1. Projects & Learning
    2. /
  2. Project Ideas
    3. /
  3. Sewing
    4. /
  4. Team & Character

Monsters INC. Backpack

by JOANN |

Item # 392115075P55
Intermediate Varies
SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
  • Sewing machine
  • Sewing notions
  • Iron
  • Rotary cutter & cutting board
  • Quilters rule 2'
  • Marking pen
  • Zipper 12" pink
  • Cording 4/32"x 8 1/2'
  • Button 5/8" teal

  • Fabric:

  • Cotton: neon green - 1/3 yard, dark teal - 1/4 yard, white (lining) - 1/3 yard
  • Monster Inc. (print) cotton - 1/3 yard
  • Denim: 1/4 yard
  • Foam 1/4"x 20" wide - 1 yard
  • Shape-Flex Interfacing 60"x 1 yard
  • Optional: Extra-wide double fold bias tape
  • Optional: Tag for zipper
  • Fusible Web, scrap
  • Keychain hardware - 1 to fit through zipper pull and buttonhole

DIRECTIONS:
  1. Cut fabric
  2. Back & Front: 10"x 12 1/2", 2 green, 2 interfacing, 2 foam, 2 white
    Top: 2 1/2"x 15" - 4 denim
    Bottom: 4"x 10" - 1 denim, 1 foam, 1 white
    Sides: 4"x 10" - 2 denim, 2 foam, 2 white
    Pocket: 7"x 10" - 1 green, 1 interfacing, 1 denim
    Pocket Flap: 4 1/2"x 8" - 1 print, 1 interfacing, 1 denim
    Piping: 1 3/4"x 14 1/2" - 1 teal (pocket flap)
    1 3/4"x 42" - 2 teal (front & back)

    Straps: 3"x 18" - 2 print, 2 interfacing (straps)
    4"x 11" - 2 print, 2 interfacing (foam cover)
    1 1/2"x 10" - 2 foam

    Hanger: 2"x 7" - 1 print, 1 interfacing, 1 denim
    Cording: 14 1/2" - 1 (pocket flap)
    42" - 2 (front & back)

  3. Fuse interfacing to WS: back & front green, pocket green, pocket flap print, four strap strips print, hanger print.
  4. Cut upper corners of front and back with 2" diameter curves.
  5. Baste foam to WS, 1/4" from edges: front & back green, sides denim, bottom denim.
  6. Sew piping (zipper foot): fold teal over cording matching long edges.
  7. Sew straps:

  8. 3"x 18" strips: fold 1/2" on both long sides, press. Fold in half RS out, press. Sew close to both long edges. Repeat
  9. 4"x 11" strips: Fold one short end in 1/2", press. Fold both long sides in 1/2", press. Lay strip WS up, lay 1 1/2"x 10" foam on top, short end under the 1/2" fold of fabric. Lay 18" strap centered on foam. Match raw short ends of fabric and foam. Fold over long sides of fabric to encase strap. Sew 3/8" in from all edges of foam strap. Repeat
  10. Sew hanger:

  11. Fold each long edge of print fabric in 1/2", press. Repeat for denim.
  12. WST sew 1/4" from folded edges.
  13. Sew pocket:

  14. WST, sew 1/2" from one long edge. Turn RSO, press. Topstitch. Baste 1/4" from raw edges.
  15. Sew flap:

  16. Cut two corners on one long side with 2" curves, print and denim. Use a zipper foot to sew piping to RS of print. Match raw edges. Start and stop at 90 degree corners. Cut toward stitching on piping to ease piping around curves. RST, print and denim, sew together over piping stitching. Trim seams to 1/4". Turn RSO, press. Baste 1/4" from raw edges. Zigzag stitch over raw edge. Fold flap to find center point. Use this point for center of buttonhole. Sew vertical buttonhole to match size of button.
  17. Pocket and flap to front:

  18. Mark a line on front 5 1/2" from the bottom edge, 1" in from each side. Place zigzag stitched edge of flap, denim side up above line. Sew close to zigzag edge and 1" up from edge to secure.
  19. Place pocket, denim up, on top of lower section of front. This will overlap the bottom edge of the flap. Match bottom corners. Sew 1/4" from three raw edges leaving top open. Fold flap over pocket, press. Place mark through center of buttonhole to locate placement of button. Hand stitch button in place.
  20. Piping to front & back:

  21. Fold front and back to find bottom center of each. Start piping at center bottom. Extend tail of piping 1" from raw edge. Fold piping raw edge to turn piping. Line up raw edges of panels with piping raw edges. Clip toward piping to turn at corners. Use a zipper foot to stitch close to cording.
  22. Straps & hanger to back:

  23. On top of RS of back, match raw edges of back and top of straps. Inside edge of straps 3" in from the sides of the panel. Repeat. Bottom ends of straps inside edge 3" in from sides of back (same as top). Place hanger ends centered, side to side, on the top back. Line up the raw edges. There will be a 1" space between the hanger and strap. Sew over piping stitching with zipper foot to secure.
  24. Zipper to top:

  25. Baste two denim together 1/2" in from long edges. Press seam open. Second set of denim fold one long edge on each 1/2" in, press. Mark the center of length and the center of length of zipper. Place folded edges on back of zipper, centered, close to teeth. Use zipper foot to sew close to zipper teeth. Pull folds of fabric close to each other at ends, past the zipper. Move zipper pull as necessary to keep stitching straight. Lay basted panel of denim WS up. Center zipper, RS down, on stitching matching ends of denim. Sew with a zipper foot. At both ends of the zipper zigzag stitch remaining 1" length of denim to keep the panels together. Remove baste stitch on RS of zipper. Baste 1/4" from raw edges of denim. Zigzag stitch edges.
  26. Bottom to sides:

  27. RS together, short ends of bottom to short end of side. 1/2" SA. Repeat
  28. Zipper top to front & back:
  29. RST match corners and raw edges. Sew over piping stitching. Clip edges of denim less than 1/2" to turn corners. Start and stop stitching 1/2" from ends of sides. Open zipper.
  30. Bottom & sides to front, back & top:

  31. RST 1/2" SA. Match corners. Start and stop 1/2" from each corner.
  32. Bottom to front and back. Sides to front and back. Zipper/top panel short ends to side short ends. Trim side seams to 1/4" from zipper panel down and all bottom edges. Zigzag trimmed edges to prevent fraying. Top panel edges stay untrimmed.
  33. Liner:

  34. Sew RST, 1/4" SA: bottom to front and back (start and stop 1/4" from ends), sides to front and back (sew to 1/2" from top short ends and 1/4" from bottom short ends). Zigzag stitch sewn edges. Bag inside out, place WS of liner over bag. Match top edges and corners. Sew 1/4" SA around zipper panel to secure liner to bag. Cut front and back lining top corners to match curves. Sew short sides of lining to denim zipper top panel first. Zigzag raw edges to prevent fraying.
  35. Optional: Add extra-wide bias tape over the raw edges of the top panel, sides first.
  36. Turn bag RSO.
  37. Optional Tag for Zipper:

  38. Cut image from print fabric, large enough to add a zigzag stitch around perimeter without distorting image. Use a second image for the opposite side of the tag if desired. Fuse web to back of image. Fuse onto denim. Zigzag tight stitch around print. Cut denim to desired shape adding 1/2" SA and space above image for a buttonhole. RS together sew 1/2" from edges of denim leaving opening to turn. Trim sewn edges to 1/4". Turn, press, fold in opening, press. Topstitch edges. Add a buttonhole for keychain hardware. Link tag to zipper pull.

Craft Hack Tips and Tricks:
  • Use weights on top of rule to keep shifting to a minimum when cutting.

More Project Ideas