Adventuring as an Artist: How To....Turn a tote bag into a drawstring back pack.

Let me start this tutorial by explaining what inspired it: I have a generally small frame which comes with inconveniently narrow shoulders. Because of this, tote bags, purses, or anything else worn on one shoulder constantly falls off of them, especially annoying when I'm running to class and I have to stop seven times to re-position it. I much prefer those light-weight drawstring backpacks that are popular with teens and twentysomethings. So, I decided to figure out how to convert my favorite tote bags into more functional drawstring backpacks!

You will need:

A tote bag
Scissors (I used Fiskars Razor Edge, they're spring loaded, and amazing for crafting)
A small knife (I used an X-acto) or a seam ripper
A needle
Thread in your choice of color
Straight pins
A safety pin, no more than 1 to 1 1/2 inches
3 to 4 feet of shoestring or other cord (I used the drawstring salvaged from some discarded sweats)
Clear nail polish

Step one:

Take your tote bag and remove the straps...SAVE THEM

So now you have this:

Step two:

Take the straps you just cut off, pin them to the bottom corners on the back of your bag:

Step three:

Take the loose ends of the straps and pin them about 2 inches apart on the inside of the bag (the closeness will prevent the straps from falling off of your shoulders):

So now you should have this:

Step four:

Stitch in a square where the straps are attached to the bottom of the bag. Small, close, tight stitches are the key to a strong seam.

Step five:

Stitch two lines on each strap where the straps are pinned to the top of the bag, one at the edge of the strap and one at the top of the bag. DO NOT stitch the lines vertically or you will not be able to put in the drawstring!