Raspberry Rucksack

I love sewing because there is always something new to learn! I pushed myself a little out of my clothing comfort zone by sewing up a backpack! I love the look of the Raspberry Rucksack Pattern, and I was very eager and excited to give it a go using my Baby Lock Brilliant sewing machine.

My fabrics are from a little fabric shop in Provo, Utah called Harmony, and my hardware and zippers are from Wawak. My webbing is from Hobby Lobby.

This project was so much fun! It is so different from what I typically do, but was still manageable and easy to follow along. I did take advantage of the sew along blog post to get a different point of view of certain steps.

I only used my Baby Lock Brilliant sewing machine for this project, and used my zipper foot and foot J. Marking tools come in handy for this project, and I thought I would share two of my favorites.

Clover White Chalko Liner: I lovvvve this chalk pen. It’s a must have for every sewing project!

Clover Air Erasable Marker: I like this particular Erasable marker because it comes with an eraser on one end. Sometimes it’s hard to get rid of every little mark with water or air, but the erasable tip really gets rid of all the marks. Also a must have sewing tool for me.

Once I finished my backpack I sprayed it all over with Scotchgard Outdoor Water Shield. I have 4 young kids and I put way too much time in this backpack for it to ruined by juice, or Cheetos haha. I wanted to spray the light colored handles and the bottom of the bag to protect it from normal wear and tear.

There were a few tricky parts, like attaching the pop out pocket for example, but the machine handled it all really well!

You’ll notice above that I used my zipper foot for sewing on the pop out pocket. When I helped my daughter make her “little version” I found that using foot J was much easier- it would just plow around those tough corners where the zipper foot would tend to get caught. Both work, but if you are struggling try using a different foot. Just go slow, take your time, check your work and re-do as needed. The seam ripper is your best friend!

I felt a little intimidated by all of the zippers and hardware needed for this project. Everything was so easy to install, the instructions are really great and easy to follow.

I’m so happy with my new backpack! It feels like it’s the perfect size, not too big or too small but just right. I love throwing a few items in it and taking off with my kids for adventuring. It’s perfect!