Welcome to Autumn! And I mean all of you! Even if you’re just taking one new class this autumn or have decided to learn a new skill by yourself, this month we’re celebrating you, your ambition and your love for learning.

Today we’re going to try and inspire you to make your own Bookbag Backpack: backpacks are so practical for carrying around books and tools without breaking your back. They also give you more freedom to move, so they’re perfect for those of you with highly energetic kids. I know we've written about the practicality of backpacks before but we thought you might still enjoy this inspiration post!

The Bookbag Backpack is a really versatile pattern; you can make it in any fabric you'd like (provided the fabric has some firmness) or you could use a variety of leathers and vinyls. It goes quickly and elegantly from a meeting to the gym or an evening class and it's easy to sew! Here are some backpacks we've seen recently, that will hopefully inspire you to design you own!



How do you feel about a little fringe, like this leather backpack blogger Carolina Toledo wears with a simple dress? Since you're making this yourself, you can decide on the thickness and length of your fringe: the longer it is, the more dramatic it will look.



Are you making a backpack for a child or teenager? What about making your bookbag backpack from durable brown canvas and adding a pair of cute ears and a face, like this one from style blogger Nicolette Michelle?

And how would you feel about mixing some natural coloured canvas with leather straps and handles, like this cute backpack from Polly Alba? If it's the first time you're working with leather, and you're going to sew through at least two layers of leather, make sure you choose the thinnest you can find.

Another idea, for a more futuristic/cool look like this backpack from Aiste Svarauskaite, is to use a metallic fabric for your backpack. Drop the front pocket and instead sew a large symbol on the front of your bag.

Last but not least, if you're sewing to a man or would like to create a more masculine bag, you could make your bookbag backpack in thicker vegan leather or vinyl and use some large geometric appliques, like this backpack from The Threef.