instructables
School Backpack Water Bottle Strap Holder
by babybayrs
My daughter lost water bottle after water bottle in
elementary school. The night before her first day in
middle school, I decided to fix the problem for her for
good by sewing a water bottle strap holder which is
permanently attached to her backpack and allows her
to easily take out or put in the bottle to drink or refill.
The bottle is also clasped by a jump ring and metal
swivel clasp and cord to the top handle on her
backpack. The possibility of her losing her bottle
again is slim unless she threw it to trash can after
drinking. Got water bottle losing kids? Follow along
please.
Things You'll Need:
Sewing machine (optional but stronger stitches and
job done faster)
Strap (I recycled from worn out bags)
Metal swivel clasp or something similar (I got mine in
a parking lot a few years ago. By now you know I'm a
School Backpack Water Bottle Strap Holder: Page 1
junk collector.)
Denim sewing machine needle (You probably can get
away with the largest universal sewing machine
needle. I have denim sewing machine needle, so
that's what I used.)
Upholstery thread (You probably can get away with
all purpose thread. I have upholstery thread, so that's
what I used.)
Seam ripper, Straight pins ,ruler, and other regular
sewing tools and notions.
Note: This article may contain affiliate links as
references for the same or similar products used in
this project. If you click on the links and make
purchases I could receive a small percentage of
commission from the advertising company with no
extra cost to you.
School Backpack Water Bottle Strap Holder: Page 2
Step 1: Make a Cross With Two Pieces of Strap

I picked out two sections of the strap that are long enough to go up and down the water bottle body, cross them at
the center and pin there in place.

Step 2: Keep the Up and Down Straps in Place

Place the water bottle over the center of the cross, fold the fours ends of the crossed straps up against the bottle
body. I used a piece of elastic band to keep them in place.

School Backpack Water Bottle Strap Holder: Page 3

Step 3: Make Three Cross Body Straps

I picked three sections of the straps I recycled that are long enough to go across the water bottle body, pin them in
place every 2.3" apart (including the width of the strap).

Remover the extra three but one of the vertical strap ends which are above the top across strap.

School Backpack Water Bottle Strap Holder: Page 4

Step 4: Time to Sew
Change the sewing machine needle and thread
appropriate to this project if your previous sewing
project used different sewing machine needle and
thread.
Remove all the pins but the one on the bottom cross.
Start with the bottom cross by stitching a box with a
cross in it. It's a overkill I think. Such stitches never
will wear out in the holder's life time I think. But a box
with a cross in it looks prettier than a plain box to me.
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Next sew the four crosses of the bottom across strap
with the four up and down straps plus one cross
which is the overlap of the two ends of the across
body strap.
Repeat the above step two times for the two
remaining across body straps.
In total, you sew 16 boxes with a cross in each.
Almost there!
School Backpack Water Bottle Strap Holder: Page 6
Step 5: Attach the Holder to the Backpack
Depending on your child is right- or left-handed, she
or he may have a preference for which side her or his
water bottle hugs him or her.
Sit the backpack upright on table top, place the water
bottle in the holder. With the bottom of the holder on
table top, the back of the water bottle flush with the
back of the backpack, pin the holder to backpack at
top where the vertical strap has an extra section and
at the bottom.
Remove the water bottle. Stitch the holder to the
backpack at top and bottom. I was able to open the
backpack zipper and do the top stitching on sewing
School Backpack Water Bottle Strap Holder: Page 7
machine and I had to hand stitch the bottom spot.
I add a jump ring and metal swivel clasp and section
of cord to hook the water bottle to the top handle on
her backpack. In the end, not only it's unlikely for the
water bottle to get lost, it's really easy to take out and
put in the water bottle.
I felt very good when it was completed, although it
was 2 AM in the morning.
Please vote this Instructable for Sew Cool Contest
and Fix It Contest if you like it. Thanks.
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