Thanks for stopping by! Enter to win fabric and patterns from Indygo Junction, plus help us celebrate National Sewing Month! Read Amy Barickman’s inspiration for the SoHo Bandana fabric line and a little bit about all the many things Amy is doing below, then be sure to comment for a chance to win a 1 yard fabric pack of the entire SoHo Bandana collection and 1 coordinating pattern pack! We’ll total comments from this blog post and my next post where I share a fun child’s dress tutorial using SoHo Bandana fabric!
SoHo Bandana Story
Years ago I fell in love with the detail and colors of vintage bandanas. I started collecting them with a fabric line in the back of my mind, but as often happens it took a few years for my vision to become a reality.
Late last year I visited the SoHo district in New York City, which I always find inspiring. While browsing in the Ralph Lauren store, I noticed that they were selling vintage bandanas. Suddenly, the time seemed right to start working on the SoHo Bandana fabric line, and I pulled out my vintage bandana collection, as well as some amazing tooled leather pieces I had acquired and started designing. 
IJ928 Cap in Soho
The SoHo district has a long and eclectic history. What began as a residential district was quickly phased into a middle-class manufacturing district that was once home to many textile firms. Eventually the neightborhood declined and was reawakened by artists, galleries and boutiques. I wanted to create fabric that had a classic, workman-like feel, but in artistic, contemporary colors.
IJ930 Bucket Bag in SoHo
This collection represents a new way of designing for Indygo Junction. For the first time I have designed a lifestyle collection, with a fabric line and patterns specifically designed to coordinate with it. SoHo Bandana is a versatile line that looks great for fashion sewing, home decor and quilting.
Amy Barickman Bio
Amy Barickman is the founder and owner of Indygo Junction,The Vintage Workshop, and her website, AmyBarickman.com. She is a leader in the sewing and needle arts industry, having released nearly 1000 sewing pattern titles, sold more than two-million patterns and published 80 books sold throughout the U.S. and internationally. Named one of Country Living magazine’s prestigious Creative Women Entrepreneurs, Amy has made numerous television appearances including regular visits to Sewing with Nancy on PBS.
We recently asked Amy to tell us about what inspires her and how does she translate that into ongoing business opportunities. Here is what she told us.
“I am inspired by all things vintage and began collecting at a very early age. It started when I would shop antique stores and estate sales with my mother. Once I started collecting, I couldn’t stop! I have a passion for vintage fabrics, quilts, sewing books, old patterns, buttons and anything hand-crafted with needle and thread. I love to imagine the story behind each piece I collect. I am a firm believer in recycling and repurposing, so I enjoy taking vintage fabrics, handkerchiefs or stitchery and repurposing them into something creative but in a modern way, such as purses, jackets, pillows, etc. What’s old is new again! My mantra is “Vintage Wisdom, Modern Voice” so I pay close attention what is going on with the new generation of DIYers, who seem to have such a fresh perspective and enthusiasm for creativity and hand-crafted ideas.
One of my favorite discoveries is the historical information that I uncovered several years ago about Mary Brooks Picken. Through much perseverance, I now have one of the largest collections of her work and have become an authority of Mary, who founded The Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences in the early 1900’s. With Mary as my muse, I endeavored to author a book, Amy Barickman’s Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion and Fun to reintroduce the wisdom, history, and charming fashion illustrations of Mary’s Women’s Institute’s newsletters, essays, and inspiring anecdotes that celebrate the domestic arts.
Vintage Notions: http://amybarickman.com/vn-what-people-are-saying/
As the international authority of fashion and dressmaking of her era, Mary worked very closely with Coats & Clark, developing booklets under the Spool Cotton brand as well as strategizing advertising and products for the company. Look to my blog at amybarickman.com to learn more about Mary’s life and work, my creative journey and stories of our sewing sisters from past generations.
Today, I continue to develop new design ideas that cross over from quilting to home décor and fashion. My recent book releases include Indygo Junction’s Fabric Flowers and IJ’s Stitched Style, both include fun, easy projects particularly for those who love to express their personal style wearing what they make!
I currently design quilting fabric for Red Rooster Fabrics and recently launched a line of softened, colored denims, Crossroads Denim by Amy Barickman with James Thompson Company. This functional yet fashionable fabric inspired me to launch a new brand of fashion and home décor sewing patterns, Crossroads with Indygo Junction. A book featuring Crossroads Denim is currently in the works.
Through my blogs, presentations, business websites and e-newsletters, I try to inspire crafters to explore their own creative spirit and experiment with the newest sewing, fabric and crafting techniques. Although I am influenced by the past, I continue to be inspired and energized by all of the creative DIYers that I have met and continue to meet along my journey.
Speaking of people I am inspired by, I want to introduce you to Enchanted Makeovers founder,Terry Grahl. Since 2007 Enchanted Makeovers’ mission has been to transform homeless shelters for women and children into places that inspire behavioral and psychological change. I am board member and recently worked with Terry on the Sacred Sewing Room, that was part of her amazing makeover project at Detroit Rescue Mission’s Genesis House. The Enchanted Makeovers’ story is an amazing one and I encourage you to get involved! Check out this link to learn more: My Blog post on the Sacred Sewing Room
Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know how you will use the fabric, so I can enter you in the drawing! Winner will be announced here on FabTalk September 25!
Also be sure to visit BadAss Quilters Society – your next stop Sept. 23 – in the SoHo Bandana Blog Tour.
