October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and with 3.5 million women in the US with a history of current and/or past treatment, we all have someone close to us who has been affected.  Unfortunately, I’ve seen my aunt suffer and pass away from this disease and also continue to see more and more friends go through their own personal battles.  It’s so difficult to see anyone suffer and knowing that I am personally at higher risk – as an aging woman. That is why I’m SO proud to be part of the By Annie #SewPink Initiative to bring more awareness to this cause.

The #SewPINK Blog Hop has been taking place all this month to raise awareness for breast cancer and breast cancer prevention. You can follow the hashtag on social media to follow along!   By Annie’s is even running a photo contest here and released a great FREE pattern which you can find here.  These are great ways to get involved and the pattern is a nice and easy sew with your friends and/or guild.  On top of all of these activities, By Annie’s has graciously offered to provide a $30 shop credit to one of you!!!!  (Details are below.)

Earlier this very year, my OB/GYN told me I’ve hit the age where I need to start getting mammograms.  (‘Nothing like getting older, right?)  85% of new cases happen to those who have NO prior family history (due to genetic mutations) so early detection is key!  (Source: www.breastcancer.org )  But just like everything else that has also happened this year, my appointment was put on hold. Getting the call to be part of the #SewPink Blog Hop really gave me the push to get a screening back on my schedule and I am so very grateful! I hope you do the same and check out available screenings below:

• Breast Screen (Australia)
• CDC.gov (US)
• WebMD (free screenings)

Project

For my Blog Hop project, I made the (soon to be released) Erin Backpack. This is a design I’ve been working on and off again for over a year — OK, it’s been more off, then on but it will be released by end of year!  This is a spacious backpack with a half moon design that also converts to an over-the-shoulder or crossbody bag.  It is large enough to be used as a diaper bag or just for some day-tripping.

I wanted, of course, to make my backpack PINK!  This is not a color I use often in my sewing and definitely not as a focused hue.  So, I chose this great Tula Pink quilt cotton for it’s beautiful marbling of pinks and purples balanced on a natural background. The lining is also from the same collection and I just love that deeper shade of magenta with the swans.  Who wouldn’t love some swans?!?

The structure of the Erin Backpack is based on By Annie’s amazing Soft and Stable product.   I’ve been such big fan of this stabilizer for awhile and appreciate the firm shape it creates beyond other interfacing — especially when using a lighter substrate like quilting cotton as seen in this kid’s bag here and should bag seen here. Soft and Stable is also wonderful in how it provides great stability but is also soft and pliable.  Most domestic machines can sew through this quite easily!  The last thing I’ll gush about is how I love the loft of this product and how it could also provide so much great texture.  I used it on my favorite duffle bag (EVER!) you can find here.

By Annie’s also has so many other great purse accessories. I knew I had to try out some of the hardware!  The swivel clasps and triangle rings in the antique brass finish were perfect for my project. They went well with the leather details and balanced with the metal zippers.  The hardware is nice and sturdy and definitely feels like it will hold up well over time.

For the strap, I use my Guitar Strap tutorial and FREE pattern templates you can find here.  (You’ll notice I made a change for this strap to be adjustable…which is the addition of an extra rectangle ring.)  Inside the strap, I also added By Annie’s 1.5″ wide Strapping to add more strength and heft when wearing this backpack.  This is a nice large bag and I wanted to make sure the weight when filled up doesn’t make the straps dig into my shoulders.

Inside Erin, there is room for a large zippered welt pocket and 5 separate slip pockets. Since this bag can be used for virtually anything, I wanted the lining to serve as more organizational than just storage.  This way,  you can hold larger snacks water bottles, books and even craft projects inside!

But in a large backpack, it can be hard to see all the contents which is why the By Annie’s Lightweight Mesh is so wonderful.  You can check out everything in your pockets at a glance and I love that there is a little stretch for anything you may want to carry. The top edge is finished with Foldover Elastic and was a breeze to sew with my coverstitch, but any zig-zag stitch would work as well.

I hope you enjoyed my PINK Erin Backpack for the blog hop.  Its pairs perfectly with my rose gold phone and hacked Tiny Sophia Bag, don’t you think?

Contest

For your chance to win $30 shop credit to By Annie’s, please comment below.  I’d love to hear your connection with breast cancer.  If your own story is too personal, let me know how you like my project or share your own bag-making journey.

Giveaway will be open until 10/31/2020 and open internationally.  

2020 Blog Hop info:

Schedule –

• ✂ Oct. 1 (Thur): Mister Domestic
• ✂ Oct. 5 (Mon): Sewfinity
• ✂ Oct. 7 (Wed): Great Heron Thread
• ✂ Oct. 9 (Friday): Knot and Thread
• ✂ Oct. 12 (Mon): Snuggles Quilts
• ✂ Oct. 14 (Wed): A Bright Corner
• ✂ Oct. 16 (Fri): Suzn Quilts
• ✂ Oct. 19 (Mon): HUGS’N KISSES
• ✂ Oct. 20 (Tues): Sallie Tomato
• ✂ Oct. 22 (Thur): Masterpiece Quilting by Nancy Scott
• ✂ Oct. 23 (Fri): Meadow Mist Designs
• ✂ Oct. 26 (Mon): LoveYouSew
• ✂ Oct. 27 (Tue): Teresa Coates
• ✂ Oct. 31 (Sat): Sookie Sews of Sue O’Very Designs

Message from By Annie’s:  “The #SewPink Initiative was created by ByAnnie.com LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer throughout the year. Our efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection and support for those affected by breast cancer.” 

To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

Bag making products, as mentioned, were provided for this post By Annie’s as part of the Blog Hop.  The Erin Backpack is my own design.  All reviews and opinions are my own. For my full disclosures, you can read about them here.