first day of school and a special backpack project

Today is the first day of school, and I’ve got a 4th, 7th, 8th, and 10th grader out the door. I already miss the noise that’s filled the house all summer—the laughter, the games, the movie marathons, and the general chaos that comes with having everyone home. We had such a fun summer with lots of travel, time together, and so many moments I’ll treasure.

The older my kids get, the more I realize just how quickly this season of life is flying by. I truly love having them home, but I’m also looking forward to this fresh start—the return of routines, and the time I’ll have to dive into some really exciting projects. Both feelings can exist at once: the tug of missing them and the thrill of new beginnings.

One project I couldn’t say no to this summer? A brand-new backpack for my youngest. When your nine-year-old says he doesn’t care what it looks like, as long as it’s made from your fabric—you drop everything and make a backpack.

Did I drop a bunch of other projects this week to make it happen? Perhaps. Was it worth every second? Absolutely. Here’s a quick photo I snapped before stuffing it full of school supplies (and yes, I even cranked out a couple of matching pencil pouches for him and his brother). Down to the wire? Definitely. Worth it? 100%.

Quilting with Color Pop Playground

This backpack also gave me an excuse to use a few prints from my Color Pop Playground collection in a way I love—quilting them on my domestic machine. Two of my favorites, Pixel Petals and Twinkle Tiles, have built-in grid patterns that made quilting so much easier.

If you’ve ever quilted on a domestic machine, you know it’s not always the most fun part of the process (at least for me!). But having that grid to follow was a game-changer—it saved me so much time and made the task completely doable. The texture it adds to the backpack is just the cherry on top.

I love that this project blended so many of my favorite things—my kids, my fabric, and a bit of problem-solving to make a less-loved task enjoyable. Now my youngest has a one-of-a-kind backpack, and I have a little extra confidence for the next time my domestic machine and I meet for some quilting time.

Project Details-

Backpack Pattern- Archie Backpack by Knot and Thread

Pencil Pouch Pattern- Hemingway Pouch by Center Street Quilts

Zippers, Hardware and Webbing from Stitch Supply Co

Tags and Extras by Knot and Thread and Lolly Tags and a few of my own designs.