What fabric do shoppers sew from, a guide to sewing an accessory

Today you can find anything in stores, the range of products is so wide that consumers’ eyes run wild from this abundance. But the main problem is that as soon as a new fashion trend appears, the market is filled with similar things. As a result, 85% of fashionistas wear stylish things and only 15%, for various reasons, prefer to create their own style rather than chase changing fashion.

Pink polyester bag

If you want to stand out from the crowd and amaze others with an unusual accessory or item, all you need is basic sewing skills, a great desire and the necessary tools. A DIY fabric bag can become a real masterpiece and an exclusive item.

We sew ourselves

It is difficult to imagine a woman's wardrobe without several handbags of different colors, different in style and type of material. This accessory has long become an integral part of a woman’s look; even the smallest babies take a handbag with them when going for a walk.

You can sew a bag of any style and size yourself, it all depends on your preferences. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to have a seamstress diploma to create a beautiful product from fabric. It is enough to know how to use a sewing machine and insert a thread into a needle, plus to these skills you need to add diligence and the desire to create a unique thing.

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Shoulder bag

Doubt your imagination? It's okay, in the virtual space you can find a lot of design options and a variety of handbag patterns. All that remains is to decide what fabric you will sew the bag from.

Eco leather

An alternative artificial material, for those who want to save money or do not use natural leather for ethical reasons. Since its creation, eco-leather has undergone many metamorphoses and improvements. Today, this material is practically in no way inferior to natural leather, can replicate all sorts of natural textures, and even in some respects will be superior to its natural counterpart.

Eco-leather consists of two layers – a textile lining (cotton or polyester) and a polymer layer.

This material holds its shape perfectly, does not allow moisture to pass through and does not harden in the cold. The polymer layer does not absorb dirt, so the product is easy to care for. It is enough to wipe the backpack with a damp sponge or napkin.

Which fabric to choose

The fabric market is filled with various products; without proper experience, it is difficult to understand this variety and make the right choice. To make this process easier for you, let’s figure out which type of fabric is suitable for which handbag:

• Polyester, the material can be used to make a durable bag;

Polyester

• Nylon accessories are lightweight and highly durable. Nylon has good elasticity, so it is often used in factories for sewing handbags;

Nylon

• One of the most popular materials in the field of bag making is leatherette. However, most of its characteristics are far from ideal. Most often used for the manufacture of consumer goods. Such accessories have a low cost, but their service life is minimal;

Faux leather

• Faux suede, a very practical material that is resistant to wear. It makes elegant and stylish products;

Faux suede

• Jacquard, expensive fabric. Usually used for sewing children's backpacks;

Jacquard

• Cotton contains 90% cellulose. Suitable for making any type of handbags.

Cotton

If you decide to sew a bag from fabric, you don’t have to go to the store and look for material. Surely you have a piece of good fabric at home that can be used to create your own masterpiece in the Hand Made style.

What to work on

Please note that modern automatic sewing machines are not designed to work with leather or similar dense materials.

In this case, you must use a manual sewing machine. An excellent solution would be to use the Soviet “Chaika”; it copes well with virtually any material.

Modern machines are great for working with thinner fabrics and work great with denim and various types of fabric.

Sew a shoulder bag

This model is considered the most comfortable, put it on your shoulder and forget it. It looks stylish, is practical and comfortable - ideal characteristics for a handbag. Sewing it will require a lot of time, but the result will compensate for the hours spent.

DIY bags - pattern

You'll need:

• Lining material;
• Fabric for the product (denim, suede, etc.). Size of the pieces: 34*35 and 34*27, you will also need a couple of small pieces of 27*13 centimeters;
• Forty centimeters of lace;
• Doublerin;
• Two carabiners and a pair of half rings;
• Magnetic button;
• Strap;
• Scissors, ruler and other necessary tools.

If you have everything you need, you can start sewing:

• To begin with, the front side of the fabric is glued with doublerin so that the bag retains its shape well in the future;
• We fold two large pieces with their right sides facing each other and sew them together. Don't forget about the seam allowance, leave about 1.5 centimeters;
• Iron the seams, attach the lace to the front side and stitch it;
• Sew the side seams;
• We form the bottom. Fold the corners and secure everything with pins. We measure approximately seven centimeters from the sharp edges, draw a line with a pencil, and sew;
• Turn the fabric inside out and iron the side seams. The workpiece is ready;
• We sew a valve, a mandatory element of this model. Take two small pieces and fold them right sides together. Draw the shape of the pocket, round the corners;
• We sew the drawn outline;
• We cut off the excess fabric. We mark the middle on the valve, put a dot there, this is where the button will be attached;
• From the point, measure 1.5 centimeters in two directions, make cuts in the fabric and insert the fittings, turn the fabric inside out;
• We connect the bag and the valve;
• We bend the flap onto the front side of the product and mark the place where you need to attach the magnet;
• We attach strips of leather with sewn half rings for a belt to the side seams;
• For the lining you will also need a pattern and a piece of fabric measuring 30*34 centimeters;
• We sew them along the perimeter, leaving the seam open, cut off the corners, turn the material inside out, stitch the open seam;
• Attach the lining to the bag and stitch it.

Your accessory is ready, all you have to do is turn it out and you can “walk” the new item.

Laser processing

The fully processed surface acquires an amazing texture and unique pattern. Laser is used to create lace textures, abstract designs, pearlescent coating or large complex paintings. The result is effective, but not practical.

Important! The method is also comparable to engraving: a laser burns a pattern or logo. Personal monograms and family coats of arms are made to order.

Bag patterns

How to create the accessory of your dreams without knowing how to sew? Patterns will come to the rescue, in which everything is described in detail; even inexperienced craftswomen will be able to figure them out.

Bag pattern

Popular patterns for DIY fabric bags:

• A denim handbag never goes out of style. If you have jeans in your wardrobe that you don’t mind parting with, then you can use them to create a stylish denim accessory. The photo shows a detailed pattern and the final result of the work;
• Men's fabric bags can also be unique and will perfectly complement your man's look. It’s not difficult to sew a beautiful product if you have a detailed pattern with dimensions printed on it;
• Fabric shopping bags are the easiest to sew. Having the necessary pattern is 50% of successful work. You can use any material at your discretion.

If you decide to try your hand at sewing for the first time, don’t panic and give up on your idea, watch a detailed video on how to sew a bag with your own hands. There is no need to be afraid of experiments, and then you will surely create a real masterpiece that will be the envy of famous designers.

Ways to decorate a product

If a plain fabric is chosen for the bag, then it can be dyed. The main thing is to iron the bag after painting to fix the paint. You can use thermal transfer technology. However, paint applied in this way will not adhere to completely natural material. Thermal transfer only works if the fabric has at least 50% synthetic fibers.

Can be decorated with embroidery and beads. Another way to decorate a shopper is to sew or glue an applique. In the end, you can even knit or crochet a bag yourself.

You can even knit or crochet a shopping bag. For this, it is better to choose polyester threads; they are strong, durable, smooth, and do not pill.

Orthopedic or anatomical backpack - is there a difference?

So, we have determined that a first-grader needs a backpack. However, the choice of backpacks is also huge. You may have already heard about an “orthopedic backpack” (or a backpack with an orthopedic back) and, they say, it is recommended as the most appropriate one for a first-grader.

When I was choosing a backpack for Alice, I also only considered orthopedic ones. However, in the descriptions and characteristics of orthopedic backpacks, for some reason, manufacturers often specify that the backpack and back are anatomical. This moment confused me. I started looking into it and found out the following:

Orthopedic backpacks DO NOT EXIST!

Yes, that’s such a bummer) The fact that the manufacturer indicates “orthopedic” and “orthopedic back” in the name and description of the backpack is nothing more than a marketing ploy designed to lure us into the ranks of its customers.

Let's look at the definitions.

The term “orthopedic” is usually used to define products that correct the musculoskeletal system. Those. The function of orthopedic products is to correct (cure) something.

The main function of a school backpack is to carry school supplies. No matter how correct the backpack is, it cannot correct, say, a child’s existing scoliosis. Yes, the right backpacks have a rigid back and some other characteristics, which we will talk about below. However, they are intended, rather, not to harm and to warn . And, for these functions, the concept of “anatomical backpack” or “backpack with anatomical back” is more suitable.

In an anatomical backpack, the shape of the back and straps closely follows the shape and curves of the human body. Such a backpack helps to better distribute the load on the musculoskeletal system.

So, what to do with manufacturers and sellers who substitute the concepts of “orthopedic” and “anatomical” backpack? By the way, sometimes the term “ergonomic” (“ergonomic back”) is also used in the characteristics. Yes, nothing, just accept it) The main thing is that you know the truth and now the range of your search for the ideal backpack will expand significantly, because you will consider not only backpacks marked “orthopedic”))))

In general, we will proceed from the fact that all manufacturers and sellers who use any of these definitions (orthopedic, anatomical, ergonomic) in the name and description of their backpack want to tell us one thing - their backpack is correct and does not harm the child.

However, to what extent this or that backpack is correct and whether it is suitable for your child specifically, you need to judge not only by one name. The characteristics of the backpack are much more important. We'll talk about them now.

Color spectrum

Basic colors that go with most fashionable looks are brown, black, beige and gray. Natural shades have returned to fashion.

Bright colors, interesting textures and combinations are not ignored. Fashion shows demonstrate interesting solutions thanks to new modern fabric processing technologies.

Leather bags are a truly elegant addition to a stylish look, no matter what occasion it is chosen for: business negotiations or a fashionable party, a date or going to the theater. It is worth purchasing a quality item so that it will please the owner for a long time. DIY felt bags

DIY T-shirt bag, patterns

How the backpack appeared, who invented it and the history of its origin

Updated: 06/19/2020

The known history of the backpack as a successful experience in carrying a shoulder load goes back thousands of years. It's a long way from a bag with a hazel twig frame to a modern backpack. And without it these days you can’t go to the mountains, or go on a hike, or go to the city.

The backpack has been invented many times. At different times, on different continents, the idea appeared that it was much more convenient to carry a large load on your shoulders.

Backpack, the beginning of the story

The age of the first known backpack is over five thousand years. In 1991, on the Similaun glacier in the Ötztal Alps in Tyrol, two German tourists found the mummy of the Tyrolean Iceman, or Ötzi. The 45-year-old owner of the backpack died in 3300 BC. Ice also preserved his things, including a hazel frame - the basis of the first “backpack” that has come down to us.

This is a wooden frame with two crossbars, on which a load was hung - a bag of skins. Experts have tried to recreate the first backpack. It could be seen at the Natural History Museum Dortmund. Analogs, by the way, are known in the Alps - traditional shoulder bags with a wooden frame, called “kraxe,” are still made here today.

reconstruction of Ötzi's backpack

The design of Ötzi's backpack, which began the history of the backpack, turned out to be successful. It has been invented more than once on different continents.

Traditional shoulder bags of different nations

The history of the backpack continued in traditional shoulder bags. They were invented many times by different peoples.

In the Russian north, woven birch bark knapsacks with straps were used. In the middle zone there are shoulder-mounted birch bark bodies for mushrooms and berries, called “pester”.

Back body pester

Centuries ago and today in Siberia, frame “backpacks” - ponyags and flyers - were used as shoulder bags.

A pallet is a birch bark-wrapped frame made of a rod bent into an arc, its lower parts are connected by a wooden shelf, and the load is secured with straps. The design is similar to modern frames with straps for carrying large loads and trunks. A flyer - two sticks with forks, between which a bale was tied with a rope, was worn over the shoulders on straps.

Siberian ponyaga

Medieval European wicker basket-backpacks were hung on the back for working in the fields and carrying goods. In Germany and France, they have been carrying loads on wooden frames since the 18th century.

The traditional Sekk med Meis backpack on display at the Norwegian Forest Museum dates back to the second half of the 19th century. It consists of an ash frame and a leather bag.

Norwegian Sekk med Meis

In Korea, backpacks with a wooden frame - "jige" - have been mentioned in written sources since the end of the 17th century.

And the American Indians used a wide belt to carry bales. It covered the load on the back from below and was put on the forehead. And today, tribes in the rural areas carry loads in this way in baskets with one strap.

Traditional backpacks in one form or another are found all over the world and their designs are very similar in different parts of the planet.

Soldier's backpacks for long marches

Soldiers on long campaigns needed comfortable and practical bags. The evolution of soldier's luggage went in parallel with traditional folk shoulder bags.

In ancient Egypt and ancient Greece, baskets that were easy to make were preferred. And Roman legionaries carried things in loculi - leather bags attached to a marching pole.

Roman loculus

In the Middle Ages, the Knights Templar carried loads on campaigns in a wooden frame with straps, considering even a lid unnecessary.

Already in the 17th-19th centuries, backpacks made of leather, canvas or cloth with two straight straps were widespread in Europe. Such backpacks were used by large armies - the English, French and Russian empires. The European colonies in North America and then the United States also used army backpacks during the Civil War of 1861–1865.

Travel pack

These backpacks had a drawback - the straight straps dug into the chest and caused discomfort on marches. Already in the second half of the 19th century, the armies of the world began to think about inventing something more convenient. Ordinary people also needed innovations, because traditional shoulder bags also lagged significantly behind the development of technology.

Farewell to the backpack, the start of the rapid evolution of backpacks

The army backpack underwent numerous modifications. A frame was added to its design, and the backpack box itself was replaced by a soft bag. For convenience, the straps were made beveled, this is what distinguishes the satchel from a backpack.

Already in 1882, in the army of the Russian Empire, along with backpacks, a waterproof canvas duffel bag was introduced into circulation. Convenience and simplicity of design made it long-lived. The duffel bag has survived to this day without major changes. By the way, many modern simple shoulder bags work on a similar principle, when the neck is tightened with straps.

In 1866, in the United States, Colonel Henry K. Merriam patented an army backpack with a rigid frame that redistributed the load on the hips. However, the design turned out to be not very convenient.

Ole Bergan backpack

Norwegian entrepreneur Ole Bergan developed a backpack with a steel frame in 1908. Such a frame is lighter and more compact than a wooden one, surpassing it in strength. The shape of the frame was similar to the historical Sekk med Meis, which we have already mentioned. The design had to be adjusted to the height and body shape of the owner. This development was very popular.

In 1924, hunter and mountaineer Lloyd F. Nelson patented a frame-type backpack, based on the traditional Alaska Indian backpack made of wood and seal skins.

Alaskan backpack

The bag was modified, the frame more effectively distributed the weight across the back, and fabric replaced the skins. Thanks to advertising, the Hunter Nelson backpack gained popularity among tourists. Later, this development, called the “Alaskan backpack,” was included in the list of equipment of the US Army.

History of the backpack: new materials and technologies

The backpack became more comfortable, but still resembled its traditional ancestors, taking into account all their positive experience. New materials and technologies opened the way for the further evolution of backpacks. The history of the backpack that we all know essentially began in the 20th century.

The use of zippers was first invented by a veteran of the American 10th Mountain Division, Gerald Cunningham, back in 1938. A convenient clasp made it possible to change the shape of the backpack and redistribute the weight more effectively. Cunningham later founded his own outdoor equipment company.

The author of the waist belt, which transfers part of the load to the hips, was the Californian tourist Dick Kelty in 1951. The idea came when he accidentally placed the legs of the frame in the back pockets of his trousers and realized how much easier it was to carry the backpack. Kelty replaced the wooden frame with an aluminum one, which made the structure stronger and lighter. The frame, by the way, was largely sewn into the fabric of the backpack.

Dick Kelty Backpack

Dick Kelty purchased equipment suitable for tourism from old military equipment stores. There is a lot of parachute fabric left there since the Second World War - nylon, invented in 1935 by the American company DuPont. This fabric, stronger and more reliable than tarpaulin, turned out to be suitable for backpacks.

In 1952, the Kelty couple launched production of the new product, creating a company for the production of equipment. In 1963, the team of climbers Norman Direnfoot and Jim Whittaker conquered Everest using backpacks from this company. The popular design was then further developed and improved by the American Army.

Everest conquerors with new backpack designs

Urban backpacks became widespread in the 70s. Among young people, there is a fashion for light, simple and colorful everyday shoulder bags.

Then schoolchildren picked up the trend. Back in the 80s, many of us went to class with briefcases and their modification - school bags. And already in the 90s they were replaced by backpacks made of synthetic fabric with convenient zippers.

Tourist backpacks in the USSR: from “kolobok” to homemade kapron

The history of the backpack knows a separate line of tourist backpacks, which were in use in the USSR almost until the end of the 20th century. Many of them are well known to our old-timers of mountain tourism.

In the early 30s, serial production of canvas frameless tourist backpacks – “koloboks” – was launched. At that time they looked quite modern. Such shapeless backpacks were more spacious than army duffel bags and were used by tourists for a long time.

Kolobok

The “Kolobok” was improved by climber Vitaly Abalakov, adding a wide flap and side pockets. The “Abalakovsky backpack” has been popular since the late 50s. It lasted until the 90s of the last century, having acquired modern materials and a waist belt.

Abalakovsky backpack

At the end of the 70s, “Yarov backpacks” with a more competent system of straps and side lacing, but still without a waist belt, became widespread. All these backpacks were soft - without a frame, in fact, a rethinking of the same “bun”.

Yarovsky backpack

The Ermak easel backpack was also produced with a waist belt and a heavy aluminum frame that distributed the load.

Not being satisfied with the quality and shape of these industrial designs, in the 80s of the 20th century craftsmen began to sew simplified copies of advanced foreign models from technical nylon.

Self-tailored American or pipe

Their “correct” backpacks already had a wide waist belt, a large flap, and side ties. The straps had additional attachment points above the shoulders to prevent the backpack from falling back.

Subsequently, many of the craftsmen who sewed custom-made backpacks opened their own equipment production companies, which were very successful. The samples they produce began to correspond to world trends.

Backpack these days: not the end of the story

The history of the backpack followed the path of technological progress. Nowadays, modern anatomical backpacks - light and comfortable - have practically replaced the koloboks. They have a frame - usually aluminum plates, hidden in the structure and giving it rigidity, but not interfering with operation. And they left heavy easel backpacks with a bulky external frame only a narrow niche for carrying especially heavy and oversized loads.

Modern expedition backpack

The history of the backpack continues. More and more sophisticated specialized backpacks are being produced for mountaineering, tourism, travel, sports, the city and transporting gadgets. More details about their modern varieties can be found in the article “What types of backpacks are there: a variety of purposes and designs.”

They are made from advanced waterproof and durable materials. Many manufacturers are trying to make backpacks smart, integrating solar panels, batteries, and GPS sensors into them.

Prototypes of a modern portfolio

The items mentioned are a type of specialized bag, which we are already accustomed to calling a briefcase, and without which the appearance of a successful gentleman, business woman and schoolboy rushing to class now seems incomplete.

Human experience shows that the birth of a certain attribute is most often associated with the urgent need for the birth of this invention. The origin of the portfolio also has its own fascinating history.