This Canyon Springs Buckthorn Backpack just had to be! I recently added some striped webbing to my shop, and once I saw it with Canyon Springs, I couldn’t resist!

Canyon Springs is a collection of woven fabrics by Fableism Supply Co. I had been spotting Fableism around Instagram for a while. When their Canyon Springs collection started arriving in shops earlier this summer I snagged some right away. I got mine from Binded With Love (a WI based Etsy shop run by Sara). It’s always a good thing when you feel inspired to make something just by getting some fabric that you love.

I bought mostly half yard cuts, it’s usually my default cut size I buy when I’m not sure what I’ll be making with it! Of course I decided to make one of my patterns that calls for a 3/4 yard cut, but never fear! I always say it’s the best part about sewing, you can do what you want! So I fumbled around and decided I had enough to have the main body of the backpack using Canyon Springs and then the rest (the oval base and the Strap Reinforcement Strip on the back) I could cut from some beautiful dark brown waxed canvas. It’s lined with my go-to Big Sur canvas in Natural.

I love how it turned out, everything went together smoothly. Because Canyon Springs is a woven fabric, I recommend is interfacing the Top Binding piece (which I did, it gives it some nice stabilization). I used fusible fleece as called for for the exterior interfacing and a medium-weight fusible woven interfacing (Emmaline Bag EB-Fuse Medium) on the lining pieces. I’m very happy with how it turned out. You could also use Soft and Stable as the exterior interfacing (skipping interfacing on the lining), just be prepared to trim down the top opening a bit once you’ve sewn your top binding on.

I have a free video sew-along for the Buckthorn pattern on my YouTube Channel, so be sure to check it out if you’re interested in making a Buckthorn Backpack or Tote!

Project Details:

• Pattern: Buckthorn Backpack (available as a PDF or printed pattern in my shop)
• Sew-along video here!
• Fabrics:
  • Canyon Springs by Fableism Supply Co. for the exterior
  • Waxed Canvas from AL Frances Textiles for the accents I added (I believe it’s the Spice Brown color!)
  • Big Sur Canvas in Unbleached by Robert Kaufman Fabrics for the lining (check your local quilt shop!)
  • Pellon Fusible Fleece for the exterior fabric interfacing, EB-Fuse Medium for the lining interfacing
• Hardware, webbing, & zipper:
  • Hardware kit available in my shop
  • Striped webbing in Brown/Cream, also available in my shop
  • 16″ handbag zipper in Sand available in my shop

I couldn’t think of a better time to share this Ode to Lizzy House quilt that I made! Even though I finished this quilt a little while ago, I thought it deserved to be documented in the springtime. The other event that happened recently is that Lizzy House is making her return to fabric design!!!! I’ve followed Lizzy for quite a while and I felt that she kept hinting at a possible fabric collection, so I was thrilled to find out her Love Letter collection with Moda will be coming out January 2025. Get ready folks!

A long time coming

Onto this quilt, it was a long time in the making. Like it could possibly be my longest project ever. Not that it took long to make, but it was collected and worked on over time. I’ve always love Lizzy’s fabrics, and found myself collecting quite a few of her collections over time. I would grab a few pieces here and there from quilt shops, even getting a few scrap packs from fellow makers. I had kept it all in a muslin bag in my sewing room as I collected each fabric.

Quilt Design

Eventually the bag got way way too full and I knew it was time to start! If you are familiar with Lizzy’s fabrics you’ll know that they’re special. I wanted to make sure I would be able to fawn over each square once the quilt was made. So I revisited a simple quilt I had made for my daughter years ago. A basic four patch within patchwork.

I took my time working on the quilt top. My kids helped a little when I was cutting fabrics. It came along to a few of my sewing retreats with my friends – all so long before Covid. I think I picked up the project sometime last summer and decided it was finally time to finish.

I sent it off to Katie at Modern Textiles to be quilted. We settled on the Raindrops on Water pantograph with bamboo batting and I bound it in a beautiful chambray stripe.

Project Details:

• Pattern: made it up
• Fabrics: Lizzy House (when she designed for Andover Fabrics), plus a few gingham and chambrays thrown in
• Backing: Carolyn Friedlander wideback and a super huge gingham (anyone know who made that? I seriously no longer have the ability to remember specific fabrics!)
• Quilting: Modern Textiles (Raindrops on Water panto, bamboo batting)

Thanks Lizzy for your fabrics, and I’m excited for the new ones to come! I’m thrilled with how this Ode to Lizzy House quilt turned out!