#1388 - Backpacks - the straps

STRAPS! ....
Why would I write about this?  Well, because I want to give you some tips, but even more than that, I want to give you some options.

Simplicity wanted me to use "ready to use" belting. And since the most readily available size that comes in the most colors is the one inch wide kind, and that is what I used.  BUT, if I were making one of these backpacks, and I did (photo later), I would either find wider belting or make my own.  The trick is, you have to find "D" rings the correct size to fit the straps you are using.

This kind of belting raffles so quickly after cutting, but there are a couple things you can do to deal with this.

Either, put glue on the cut ends ... and wait for it to dry.

Or just tape the ends.  Be sure to sew it well though.  Go back and forth several times.

Using a zipper foot makes sewing close to the "D" rings easy.

Now, I experimented with different kinds of hardware for the straps.  You can certainly use other kinds, like the ones that latch and un-latch.  But, I made myself a back pack and used "D" rings and they are strong and secure AND are much cheaper and, in my opinion, nicer looking.

For the back pack I made for myself, I made straps out of duck (a fabric a little lighter weight than canvas).  This is how I did it.  I wanted the finished strap to fit 1 1/4" D-rings, so I cut my strips 3 1/4" wide.


This is how I figured that.  2 times 1 1/4" equals 2 1/2" (this allows for the fabric to be folded). Then I added in 3/4" for a 3/8" fold on both sides (for the small pressed fold along the side where the two cut edges meet) which adds up to 3 1/4".

First, press the strip in half.

Edge stitch along the folded edge.

Next, press the allotted fold on each raw edge.  I actually pressed a little less than 3/8" to make my straps a tad larger than 1 1/4" when finished, because I wanted to be sure they would fit snuggly in the "D" rings.

Now, edge stitch together the open side of the strap.  This is a good method for making straps and belts of all sizes when you don't want to sew them inside out and then have to turn them.

Here is the backpack I made to test my pattern and to use.  It's a great bag.  I took it on a 3 day trip to New York and fit almost everything I needed in it.

A other quick tip ...  I like to use the tip of a seam ripper to guide small or tricky things under the sewing machine needle like this vinyl binding.  A dual feed foot or a teflon foot would have helped, but I didn't own one at the time, and I was able to get this trim on smoothly just by pushing it steadily under the foot at the same rate the feed dogs were from underneath. 


And I don't need to worry about my fingers become part of what I'm sewing.

More tips tomorrow.