Finally, here is the book bag tutorial promised long ago.
{click on photo's to enlarge}
Cut a 8" x 9" rectangle of fabric for the pocket. Fold over 1/2" of the top of the pocket and steam press, fold over again and press again. Topstitch 1/16" away from the edge of the folded pressed hem at the top of the pocket. Topstitch another row of stitching 1/2" away from the edge.
Fold over and steam press 1/2" of fabric on the bottom and sides of the pocket. Topstitch two rows of stitches along the edge of the pocket on the sides and bottom of the pocket. Stitch the first row 1/16" away from the edge of the pocket and the second row of stitches 1/4" away from the first line of topstitching.
Trim away the extra fabric of the little hungry bear iron-on applique close to the edges of the image. Iron on the applique onto the front of the pocket.
Press a 16" long piece of 1" wide bias trim in half lengthwise. Fold and pin the pressed bias trim around the hungry bear applique as shown above. Press the pinned bias trim at the folded corners. Start topstitching 1" away from the top where the ends of the bias trim fold one behind the other, so that the bias trim remains loose there. Topstitch along the outer edge of the bias trim. As you are stitching you will be able to fold the end neatly behind the beginning of the bias trim and sew over it. See photo below.
I ended up gluing rick rack around the edges. You can sew rick rack on if you prefer.
Cut a 16" x 28 1/2" rectangle of fabric for the body of the bag.
Fold the bag fabric in half, and place the topstitched pocket on the bag so that it is 3 1/2" away from the fold and 3" away from the top edge of the bag. Pin the pocket in place. Open the bag fabric up and topstitch the pocket in place following the topstitching you have already made on the pocket.
Once the pocket is sewn on, fold the bag with the right sides of the fabric together and stitch a 1/2" wide sideseam and bottom seam with a small stitch using heavy duty thread. Finish the seam edges with a zig-zag stitch or overlock stitch.
Make the gusset at the bottom corners of the bag by first matching the sideseam to the bottom seam so that the corner makes a triangle as shown below. Sew through the fabric while the seams are matched so that the stitching side of the triangle is 3" long. Stitch over the new stitching again and then follow with a line of zig-zag or overlock stitching.
Repeat making a gusset at the other bottom corner of the bag. There will not be a sideseam to help you match the center of the side of the bag to the bottom seam. In this case place the bag flat on the ironing board and press both sideseams flat. Use the ironed crease made on the side of the bag where there is no sideseam to help you match the side of the bag to the bottom seam to make the gusset.
This is how the gusset looks on the outside of the bag.
Cut two 17 1/2" long web strap handles. Pin along the top edge of bag on the right side of the fabric. Make sure the handles are centered and are not twisted (I always end up with my handles pinned wrong). Stitch the handles in place. Zig-zag or overlock stitch the unfinished top edge of the bag.
Turn 1 1//4" of the top edge of the bag to the inside, make sure the handles are lying flat against the fabric. Topstitch 1/16" away from the folded edge through the fabric and the handles. Follow with another row of topstitching 1" away from the folded edge.
You are done!
Hand the bag off to the closest child along with a small stack of books.
