A rust orange backpack with a top zipper and a gusseted back pocket, worn by a white person wearing a rainbow striped shirt whose face is mostly out of the frame.

As soon as I had been safely accepted to university, my parents started to joke that I was a preschool dropout.

It is, in a sense, true. From kindergarten through the end of high school, I was homeschooled alongside with my younger sibling, only darkening the door of a school to occasionally visit my friend Augusta's Waldorf classroom or, later, to attend driver's ed over the summer at a New England high school. It was more of an accident than anything else: we tried it for a short-term period of moving around, and it stuck.

I was jealous of my Sunday School friends who went to Real School. My parents weren't the kinds of homeschooling parents you read about in the news; they taught us math, and languages, and actual science. While many of the curricula we used were from an extremely conservative, implicitly and sometimes explicitly homophobic viewpoint, my parents muddled through as best they could and tried to counteract those viewpoints. I wish now that they'd been clearer about that, or that the children who presented as anything but cis and straight in our homeschool groups weren't dismissed as "attention seeking" or "going through a phase." I wish now that I'd had a real group of friends in high school who could have helped me discover who I was earlier, and maybe spend less time trying to be perfect, tiny, and heterosexual.

But at the time? I just really wished I had a backpack.

A backpack represented everything I dreamed school was: an adventure you needed gear for, a journey you took with friends, an escape from home. A backpack could hold your secrets and your dreams so you could carry them with you wherever you walked. It could express who you were becoming as your favorite colors and favorite shows changed from year to year. Running away to join the circus without a backpack is as impractical as keeping a backpack is for a school commute from bedroom to kitchen table.

This fall is the first one since 2010 when I haven't been heading to school as a student. After a decade in higher education – whether to fulfill my childhood longing for school or simply because I am a nerd – I am now returning to the classroom as solely a teacher.

And you know what? I still deserve a backpack.

So, like anyone with a sewing machine and excess enthusiasm on their hands would, I made one! Here’s everything you need to make your own…

Lizzy as a child wearing an enormous yellow raincoat and a firefighter’s helmet, smiling uncertainly and pretending to steer a truck.

Inner Child Backpack

Materials:

1 yard exterior fabric: canvas or other heavyweight woven fabric
1 1/4 yards lining fabric: midweight quilting cotton
2 1/2 yards midweight fusible interfacing
1 1/2 yards fusible foam
12" piece of 1" wide cotton webbing or leather strap
2 yards of 1 1/2" wide cotton webbing
Bias tape for finishing interior of front pocket (optional)
2 x 1 1/2" sliders
2 x 1 1/2" rectangle rings
Zippers: 1 x 8" for inner zipper pocket, 1 x 9" for main front pocket, 1 x 22" for body zipper (with head-to-head sliders if you like!)

Drafting Instructions

I use butcher paper, but you can also use old pattern pieces, flattened grocery bags, or Swedish tracing paper to make my patterns; some of these are simple rectangles you might opt to cut directly from your fabric instead of making a rectangle. Feel free to play around with your dimensions, adjusting other pieces as necessary! If you do adjust the dimensions, either buy extra fabric or check your requirements before you do so.

A. MAIN PANEL

Draw a rectangle 15 1/2" tall and 12 1/2" wide. Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise and round the top corners symmetrically. Mark a 1/2" seam allowance on all sides. Measure the length of the seam allowance and note it down. (Mine is 50" – I'll refer to this measurement as X later in the tutorial!)

Mark placement for inner pocket: draw an 8" line parallel to the bottom of the rectangle, centered at the midline and about 11" up from the bottom of the rectangle. Draw two more lines 1/4" above and below the line, marking the placement for the inner pocket.

B. MAIN FRONT POCKET

Fold a piece of paper at least 10" square and fold it in half. Refold the main panel along the midline, and then flatten so that the midline fold lines up about 3" along the zipper marking. (You're essentially pleating the pattern piece!)

Mark a point on your square piece of paper about 4" up from the fold, align the curved edge of your pleated main panel with the mark, and trace around the edge of the main panel. Cut out along your line, unfold, and mark a 1/2" seam allowance. Measure the length of the seam allowance and note it down. (Mine is 26 3/4" – I'll refer to this measurement as Y later in the tutorial!)

C. MAIN FRONT POCKET ZIPPER PANEL

Draw a rectangle 2" wide and 10 1/2" tall.

D. MAIN FRONT POCKET BOTTOM GUSSET

Draw a rectangle 3 1/2" wide and (Y - 9 1/2)" long. For me, this piece was 3 1/2" x 17 1/4".

E. REAR FLAT POCKET

Draw a rectangle 12 1/2" wide and 11" tall.

F. BODY GUSSET – TOP ZIPPER PANEL

Draw a rectangle 3 3/8" wide and 23 1/2" tall. Note that the zipper panel is constructed with a 3/8" seam allowance, unlike most of the backpack—you may wish to note this on your pattern piece!

G. BODY GUSSET – BOTTOM

Draw a rectangle 6 1/2" wide and (X - 22 1/2") tall. For me, this piece was 6 1/2" wide x 27 1/2" tall.

H. BACKSTRAP HOLDER

Draw a triangle as follows: mark a 5" line, then mark a point 2 1/2" above the midpoint of the line. Connect the ends of your line with your marked point.

I. INNER POCKET LINING

Draw a rectangle 10" wide and 10" tall.

Mark placement for zipper: draw an 8" line parallel to the one side of the square, centered at the midline and about 1 1/2" from one side of the rectangle. Draw two more lines 1/4" above and below the line.

Cutting Instructions

From your exterior fabric, cut:

2 x (A) Main Panel
1 x (B) Front Pocket
2 x (C) Front Pocket Zipper Panel
1 x (D) Front Pocket Bottom Gusset
1 x (E) Rear Flat Pocket
2 x (F) Body Gusset – Top Zipper Panel
1 x (G) Body Gusset – Bottom
4 x (H) Backstrap Holder

From your lining fabric cut:

2 x (A) Main Panel
1 x (B) Front Pocket
2 x (C) Front Pocket Zipper Panel
1 x (D) Front Pocket Bottom Gusset
1 x (E) Rear Flat Pocket
2 x (F) Body Gusset – Top Zipper Panel
1 x (G) Body Gusset – Bottom
2 x (I) Zipper Pocket Lining

From your interfacing cut:

2 x (A) Main Panel
2 x (B) Front Pocket
4 x (C) Front Pocket Zipper Panel
2 x (D) Front Pocket Bottom Gusset
1 x (E) Rear Flat Pocket
2 x (F) Body Gusset – Top Zipper Panel
1 x (G) Body Gusset – Bottom
4 x (H) Backstrap Holder
2 x (I) Inner Pocket Lining

From your fusible foam cut, then trim the 1/2" seam allowance off from:

2 x (A) Main Panel
1 x (E) Rear Flat Pocket
2 x (F) Body Gusset – Top Zipper Panel
1 x (G) Body Gusset – Bottom

From your 1" cotton webbing or leather strapping cut:

1 x 12" handle

From your 1 1/2" cotton webbing cut:

2 x 2 1/2" lower straps
2 x 30" upper straps

APPLY INTERFACING AND FOAM

Fuse your interfacing to the corresponding lining pieces plus exterior front pocket pieces and the backstrap holders. Fuse your foam to the corresponding exterior pieces.

Assembly

STEP ONE: MAKE THE FRONT POCKET

On one exterior front zipper panel (C), one lining front zipper panel (C), and both front pocket bottom gusset (D) pieces, press one edge in by 1/2", wrong sides together.
Sandwich the 9" zipper between one exterior front pocket zipper panel (C) and one lining front pocket zipper panel (C), with the raw edges of the fabric extending about 1/8" beyond the edge of the zipper tape. The right side of the zipper and the right side of the lining should both facing be facing the right side of the exterior fabric. Pin or baste in place with a zipper foot.
Sew the zipper at 1/2" seam allowance using a zipper foot.
Trim seam allowances, press both pieces of the zipper panel away from the zipper and topstitch in place.
Repeat for the other side of your zipper.
Sew the assembled zipper panel to the front pocket bottom gusset (D) by pinning and sewing the short ends together, right side of exterior to right side of exterior and right side of lining to right side of lining, and the pressed-in edges on the same side. Press and topstitch seams.
Baste together the exterior and lining front pocket pieces (B) at 1/2" with wrong sides facing.
Pin the assembled gusset to the front pocket pieces, right exterior sides together. Stitch carefully, using your basting stitches as a guide to help you sew at 1/2" seam allowance.
Grade the seam allowance by trimming away the two layers of exterior fabric from between the two layers of lining fabric. Finish the seam allowance with an overlocker, zigzag stitch, or – my recommendation – bias tape.
Pin the assembled pocket to one exterior main panel (A) at least 1 1/2" from the bottom, centering the zipper at the top of the pocket. Topstitch carefully close to the edge.

STEP TWO: MAKE THE REAR FLAT POCKET

Pin the Rear Flat Pocket (E) exterior and lining along one long edge with right sides together.
Stitch along the long edge at 1/2" seam allowance. Press carefully and topstitch.
Baste the assembled flat pocket to second exterior main panel (A), aligning the raw edges of the pocket with the bottom of the main panel and leaving the top open.

STEP THREE: STRAP PLACEMENT

Mark the center point at the top of the back exterior main panel (A) – that is, the one with the flat pocket.
Pin and baste your two upper straps to either side of the center point.
Pin and baste your top handle with one end to the side of each upper strap. (If you are using a leather strap, don't do this – glue baste instead!)
Fold the ends of the upper straps and tuck them in the rear flat pocket to keep them out of the way.
Loop each lower strap through a rectangle ring, pin the raw edges together, and baste.
Place one of the backstrap holders (H) right side up and align an assembled lower strap with the raw edges along one of the equal sides of the triangle, 3/4" from the other equal side of the triangle.
Put another backstrap holder (H) right side down on top, pin, and sew at 1/2" seam allowance along both of the equal sides of the triangle.
Trim seam allowances, turn, press carefully, and topstitch. Repeat for the other lower strap and remaining backstrap holders (H).
Pin and baste each assembled backstrap holder to sides of the back exterior main panel, 1" from the bottom, with the rectangle rings pointing up towards the top of the backpack.

A closeup of the slider and strap of the backpack over the shoulder of a white person wearing a rainbow striped shirt that ties in the front.

STEP FOUR: PREPARE THE LINING

Transfer the zipper placement markings to the right side of one of the lining main panels (A), and to the wrong side of one of the inner pocket lining pieces (I).
Pin these two pieces right sides together, aligning the zipper placement markings. Carefully stitch along the outer rectangle of the zipper placement markings.
Cut a line down the center of the rectangle, halting about 1/2" from either end. Snip into each corner of the rectangle from your stopping point, being careful not to cut through your stitching line.
Pull the pocket lining through the opening to the wrong side of the main panel and press neatly, making certain the lining isn't visible from the right side.
Center the zipper inside the rectangular gap, pinning or glue basting securely, then topstitch around all sides.
Pin the second inner pocket lining piece (I) to the first, right sides together, and stitch around all edges at a 1/2" seam allowance.
Press all the edges of the lining main panels (A) in by a scant 1/2", wrong sides together.

STEP FIVE: ASSEMBLE BODY GUSSET

Sandwich the 22" zipper between one exterior body gusset – top zipper panel (F) and one lining body gusset – top zipper panel (F), with the raw edges of the fabric extending about 1/8" beyond the edge of the zipper tape. The right side of the zipper and the right side of the lining should both facing be facing the right side of the exterior fabric. Pin or baste in place with a zipper foot.
Sew the zipper at 1/2" seam allowance using a zipper foot.
Trim seam allowances, press both pieces of the zipper panel away from the zipper and topstitch in place.
Repeat for the other side of your zipper.
Pulling the lining pieces out of the way, pin the short ends of the exterior body gusset – bottom (G) to the exterior of the short end of the assembled top zipper panel, right sides together. Stitch together at 1/2", stopping and backstitching a short way before the zipper. Resume stitching on the other side of the zipper, again sewing together only the exterior pieces. Repeat for the other short ends.
Repeat the process with the lining body gusset – bottom (G), sewing together only the lining on either side of the zipper.
Press the raw edges of the body gusset lining – not the exterior, only the lining – in by a scant 1/2", wrong sides together.
To finish the gusset and secure the top and bottom together at the zipper, sew through all layers just at the center, being sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of your seam.
Turn and press carefully. The raw edges of the exterior and the raw edges of the lining should be separate from one another.
Open the zipper partway.

STEP SIX: ASSEMBLE BACKPACK

Carefully pin one edge of only the exterior of the body gusset to the back exterior or the backpack, centering the zipper at the top.
Stitch together at 1/2" and press carefully.
Repeat with the other side of the exterior of the body gusset and the front of the backpack.
With the backpack inside out, pin lining of the body gusset to the lining main body pieces (A), wrong sides together and pressed edges aligned. Carefully topstitch as close to the edge as you can.
Turn the backpack right ways out and smooth the lining and exterior pocket.
Pull the upper straps out of the flat pocket where they've been stashed and thread them through the sliders, under the outer bars and over the center bar.
Thread the same ends through the rectangle rings on the side closest to each strap, then pull the end back over the center bar of the slider, underneath the strap already inside it but going in the same direction as you originally pulled the strap.
Fold the end of the strap under and sew it to only to the layer of strap closes to the backpack.
Fill up your finished backpack with some snacks and your favorite books, and go take the world by storm!

Lizzy, a white woman with short red hair and glasses, holds her rust orange backpack in front of her by the handle. She is wearing the rainbow striped shirt with a camp collar that she made for the #SewYourPride roundup earlier this year.

Lizzy (she/her) is a queer language instructor and fiber enthusiast living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s a volunteer copyeditor for the Sew Queer blog, so she’s the one to blame for any typos around here. You can find her creations – wool, fabric, and otherwise – on her Instagram @lizzy_keeps_busy, and her knitting patterns at lizzykeepsbusy.com.

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Lizzy: A Backpack for my Inner Child