Rolltop Commuter Backpack

This is the very first backpack I made while I was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

The inspiration to make my own backpacks started a few years ago during my sophomore year, when I took an introduction to metal working course. Every class, my metals teacher would ride in on his bicycle with a slick, gorgeous green canvas and leather backpack slung on his back, and prop it on his bike rack before he sat down. I would constantly get distracted, taking continual stares at his backpack in the corner. It was definitely the most eye-catching, beautifully crafted backpack I had ever seen. After several weeks of staring, I asked my teacher what brand his bag was, with the intention of buying one of my own. I was blown away by his response: "I made it."

After my metals class finished, I asked my professor if he would do an independent study, to teach me his process. He happily agreed, and this backpack is the one I created during the time we studied together. Since then, I have made several more, and every time I create a new backpack, it expands my breadth of experience and love for creating, and the self gratification that comes with making something that you can use everyday. This feeling is second to none.

I designed this particular backpack with the goal accommodate the user with an all-inclusive, multifaceted bag. Too many times do backpacks only do one function well, while others are left to be desired. With water resistant and breathable fabrics, versatile pocketing, ergonomic and cushioned straps, seatbelt webbing, Mil Spec Monkey hardware (the U.S. military standard) and constructed with thick polyester thread used for sewing leather, this bag will last for decades to come.

Behance Line: https://www.behance.net/gallery/26231177/Taro-Backpack

Materials:

- Hunter Green, Dry Waxed Canvas

- Neon Yellow Spacer Mesh

- Black Polyester Thread

- 1.75" Seat Belt Webbing

- Elastic Black Trim

- 18" Black Zipper

- Two, 1.75" Slide Release Buckles

- Two, 1.75" Austri-Alpin Slide Block Buckles- Aluminum Snaps

- 1/2'' Upholstery Foam

- Snap Fasteners (or called press stud, popper or tich)

Tools:

Juki Industrial Sewing Machine

Scissors

Ruler

Snap Pressing Machine (or snap fastener pliers)

Binder Clips

Rubber Cement (optional way to temporarily stick black trim to edges of canvas before sewing)

- Two, 2" D-Rings (Left; Optional)

- Two, 1.75" Austri-Alpin Slide Block Buckles (Middle)

- Two, 1.75" Slide Release Buckles (Right)

Product research helps understand the market and trends, and as a designer I often draw inspiration from other brands. Once I've collected a variety of different brand images, I will incorporate elements I find successful into my own interpretation.

Some of my personal favorites are Chrome, Filson and boutique backpacks on Etsy.

Sketching is a vital step in any design process. In order to visualize my designs, I will sketch out concepts that help flesh out my ideas.

Oak tag paper is a popular material in apparel design used to make templates, but any thick paper, such as bristol, can work fine when creating a paper template or model.

Creating a full-scale paper models helps me visualize general dimensions and proportions of how big I want my backpack to be.

I'll often quickly build a muslin model, or looks-like prototype. This allows me to practice my sewing, order of operations, and general functionality and proportions. From this practice model, I can make adjustments and take mental notes on what I want to look different. For example, in this model I made the front pocket way too big, so I scaled down and added snaps to my final version.

I first start with cutting out simple, rectangular shapes as panels for the backpack.

Front Panel: One 16x30" canvas + 16x18" canvas

Back Panel: One 16x30" canvas + 16x30" spacer mesh + 15x29" upholstery foam + 16x18" canvas

Side Panels: Two 5x48" canvas

Bottom Panel: Two 5x16" canvas + 4x15" upholstery foam

For the back panel, I sewed upholstery foam in between a layer of waxed canvas and spacer mesh. Afterwards, I clipped a zipper to the edge of the panel and sewed it on top of the spacer mesh, which will serve as a back pocket for a laptop.

To add snaps to my backpack, I punched holes into the canvas with a hole punch, and then pressed the snaps into the fabric, making sure (and double checking!) that I wasn't pressing the the male and female parts of the snaps on the wrong side.

Another great reason to create a looks-like and works-like model is because you can test out proportions and styling when building your final. Here, I played around with the width of my shoulder straps.

For the straps, I punched two holes into the canvas and seat belt webbing to add snaps. Then I sewed the spacer mesh and canvas, with upholstery foam in between, together. I then sewed the black elastic trim around all the edges, rounding out the corners of the fabric. I also added a couple D-rings so I could clip items to the straps if desired.

I then sewed the sides of the two side panel pockets together, inside-out. Each pocket is made of a front panel and a long strip of canvas that wraps around three edges of the front. Then, each pocket is sewn in between the same seam when the side and front and back panels are sewn together.

Side pockets: 5x8'' canvas + 5x8" spacer mesh + 5x21" canvas strip

Side pocket closing flap: 5x4" canvas + 5x4" spacer mesh + black trim

Front pocket: 16x18" canvas

Front pocket closing flap: 16x7" canvas + 16x7" spacer mesh + black trim

Once you've sewed the front, sides and back panels, you can now start to sew each piece together!

The front and back panels come in to two parts.

I added trim to all of the exposed edges of my fabric. You can use clips, or rubber cement to temporarily stick the trim to the edges, allowing you to sew without the trim falling off.

This is a view of both side panels sewed to the back panel, making sure that all were sewn together inside out so that the seams are clean.

I then continue to add trim to the edges exposed on the inside of the bag.

After sewing the side panels to the back panel, I sewed the bottom panel (with upholstery foam in between two layers of canvas) to the back, and then to the side panels, leaving only the front panel left.

The last step was adding any remaining trim to keep the edges clean and consistent.

And you have a finished backpack! Ready to be taken to school, bike commutes and long trips out of town. And if you can get your hip friend to model the backpack for you, even better!

Detail of pocket.