Raspberry Rucksack Review- A fun backpack!

Last summer, I decided to that I wanted to make a backpack for my granddaughter for Kindergarten. I came across the pattern for the Raspberry Rucksack by Sarah Kristen. I think I saw it on Instagram or on a blog and immediately checked it out. Adorable and perfect for this way out of the realm of my normal projects.

Princess and her new backpack in action!

I purchased the PDF pattern and I also purchased a set of zippers for both sizes of the rucksack. I wasn't sure yet which one I was going to make so I got both. They came pretty quickly and Sarah included a lovely note and she included matching strap hardware. Which I unfortunately did not use n this version because the webbing I used was too thick.

Backpack with the straps fully lengthened and on my dressform

 I took the Princess to Oak Fabrics (while there was still a Brick and Mortar to go to) and she picked out the fabrics. I gave her a choice of fabrics for the canvas outer fabric and she picked this lovely Japanese Nya Nya cat print by Cotton and Steel and for the lining a lovely Art Gallery I scream You Scream cotton print that was sublime to work with! One note, I did make the larger sized bag and the 44" width of fabric was not wide enough for only one of the pieces, the center panel, so for this I just pieced on a length to make it the appropriate size. I had to do this for both the outer canvas and the lining. SO if you have a fabric you love but it is not wide enough, no worries, easily overcome and the pieced seam is on the bottom of the bag!  I ordered the webbing from a shop on Etsy. (of course any webbing that I had in my collection was the wrong size or color or not long enough!)

For this project I used: 1 yard of the canvas, 1 yard of lining, 1 1/2 yards of Pellon 809 interfacing, 2 orange plastic molded zippers. a 5 yard bundle of cotton covered nylon webbing, 2 rectangle rings and 2 slide adjusters in silver metal, 6 inches of 1/2inch elastic ,1 Kylie and the Machine 'You are Loved' label and 1 spool of orange gutterman thread. (I have just enough fabric left over to make a little matching wristlet or coin purse)

And then the project sat in a project box for months and months...

The holidays came and went and I was knee deep in another big project (the velvet jacket for my sister) and I wanted something else to work on. I had no sew-jo for myself, you know I had a serious case of decision paralysis! So I grabbed the project box and without too much thought started on the Raspberry Rucksack.

 

Cutting out of the pieces was different as you are given dimensions and number of pieces to cut for lining, interfacing and canvas and NOT pattern pieces. Despite my initial thoughts this turned out to be just fine! I used little sticky notes to write the name of each piece and pinned these to the individual pieces which helped to keep things in order. For the interfacing I used Pellon 809 décor bond. It was not exactly what I was looking for but my choices were limited at the JoAnn's by my home, It turned out to be perfect for the look I wanted for this bag. It is fairly crisp and you can see in the photo above how it holds the shape. It seemed to take forever to fuse the interfacing! I am not used to using something so thick and it took much longer than I am used to.

This is the pop-up pocket on the front on the bag. This was the hardest part for me!

With all the pieces cut, pieced  and fused I started the construction. I used my new heavy duty home machine (not nearly heavy duty when compared to an industrial machine!) Janome HD3000BE.
I had a bit of a rocky start with the construction! Totally my error, the directions are clear plus there is a sewalong for this part, I just put the zipper right side up instead of zipper pull down... DOH!!!
As I noted in a past blog post my bestie Wendy helped me out and unpicked it for me. Once I stared again things went together pretty smoothly. Not being a bag maker there were a couple times that I was like how the heck is this all going to work???? I trusted in the process and followed the instructions and it all worked. Now with that said... some of my top stitching lines are not quite the best quality and that is Okay! I felt like I was wrestling a greased piggy under the foot sometimes! I'm just in awe of what the finished product is!! It is very roomy on the inside and with the zipper with double facing pulls it opens up nice and big.

Bag opens up nice and big!

I only made two changes to the design, The first was to add an outer water bottle/umbrella/doll pocket to the outside. I saw several other versions where people added interior pockets but I did not do this on this version for the Princess, She doesn't really have a need for that at this time in her life. For the water bottle pocket I made a pattern piece for an inverted pleat at the bottom to give it depth and at the top I put in elastic and the finished size it the same as the outer center panel. If I make another one I would lower the placement just a bit so the bottom of the pocket would rest at the bottom of the bag.

The addition of the side water bottle pocket

View of the water bottle side pocket.

The second change or more like addition was to make a strap holder. The snap was supposed to be placed so that it wrapped around like a circle enclosing the 2 hand straps together. However, I put the top part of the snap on the wrong way AND of course it was my last anorak snap. so instead it is straight. Maybe when I get some new snaps I will fix it.

Snap tab to hold the handles together. I 'borrowed' this design from a backpack that I own.

The straps are sewn on very carefully and it would take quite a bit for them to separate from the main part of the bag. Everything is very secure and the for this novice bagmaker the directions made it quite easy. The last thing that I did after checking the strap size on her was to spray the entire bag with a fabric protectant. Hopefully this will help prolong the life and keep it looking nicer longer.

The straps are nice and log and easily adjustable. The handles feel good in your hands and I added a little 'you are loved' Kylie and the machine label to the front.

All in all I call this project a resounding success! The Princess agrees and gave me a great big hug and Thank You for her new backpack. :)

She loves it!! And I love her so totally worth all the work!

It really makes me happy that I could make this for her. Maybe I need to make one for myself!

Happy Sewing!!

A quick WIP update on Velvet Jacket and the Raspberry Rucksack

This week was not my best week in the sewing room. I had the Princess for part of the weekend and all day Tuesday, which is always such a treat and fills my heart with joy! I have also been very busy at work, and it can be so hard when you work from home and you keep glancing longingly at your sewing machines wishing only to be happily mired in a sewing project! Plus I had one night out on the road this week. On top of that, I am not feeling the best. I sound like Darth Vader and seem to have gotten whatever winter virus or cold that is flying around like mad at this time of the year. SO, not been able to breathe all that well and extra tired and super busy at work has meant not too much has happened on the sewing front.

 

I had some lovely emails from readers on my last post re: the Velvet Jacket. Thank you ladies!!

 

I did finish the hem of the velvet jacket and am now working on the sleeve hems. I have hit my first snag with this project and had a real Tim Gunn make it work moment. I am so used to cutting the hems of my sleeves at the finished length with the thought that there is a good 1.5 inch sleeve hem and that gives me plenty for a jump hem in the sleeve. Well…I just plain old forgot that this sleeve has a band cuff and NOT a hem so I had no length for a jump hem. I played with my options and I figured that I just needed an extra ⅝” and all would be good. So i unpressed the hem in the lining that I had pressed up (luckily I had not stitched it yet) I edge stitched on a length of grosgrain ribbon and then I will hand stitch this to the hem and have enough length for play! I think it actually looks quite nice! The purple grosgrain makes for a nice bridge from the velvet to the silk. Too bad this is one of those lovely hidden details.

I started on the backpack project for the princess, The Raspberry Rucksack. The first couple of hours of work was for naught since I put the zipper in upside down. (despite the clearly marked instructions!) DOH! Luckily Wendy and her mad un-sewing skills came to the rescue and she picked out all the work so I could start again! What an awesome friend! Second time around was much better and went much faster since I already knew what I was doing. SO the front or face of the backpack is done. I have read from the reviews and tutorials that I have finished the hardest part. I’ll let you know if that is true once I finish the bag!

This is the zipper that I mistakenly put in upside down! Thank goodness for a friend to the rescue!

This is the front of the bag with the pop-up zipper pocket and the front handle. The pocket is 'off' by a smidge but I was absolutely NOT taking it off and re-doing it for 1/16th of an inch.

There are other things on the back burner of the sewing realm. It is time to get back to some selfish sewing for me!! I have another Cashmerette Tobin Sweater ready to be cut out and 2 jacket/coat patterns that I want to make mock-ups of AND I have a pile of active wear fabrics that I have been meaning to play with using Melissa Fehr’s Sew Your Own Activewear book AND I want to play with some draping projects AND, and oh gosh, the list in my head is endless!!! I will stop now before I spin out of control.

Weekend (sewing) plans- Plenty of rest with doses of cold medicine, Vicks Vapor Rub and lots of tea! and maybe finish the Velvet Jacket and the backpack. Fingers crossed!

 

Happy Sewing!!

From the Princess and I :)