We’ve made the Cotton Nook Backpack by Minki Kim easy and fun to create! All the backpack pieces come printed on a panel, ready to cut out and sew. Follow our helpful tips and tricks as we guide you through the process, and grab one of our kits with everything you need to make your own.
Pink Colorway Panel
Blue Colorway Panel
Getting Started
The first thing you'll want to do is check out Minki Kim's video tutorial below and download her PDF pattern for how to make a backpack. The backpack featured is a different version, however the construction is the same.
Download the Backpack Pattern HERE
5 Tips & Tricks for Backpack Success
Tip #1: Soft & Stable
Before cutting out any pieces from the panel, we recommend adhering the Soft & Stable to area of the panel that will get quilted. To adhere the Soft & Stable, you can either purchase Mistyfuse or 505 Spray & Fix. Quilted areas include the 2 exterior panels, the zipper panel, bottom panel, and the pocket (see below). In Minki Kim's pattern and tutorial, she adheres Pellon Fusible Interfacing to the pocket, but we prefer the support that the Soft & Stable gives to the pocket.
Adhere your Soft & Stable to the shown area above for the PINK backpack.
Adhere your Soft & Stable to the shown area above for the BLUE backpack.
You can quilt as much or as little as you like. We kept ours simple with diagonal lines of stitching spaced 2" apart.
After quilting the panel, go ahead and cut out each piece just outside the outer edge.
Tip #2: Add a Top Loop
Our Cotton Nook Backpack Kits include two 1-yard cuts of webbing, plus an extra 6" piece to create an optional top loop for hanging your adorable backpack!
Tip #3: Zipper Foot
Be sure to use a zipper foot on your sewing machine when attaching the zipper to the binding.
Tip #4: Bias Binding
We used the lining fabric to create 1-1/2" bias binding for the inside of the backpack.
Tip #5: The Cherry On Top
As the literal cherry on top, we added this perfect Petit Pan Cherry Charm zipper pull as the finishing touch! Honestly, it might be reason enough to make this adorable backpack. 🍒
