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Sew Tell Me . . . A Visit with Amy Barickman

10/30/2021

45 Comments

 
Follow along with me as we look into time-honored sewing techniques from the past, learn a bit of history along the way, and see how vintage can be "made modern" with Amy Barickman from amybarickman.com. Watch the video and read the entire post and you'll get a chance to win your choice of one of Amy's popular DIY courses! More info at the end of this post. 
Note that we had few technical difficulties in the first few minutes. Interview begins at time stamp 3:41.
On the 4th Monday of each month I go live on my Let's Go Sew with Joanne Banko YouTube channel at 7PM EST, where I'm joined by a special guest along with chatting friends in the live chat window. My most recent show was filled with delightful conversation, unique samples, and a glimpse into sewing history with my guest Amy Barickman. You can watch the entire show by clicking on the YouTube video you see at the top of this post. You'll also find contact information so you can connect with Amy in the show notes for the YouTube broadcast. 

​
Here, I wanted to share some highlights from our conversation, give you more sewing resources to explore on your own, and provide links to FREE downloads from Amy.

First, a little about Amy . . .
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Amy Barickman is the founder of the Indygo Junction pattern company and author of the best-selling book titled Vintage Notions, an Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion & FUN! 
Amy’s has designed over 1200 patterns and 80 books and introduced new brands such as her Vintage Notions book series and Fabriflair®, dimensional paper piecing designs.

​Recently, Prym Consumer, USA maker of Dritz® and Omnigrid® 
acquired Indygo Junction. Amy is now able to put her full attention to her passion for sharing fabulous vintage textiles & projects stitched by hand and sewn by machine. Her repertoire includes embroidery, quilts, fabric & notions, as well as DIY publications from the past with modern relevance.
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Amy's Mom was a big influence. Introducing her to sewing at a very young age! You'll learn more about her mom's background in the video.

Watch the interview and you'll quickly see that Amy has a gift for inspiring creative enthusiasts to learn from the past, and experiment with new products and techniques for creating her unique vintage made modern style.
During our time together we talked a lot about projects, tips, & tidbits taken from the Vintage Notions book. 
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May I say Vintage Notions is one of my all-time favorite sewing books! It's a unique collection of month by month, seasonally themed chapters with photos, patterns and project instructions, heartwarming essays, and yes, even recipes! Each chapter takes you back in time to an era when homemaking and handcrafted items were valued as special skills elevating not only the lives of the individual but the family unit and society as a whole. While the projects may be from a past era, you'll appreciate their time-honored status at home in our modern lives as well. The book is full of inspiration and projects suited for modern times, but I love picking up the book when I just feel the need to relax and unwind as I read and view pictures that take me back to a slower time.
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In the book, Amy begins with a history of Mary Brooks Picken, her sole inspiration for the book. Mary Brooks Picken had accomplishments too numerous to mention in this paragraph, so I invite you to read more in the book. Mary was a pioneer in sewing education and a champion of elevating the various creative arts practiced in the home, sewing and otherwise. Learning sewing at a young age, she eventually founded The Women's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences in Scranton PA, attracting students from around the world. Her school helped empower women of her day to achieve status through their domestic accomplishments. 

As modern-day creatives we recognize the fact that Mary's time was obviously quite different from our own. However, we still want the world to know that creative expression, and sewing in particular, deserves high status and praise for making our own lives and indeed the world at large a better place.  
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Continuing the tradition of educating and empowering creative enthusiasts, both women and men, Amy offers online DIY courses based on her fabulous collection of vintage fabrics and notions at VintageModernMakers.com. Would you believe there's even a course on Pearl Buttons? During the live show Amy told us how these beautiful buttons were made in the past. Who knew their origin was the Mississippi River?!?
​Personally, I have a small but cherished collection of both old and modern "shell" buttons as I call them. With their multi-colored hues, I find them to be the perfect choice for so many of my garment projects. I've even been known to remove plastic buttons on a ready-made blouse and replace them with pearl buttons for a quick up-cycle project.

If you love buttons too, I encourage you to read one of Amy's own posts about identifying pearl buttons HERE. You'll also find some really special button images as part of her unique digital image collection, specifically Mother of Pearl Card collection images.

Check out all of Amy's course offerings at her site, VintageModernMakers.com. Grow your appreciation and knowledge while you create practical projects. Be inspired by Amy’s interviews with textile experts as well as artists and makers! Each “Primer” course includes sewing patterns and technique tutorials. Amy shares fascinating history lessons including field trips to museum exhibits.
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Speaking of printables, in the video we showed a sewing themed coloring page. This is a Freebie offered by Amy. Click on the above image to download your own copy. It would be fun to color it in and hang as art in your sewing space. Join her newsletter for more FREE printables HERE.
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Yet another favorite project we touched on in the video was aprons made from men's shirts, one of the "magic patterns" included in the Vintage Notions book. I have this page bookmarked in my own copy. As an added resource you'll want to read Amy's blog titled Let's Up-cycle! A Shirt to An Apron!
​We chatted between ourselves and interacted with friends who joined us in the live chat for a little over an hour. The time flew by! Now it's your chance to re-watch or watch this video for the first time. While you're on YouTube I encourage you to subscribe and sing up for notifications on my channel, so you'll know each and every time I add a video or begin a new live show.

Now, about that promised give-away. . . Amy has generously offered my Let's Go Sew community the chance to win your choice of one of her great courses. Simply leave a comment at the end of this post, telling us what you enjoyed about the video along with one new thing you learned while watching. On Saturday November 27th, 2021, I'll put all the names into a random drawing and pick a winner to be notified by email.
I hope you enjoy the video and feel inspired by the samples shown and stories told. I'll close with a quote from Amy: 

"Let the beauty of vintage textiles & the history of handmade ignite and enrich your creative spirit!"
UPDATE!
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November 27, 2021 was the day we drew a winner! Judy O'Dell wondering the random drawing and she'll receive a free online course of her choice, courtesy of Amy Barickman. Congratulations Judy!
45 Comments
Donna Aelmore
10/31/2021 18:29:26

Enjoyed the entire program and seeing all that Amy offers in vintage prints, have put her book on my Christmas List.

Reply
Amy Barickman
11/4/2021 17:24:36

Thanks Donna! I hope Santa brings you your wish for Vintage Notions!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:25:11

Hello Donna! I'm so glad you enjoyed the program :-) Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Linda Berger
10/31/2021 19:48:59

I love that Amy is preserving our (sewists) history. I enjoyed seeing that bandanas could be upcycled and feedsacks were commonly repurposed in the 'olden'. I appreciate the mirror image alphabet which I already copied for a future use. Thanks Amy, great job

Reply
Amy Barickman
11/4/2021 17:33:47

Thanks Linda! Glad you found the free Alphabet!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:22:18

Hello Linda! I'm a big bandana fan as well! Thanks for your comments.Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

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Judy O'Dell
10/31/2021 20:38:22

I enjoyed the stationary idea!! It was great seeing the styles of clothing in the pictures.

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Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:26:56

Hi Judy! It was great to hear from you and read your comments :-) Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
marissa kelbach
10/31/2021 22:11:34

I loved all of the history. Its neat how the Domestic Arts has come but the old ways still last too.

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:27:43

Hi Marissa! I really enjoyed reading your comments :-) Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Brenda Aigner
11/1/2021 01:43:03

I enjoyed seeing that Amy learned from her mother as I did. It made me remember that we need to be intentional about sharing our creative activities with those we love.
My eldest daughter who does not share my love of sewing gave me the book when it first came out. I applaud this woman who considered women’s work creative and essential!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:29:46

Hello Brenda! I would like to applaud the comments you left here. I agree with you 100 percent! Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Donna Petruso
11/1/2021 03:00:05

Just finished watching the video. So many beautiful projects and inspiration from the past. I have some of her patterns I still use. I will have to check out her classes. Thank you for sharing this information and providing us with access to so many talented artists!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:32:21

Thanks you for taking the time to write Donna! I'm so glad you were able to watch the show and be inspired by it. I appreciate having you in the audience :-) Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Cindy West
11/1/2021 06:35:42

I really enjoyed just learning about Amy. I had never heard of her until watch your YouTube video. She is a very interesting person and I will be signing up for her newsletter. Thanks for the great show.

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:33:43

Hi Cindy! So happy to know you enjoyed meeting Amy and watching the show! Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Marlene Fellows
11/1/2021 07:01:24

Amy is awesome! Her love for vintage sewing brings back so many memories of my early sewing experiences. I live along the Mississippi and remember picking up the clam shells that were full of holes from cutting of the button blanks. Thank you Amy

Reply
Amy Barickman
11/4/2021 17:35:52

How fun Marlene! Thanks for sharing and glad you enjoyed the show.

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Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:35:48

Thanks for leaving your comments Marlene! How amazing that you had that experience with the shells! Amy's vintage offerings really evoke calm and peaceful memories of the past.Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
terry freeman
11/1/2021 09:57:46

OMG, so much to like about this video. I had lost track of Amy so it was great to see her again. I loved learning about her "new to me" courses. I would love the bandana course

Reply
Amy Barickman
11/4/2021 17:35:02

Thanks so much Terry!! I hope you will consider trying a course!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:37:31

Hello Terry! Thanks for taking the time to write and share your thoughts! Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Nancy Venuti
11/1/2021 15:59:14

A wonderful guest with a variety of new things for all of us to learn and try. I especially liked the use of pearl buttons...simple but elegant. Thank you

Reply
Amy Barickman
11/4/2021 17:22:39

Thank-you Nancy. I had a lot of fun with Joanne! I agree pearl buttons are a favorite of mine too!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:39:26

Thanks for watching the show and leaving your comments here Nancy! Pearl buttons certainly have lots of potential, don't they?!? Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Delia Flores
11/1/2021 19:18:43

I enjoyed the show with Amy on the Modern Vintage.. I now think I should have asked my aunts and grandmother for more info from them. They sewed, drafted patterns out of newspapersl, sewed flour sack aprons for their nieces. They used a Singer Treadle machine and did awesome work.

Reply
Amy Barickman
11/4/2021 17:21:17

Delia, it sounds like you have a wonderful family legacy of sewing in your family! In the Feedsack Course I share some aprons from my collection. Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:42:32

Hello Delia! You have a rich sewing history in your family! It's amazing what our predecessors did with simple tools and items they found to reuse for new creations! I love the fact that Amy is keeping this rich history alive :-) Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Judy Calmes link
11/1/2021 22:41:23

Amy has inspired me to take another look at all the pearl button cards that I inherited from my late aunt. I also have some vintage patterns for aprons that I just love. I may just have to sign up for her class on the pearl buttons. Very interesting!

Reply
Amy Barickman
11/4/2021 17:18:38

I am glad I inspired you Judy! I know you would enjoy the Pearl Button Primer class. There is so much to learn about the history of these treasures. Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:45:00

Hi Judy! Wow! Sounds like you have inherited some treasures :-) Those vintage notions and patterns are so worthy of being re-used in our modern time. Amy has so many great ideas for us to make use of them too!!! Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
kathy
11/7/2021 00:21:23

Amy has fun ideas. I love the upcycle ones like the men's apron.

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:46:41

Hi Kathy! The apron made from a men's shirt was one of my favorites too! Amy gave us so many fun ideas to try! Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
kathy
11/7/2021 00:22:43

forgot to compliment you on new? glasses!!

Reply
Jolan Dallatore
11/7/2021 08:17:34

The first thing I ever sewed was a shirt for my teddy bear JimJim! No clue what I was doing, but it was a start, using a sewing machine at about age 8 or so. Your video was wonderful. But the button information was te best. I have several button tins, and jars, and boxes, many from my mom's stuff, from my mother in law, from a family member.

Reply
Jolan Dallatore
11/7/2021 08:27:30

I donated my ancient Singer sewing book and a sewing machine to a local shelter. I realize that the vintage styles in the book might put off some people, but those who can see past the 'old fashioned' clothes and styles hopefully found a use for this. The shelter at one time had a gentleman who sewed masks for the facility, and hopefully someone there will continue the effort!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:48:20

What a sweet story Jolan! Enjoy your treasured button collection.Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
kathleen
11/8/2021 22:44:15

So interesting that she was an Entrepreneur at an early age and has built on the guidance of her Mother.

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:50:40

Hi Kathleen! You are so right! Amy had a great start with her Mom's example and then made her own path into a very successful creative career! Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
April
11/21/2021 02:26:36

Thanks Joanne for introducing Amy to me as l love her passion for keeping our sewing history alive. I was so inspired that l purchased two of her books. Can’t wait to read them. My sewing journey different from others as no family member taught me as l learn’t in school basic clothes and homeware construction but my love for quilting was in my thirty’s when l made a quilt representing my huge overseas trip l took when l was 21. No idea how to quilt it l found a company who did. I ended up with a job and got some experience on a long arm and an industrial sewing machine. Best job to date! I’m in my 50’s now and sewing/quilting is my joy!

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:52:44

So nice to hear from you April! I'm very glad to know you enjoyed the show :-) I bet your quilt was incredible! What an accomplishment!!! Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Lynne
11/21/2021 17:13:31

How fascinating and the info she has gathered about the role of the Women's Institute was really interesting. So little is known about the role women have played in creating our current world and I am glad Amy is preserving this part.

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:55:38

Hi Lynne! Thanks for taking the time to comment. I'm in total agreement that Amy is doing a real service to us by preserving the past and keeping it alive with her vintage made modern offerings. Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply
Anita Tannenbaum
11/22/2021 13:50:15

I loved seeing the Amy Barickman. I've loved buttons since I was a small girl going to the fabric store with my mom and sorting buttons in the misplaced bin. Vintage patterns are also another love. I had so many I gave some to my local thrift store. Thank you Joanne and Amy for a wonderful show.

Reply
Joanne Banko
11/27/2021 18:57:36

Thank you for watching Anita! I appreciate having you in the audience! We share a love for buttons and vintage patterns :-) Your name is entered in the drawing for Amy's free course offering.

Reply



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