my Rifle Paper Co. x Cotton + Steel Cooper Bag

I realized recently that I never wrote about the diaper bag backpack that I made before Rory was born, which is almost two years ago! His birthday is August 11th so I've been using this bag for a while now and I love it as much as I did when I made it. I knew I wanted a backpack for a diaper bag this time around because with two older boys and a baby I wanted to have my hands free. I looked at a lot of patterns and even considered buying one, but I couldn't find one that I liked that had the functionality that I was looking for. Enter Cooper by Collette Patterns.  It had lots of pockets, a non-fussy closure (so many backpack patterns feature multiple buckles and clasps and I knew I wouldn't feel like dealing with those during a newborn diaper blowout), and really nice details. I had the perfect fabric in mind - Rifle Paper Co. of course - and pulled some coordinates from my stash (more C+S). The hardware was the most difficult to track down because I wanted something bronze and there were so many pieces that I was having trouble finding each one in the right color as gold and silver as the most common. Eventually I contacted Fancy Tiger Crafts, where I had purchase the pattern, if they would consider making the pattern and hardware into kits. I was thrilled when they said yes! I ordered a kit for me and one for my friend Lorraine who was going to make the bag for her daughter.

Lorraine and I made a few modifications to the pattern - we added a few interior pockets including a lined zippered pocket, two slip pockets toward the top, and six elasticized pockets surrounding the bottom. I keep Finn's epi pens in the zip pocket, my phone and a lip balm in the slip pockets, and I organize various things in the elasticized pockets (currently diapers, wipes, a few Lara bars, my wallet, Finn's lotion, and a small Bible). We also added a lobster clasp for holding onto a key ring, but I always forget to use it and end up digging around in my bag for my keys anyway.

I forget where I saw the idea, but someone on instagram added a leather patch to their bag and I loved it and really wanted to add one to mine. I asked on facebook to see if any local friends had a leather embossing kit and lucky for me one of my neighbors did! She came over to give me a mini lesson and then I used her set to emboss my initials on a piece of scrap leather. I love how it came out, although I do wish I had used four rivets to secure the patch instead of two because it's curling a bit now.

I get loads of use out of my bag and lots of compliments on it too! It's one of my favorite things I've ever made and I envision using it for years to come!