (4 of 7)
|
If they don't like the feel of the webbing at the shoulders, I've seen little pads that were made of the back pack material that wrapped around the webbing at the shoulders. Sometimes they are sewn in place, sometimes they are held by velcro.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: e50e
Date: 09-01-2004, 03:20 AM (5 of 7)
| Yes, I'm definitely seeking well-padded straps and the best materials to make them. I saw the webbing and thought it would work great for the straps, but really didn't see another fabric that would work well to pad them. Thanks for the tip on reinforcing the stitches due to the heavy weight! So, what material would work best for these and also for the bottom of the bag, as suggested? |
User: e50e
Member since: 08-28-2004 Total posts: 21 |
From: paroper
Date: 09-01-2004, 07:36 AM (6 of 7)
|
Duck, canvas, even cordoroy are all used commercially. I would like the bag and reinforce the bottom with a good heavy-weight interfacing. Double sewing or flat felling around the bottom wouldn't hurt. Cording around the bottom will help the bag retain its shape. There is a heavy commercial weight fabric that is waterproof that I've used to make the cylindar shaped gym bags. Those bags have gone on and on through lots of abuse. The kids have used them to carry books to school in and clothes and shoes to ballgames where they have been thrown all over the bleachers and buses, pulled and tugged from the bottom of piles of bags. The fabric hasn't even worn. The oldest bag is 9 years old and it looks like new. The fabric is a little expensive but it is called Cordura. It is used a lot commercially for bags, covers for instruments, luggage, outdoor canopys and cushions. I have embroidered their names on the bag and school mascots and they look great. There is another fabric used. It might be called Sunbrella. It looks a lot like the Cordura but is a little bit lighter weight and the waterproofing is coated on the back. It is about 75% of the price of Cordura. Both fabrics are either 60 or 54 wide. I use it so much that I buy several yards at a time and keep it rolled. Be sure and buy a heavy zipper. You don't want to put all this effort into your bag and have the zipper break. When I make bags I buy zippers by the foot. We have a company here that specialized in uphostery and commercial weight fabrics for outdoor use and I buy webbing, cording, zippers and all through them. I have seen zipper by the foot at Hancocks in recent months, but since I had a supply, I don't know about the weight of their zippers. Anyone who sold Cordura would probably know the name of the other fabric. The kids put so much weight in these bags that I wrap a continuous strap around the round bags in a cradle fashion to make sure they don't tear out, an option you probably won't have with the back pack. I also sew a wrap around straps at the hand to keep the webbing from collapsing from being carried in their hands and the weight of the bags. Webbing can be purchased as a nylon-type product or cotton. If you purchase the nylon, be sure and melt the very ends so that it won't ravel like nylon rope. If you sew the webbing on top of the bag, sew a square and then an x through the center to reinforce the staps and distribute the weight so they don't pull out or off.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: paroper
Date: 09-01-2004, 07:37 AM (7 of 7)
|
Sorry for the typo. I would line the bag.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
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