Step by step instruction

Stage 1 – Prepare canvas fabric

1.1 Measure, cut and overcast

Cut out all pieces (19 fabric pieces; 7 webbing strips). To prevent fraying edges, overcast edges by hand or machine, skip shoulder straps. Dye fabric if you want.

1.2 (optional) Scour and wax

1. Scour all pieces but shoulder straps. Scouring uses soap and washing soda in boiling water to clean fabric of oils and in turn makes it lighter. Read more about scouring.
2. Wax all pieces but shoulder straps. Waxing helps canvas be more water and cut resistant but adds weight. Read more about waxing canvas.

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Stage 2 – Basic construction

2.1 Side Pockets

Mark out a 4 by 4cm (1.5in) square at bottom corners of the fabric. Fold and sew down the corners in so two lines marked out are touching.

Make a little snip at each of the bottom corners, flatten the edges and sew onto the side panels. Sew on the lids.

2.2 Front Pockets

Sew two front pocket panel together (customise it to your liking! we stacked them). Sew that and lid onto front panel.

2.3 Bottom, front, back and side panels*

1. Sew two bottom pieces together.
2. Sew front, back and side panels onto bottom panel.

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Stage 3 - Shoulder straps

3.1 Prepare shoulder straps

1. Sew two pieces of shoulder straps together, so you end up with 2 straps, each with two layers.
2. Bind edges with cotton ribbon to prevent fraying.

3.2 Prepare ladder slider adjustable buckle

1. Loop the 14cm/5.5in long canvas webbing around top bar of ladder slider adjustable buckle.
2. Loop the 50cm/20in long canvas webbing around bottom bar of ladder slider adjustable buckle. Thread it through the middle opening back to front and through the bottom opening front to back.

3.3 Shoulder strap & buckle sandwich

1. Sandwich the shoulder straps end in between short webbing strips and sew together with 'box x' stitch (webbing-shoulder strap-webbing).
2. For the long webbing strip side wrapped around bottom bar of buckle, fold tips of top half in twice and sew (prevent it from coming out of the buckle).

3.4 Shoulder strap bracing

1. Fold shoulder strap bracing squares in half into triangles and sew one open edge closed.
2. Trim outside corners off the ends of bottom half of the long canvas webbing strip and sandwich trimmed corner between the opening of the shoulder strap bracing. Sew attached.

3.5 Attach straps to backpack

The roll-top of backpack is 20cm long so stitch shoulder straps onto back panel 20cm below top edge with a ‘box x’ stitch.

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Stage 4 – Handle & Adjustable roll-top

4.1 Handle

Fold middle section (10cm long) of 20cm/8in long canvas webbing strip in half. Stitch to secure. Attach handle to middle of the back panel just above shoulder straps.

4.2 Roll-top strap

Thread 60cm/24in long canvas webbing strip onto G hook. Fold and sew one end like the should strap webbing. Attach roll top strap onto centre of front panel about 25cm/10in below top edge with a ‘box x’ stitch.

4.3 Roll-top slots

Measure G hook’s size, mark out appropriate slots for it onto 20cm/8in long canvas webbing strip. Sew down each slot onto top of back panel leaving a bit at the top to fold to the inside.

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Stage 5 – Final assembly

5.1 Sew front panel and side panels together*

5.2 Attach shoulder strap bracing to backpack

Sandwich long edge of shoulder strap bracing triangle between back panel and side panels towards the bottom of backpack. Sew panels together.

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*If you want seams facing out - sew wrong sides together; if you want seams on the inside of backpack - sew right sides together.

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yay! backpack is finished!