Bedside Book Bag

What do you do when you have no room for an end table or nightstand of any sort for your book loving 3 year old? You make a bedside book bag of course!

My husband goes through jeans like crazy! Which means I have a lot of denim scraps, including pockets. For this book bag, I measured the largest book K has, which was just smaller than two of my husband’s back pockets…I’m laughing as I type this because it sounds so funny!

K’s bed has slats on it instead of a box spring, so this bag has two straps that velcro around the slats. If your bed does not have slats, you can easily adapt this bag to have straps that wrap vertically around the base board (is that what it’s called?).

If you are making a book bag like mine, you will need two of your husband’s back pockets (I seriously laugh every-time I type this) sewn together to the size you want your bag to be. Sewn together, the back pockets create a perfect place for those special toys that can’t possibly be thrust into the depths of the toy box overnight or a marking pen or something of the sort.My bag measures 17 inches wide and 12 inches high.

Cut out a matching or contrasting fabric for the back of your bag and cut out two pieces of fabric of your choice the same size to make your lining.

You will also need velcro, two pieces of fabric about 2 inches wide and long enough to wrap around the slats with an inch of overlap (pieces A & B in the picture below), Sorry this isn’t more precise, but every bed is different! Cut out two more pieces of fabric about 2 1/2 inches wide and 6 inches long (you’ll probably trim this down later)  also known as C & D. Below are the 4 pieces folded in half.

Put the right sides of your front and back together and sew around the sides and bottom. Trim the bottom corners, turn right side out and press.

Put your lining pieces right sides together and sew along the sides and bottom leaving a 3-4 inch space in the bottom for turning.

Fold C & D in half (right sides together) and sew along your long edge to form a tube. Turn right side out and press.

Fold A & B in half (right sides together) and lay C & D on top to form a T shape. Using pins mark either side of C & D as shown below.

Sew along the short ends and the bottom of A & B, leaving between your pins open for turning and inserting pieces C & D.

Trim your corners, turn right side out and press. Insert C & D into A & B respectively and sew along the bottom edge of A & B as shown below.

Sew velcro onto the ends of your T shaped straps.

Measure how far down you want your bag to hang and how long the straps will need to be while velcroed to the slats. Cut to the appropriate length and sew the bottom of each strap to the top of of the back of your bag.

With your bag right side out and the lining inside out, slip your bag into the lining. Make sure the straps are not caught anywhere and sew around the top of your bag.

Using the hold you left in the lining, turn your bag right side out. Hand or machine sew the opening closed.

Press the top so it lays nicely and top stitch if desired.

Hang from your little one’s bed and fill it with favorite books that are far too good for any old bookshelf!

This would made a great gift for a book lover in your life and I must give full credit for this idea to my mother’s wonderful friend Corey who asked my mom if I had seen anything like this in blog-world!

I’m linking up to Sew Cute Tuesday @ Creative Itch, Get Your Craft On @ Today’s Creative Blog, Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Coastal Charm, Lucky Linky Tuesday @ Lucky Star Lane, and Tot Tuesdays @ Delicious Ambiguity.