Sew good! A Roll-Top Backpack from IKEA Blue Bags

I made a roll-top backpack for my partner as a Christmas present because he bikes a lot and in case he gets caught in the rain this will definitely repel anything Mother Nature throws at him. I’m very happy with how this bag came out and I hope you guys love it as much as I do!!!

IKEA Items Used:

• IKEA FRAKTA Blue Bags

Other Items Used:

• Metal zipper
• Nylon thread
• Nylon webbing
• Rip-stop nylon
• Poly-fill batting

I followed the “Range” backpack pattern from Noodlehead Designs.

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Check out this Ultralight Backpack, also made from FRAKTA bags.

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I cut the shopping bags into panels at the seams to utilize the full amount of fabric from each bag. Then I assembled the front panel with the zipper. Following I attached the sides. All the while trying to incorporate as many of the original Ikea bag straps to each panel.

I then quilted a back panel with one later of the IKEA bag “tarp”, poly batting, and a layer of rip-stop nylon for cushion to the back and for durability to hold the backpack straps securely. Then I added webbing straps. It’s actually one continuous strap that I top-stitched to add to the design of the back.

Then I used a contrast neon orange nylon to construct a lining the same size as the bag to line it. You’ll find small accents of this orange on the outside of the bag. Then I sewed the two together and did a small top stitch around the rim to finish it.

Cost: I used around 4-5 of the reusable bags at 1 dollar a pop. With the zipper and lining I probably spent around 15$

How Long Did it Take: I’d guess around 16 hours to assemble the entire thing.

Hardest part: The hardest part was definitely figuring out how to work with the blue bags. I couldn’t iron them because they would just melt. I tried to used a drop cloth and lay a piece of fabric on top of it and then iron it but no luck. What ended up working was using scotch tape to secure down each seam, sew it, then remove the tape. It was defiantly the most time-consuming part but I feel like it was totally worth it.

I posted photos of the roll-top backpack along with other things I’ve made on my Instagram @olanreeves.

~ by Olan Kent Reeves

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