DIY Backpack Makeover using old Clothes
Give an old or oddly branded school bag an update with this easy DIY backpack makeover idea using upcycled clothing!
Do you have a dated backpack that needs a facelift? Or maybe the design isn’t age-appropriate any more. Learn how to use old clothes and some Mod Podge for a simple DIY backpack makeover, just in time for back-to-school!
Back-to-School is Around the Corner
School begins in the middle of September in Greece. No need to rush things too much. It is still very hot here and it’s hard to hit the books when you are trying to keep cool. Children begin grade school when they are 6 years old. There are 3 years in middle school and another 3 in senior high school. After that they can either go to a University or a vocational school for higher education.
This was the first public school my kids went to in Greece. They are almost done now. The youngest is in her last year of Senior high school. Schools generally start at 8:10 and go till 2 pm depending on the grade.
There is no lunch break but they do have a place where they can purchase snacks. The kids come home at 2 pm and then many of them go to tutorial schools in the afternoon. We all have to learn English here since Greek is not a widely used language.
This small school bag was given to one of my girls when she visited a factory. It is nice and useful but not really appropriate for her age. She is a teen after all and teens want what they want! And who can blame her.
We were going to give it away but it was a nice size, not too big for those days she has few books and it was very sturdy. The only problem was that sticker on the front.
Giving a Backpack a DIY Makeover
My first solution to this sticker problem was to mix acrylic paint with some fabric medium and paint over it.
Of course once I was done I realized my mistake. First of all, I was not painting over fabric but plastic so the fabric medium was useless here. And secondly, it did not cover at all.
The next idea was to cover it with fabric. I had this pretty dress which was too small but loved the fabric. I’ve repurposed clothing before to make a seat cover and a pillow. In fact I make it a habit to repurpose clothing, you can see more in my fabric category.
Using plain paper, I made templates for the areas I wanted to cover with fabric.
I used a fabric glue to put this on.
And the bottom, where the pocket is. I then applied two coats of mod podge to seal the fabric in.
I wanted to create a border on the top section so I just traced over the border with a permanent marker.
My girl wanted some interest on the side, I drew these to mimic the design on the fabric.
And then she asked me to cover the straps in the same fabric. I sewed them on. But of course you can just as easily use glue.
Isn’t that fabric just lovely?
The straps look so nice in the front when she is wearing it.
I added a metallic grey marker to the flower design to give it more interest.
Related: If you’d like to sew your own backpack, check out this DIY rucksack sewing pattern at Sustain my Craft Habit.
The old backpack makeover is finished just in time for the beginning of the school year. It looks nothing like the before, it is pretty and feminine with the choice of this lovely fabric. And most importantly you cannot see that childish sticker that is hiding underneath.
I believe I went above and beyond with this DIY backpack makeover using old clothes, not just covering the sticker but also adding so much more to make it truly unique. My girl loves her “new” bag and that’s all that matters. What would you have done with this childish bag?
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What a transformation. From boring to all grown up and groovy. I love how feminine this school bag is now and there’s no mistaking it for someone else’s either.
That is exactly what I was after Stella. Something totally unique just for her.
Aww Mary it’s beautiful! I just bought a new bag for my daughter, her old one was broken….maybe I should have bought a plain one and made it look pretty with fabric like you did. What a cool idea and the fabric matches that backpack so perfectly, it really turned out so pretty! No wonder your daughter loves it now!
Katrin you can always transform it later on if she gets tired of it. That is if it doesn’t fall apart first. That can be a problem too. I have been through so many bags with 4 kids, more than I care to remember.
Wow Mary, you can see the bag was made with so much love and you chose the perfect fabric. It’s stunning, so much better than the before. I hope you’ve got a few more of those plastic bags lying around, the other kids are going to want one too.
That’s what I always try to do Michelle, put lots of love into everything I make. Otherwise there is no point to what we do. The boys are not in school anymore, thank goodness and the other girl paints on her schoolbag. So I’m done …whew!!
No wonder why your girl loves that bag, Mary, it is lovely!! When I saw the after picture I would have never imagined it wasn’t like that before, I thought you bought it in a shop! The dress was perfect for it and I agree with you, it gives the bag a pretty feminine look. Are the girls happy to go back to school?
Words to make me happy Pili. It looks like it came from a shop! Thank you my friend. The younger one is l ooking forward to seeing her friends, and the older one is nervous because she is going to a new school this year, new adventures.
This is adorable Mary!
I love that you used the fabric from a dresser. Now an ordinary backback is delicate and unique.
Great job!
Patricia.
Thank you Patricia. We gave it a whole other life.
I love the bag; it’s so pretty. Great fabric too!
Thank you Carol. Yes the other one would not do for my girl at all.
What a beautiful remake, Mary! The fabric really makes the backpack pop! And I love the added flower design along the sides! How creative!
I too really love that fun fabric Gail. It is perfect for a young lady.
Mary, I love this bag now!! That fabric is so beautiful and perfect for your girl’s backpack! I also love the designs you made on the sides, very talented artist!! What a fantastic repurpose!!
It was pretty awful before Keri. That bus had to go. I am really happy with it and happy that my girl participated in the process too.
It turned out very nice. I would not have considered doing a complete “make over” on the back pack. I probably would have just stuck it in the closet or given it away. This solution was much better and more useful.
You know me Krista, I’m all about reusing old things. I got to repurpose the dress and upcycle the bag. A win-win in my book!
This is so fun, Mary! Can’t believe it’s time for school already.
Larissa, the summer just flew by. At least the kids will be ready for school with bags like these.
You’re most definitely the ‘repurposing Queen’ of blogland Mary. I love how your transformed this backpack into something adorable!
Thank you so much Doreen. It was a labor of love and one that I did with my girl which makes it twice as special.
Mary, you did a fabulous job on the bag. I do believe you went above and beyond, it looks so pretty. I love the fabric, it goes perfect, like it was made for it. It never would of crossed my mind to add fabric.
Your daughter will have a unique and one of the prettiest bags in school.
Linda, I would do anything for my girl. I wanted her to have a special bag that no one else has.
Super cute!! Love how you customized the backpack! It is so feminine and pretty. Good thing you finished in time!
Yes Erin, we still have two more weeks before school starts, and in this girls case it won’t really get under way till October. You see here in Greece we like to take our time.
Great job! Wish this had been one of the examples in my back to school post last week!
Oh.. That is too bad. Because we start school so late, I don’t even worry about school yet.
Well that’s just cute! I love how it turned out, projects like that are so rewarding :o)
Tania
Oh boy are they! In fact my girl took it out for a spin today and got lots of compliments.
Mary, I love this one!! The fabric idea is genius!
And it is also your favorite color, that’s why you love it.
I still use backpacks in my work line and it’s really hard to find one that is stylish as yours! Great makeover!
Well now I’ve got you thinking maybe you can transform one too. Thank you Katerina for dropping by.
Mary, this is such a clever idea! I wish I had been as smart as you when my kids were in school. Could have saved lots $$$ because they aren’t cheap. Pinned to share 🙂
I know just how expensive they are Marie. I had 4 kids in school at one point. And they wear out so fast. I wish I had been as smart years ago to do this too.
I love the bag! It is so creative what you did with the fabric. Of course I just love red, black and white. I am not so creative so I probably would have just stuck a different patch over the original one!
AnnMarie. We really needed a more grown up look for this bag. She is a teen and did not want a school bus on there. Although red is not her favorite color, she does love Black and White, so this was the perfect solution.
So cute! What I like most the personal touch!
Happy Back to School!
Thank you Ilka. Happy Back to School too. You are very creative, I’m sure you could easily do this if you had to.