amy barickman | Missouri Star Blog

March 2, 2022

Artist’s Spotlight: Amy Barickman

Meet Amy Barickman, founder of Indygo Junction and author of Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion & FUN! Through her YouTube videos, blog, website, and e-newsletter, Amy inspires fabric arts enthusiasts to learn from the past and experiment with new products and techniques for creating in vintage made modern style. Now you have the opportunity to learn more about Amy and her work! Join us on Missouri Star LIVE March 8th, 2022 at 11:00 am cst for a special segment with Amy herself – but in the meantime, get to know her little more with this exclusive interview!

What is your favorite part of the quilting process?

I sew more than I quilt, I love stitching by hand and paper piecing. My favorite part of the creative process is design development and choosing fabrics for a project. With my new Fold and Go Folio pattern I went “all in” on variations in the styling and created both a sewing case and a jewelry case and included two sizes. As far as fabric options, we have created versions in vintage feed sacks, as well as modern Tula Pink prints. This pattern is perfect for upcycling – think neckties and gingham shirts! And preserving treasured fabrics like vintage embroidered linens and quilt blocks.

Who are your favorite fabric designers?

There are sooo many I love. Recently I sourced fabric for the Fold & Go Folio from the following designers- Freespirit: Tula Pink and Kaffe Fassett ; Art Gallery Fabrics: Bonnie Christine ; Moda: French General ; Riley Blake: J Wecker Frisch.

If you would like to see some of those fabulous fabrics and learn more about all the possibilities for this pattern check out this video I filmed at QuiltCon.

What notion or sewing tool are you most dependent on?

Seam Ripper. I love to upcycle fabric I find at the thrift shop – jeans, dress shirts (especially gingham), ties, and wool jackets, so a good seam ripper is a necessity. By the way the Fold & Go Folio has a sleeve for a seam ripper.

How were you introduced to sewing and quilting?

My mother was a home ec teacher and a talented seamstress. She has taught me so much over the years and we are working together, still today developing new patterns and products. The early sewing patterns I developed for my original pattern company, Indygo Junction, were for Teddy Bears, inspired by my mom teaching teddy bear making in her retail store in West Des Moines, Iowa. She owned a gift and craft store for much of my childhood and also a quilt shop for several years. My passion for the creative needle arts business is in my genes- thanks mom!

Here is a fun replay of a Facebook Live event we hosted on Crazy Quilts!

What do you do to find inspiration/encourage your creativity?

I have an extensive collection of vintage magazines, books and patterns focused on fashion, sewing and quilting. I also collect notions and handmade needle arts from buttons to embroidery and quilts. I reference my collection daily in my quest for developing vintage made modern patterns, books, and fabrics. My collection of Mary Brooks Picken and Woman’s Institute content dated 1916-1950’s, has been by far the most inspirational in my development of products. My book Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion & FUN was inspired by the correspondence school’s lessons and stories.

I created a 12 episode YouTube series sharing the book chapter by chapter. In the series I share many textile treasures from my collection that were featured in the book as well as patterns and many ideas for upcycling fabrics. Click HERE for the Playlist.

What occupation would you like to try if sewing/making wasn’t an option?

A nature photographer. I love finding unique color, pattern and design in nature and capturing those images. I am looking forward to the colors in Spring flowers and my chance to share those images on Instagram. Crocus should be popping up soon in Kansas City!

Who is your favorite fictional character?

Not sure I have one. But I do have a few favorites that are “nonfictional”.

A hobby of mine is researching characters in the history of sewing and quilting. I found that Amelia Earhardt had a connection to the legacy of needle arts. Here are a couple blog posts sharing my discovery and a visit to her childhood home. I was so excited when I learned she carried a sewing box on her long flights.

https://amybarickman.com/2019/10/05/my-discoveries-at-the-amelia-earhart-museum/

https://amybarickman.com/2019/09/03/amelia-earharts-sewing-box/

What fabric have you been hoarding/saving the longest?

Feedsacks! To justify my hoarding, I actually created a course on my VintageModernMakers.com site about the history of Feedsacks that includes sewing projects, videos, and a PDF with historical articles and heirloom art to print. See my current courses HERE.

Describe your perfect day.

A morning walk on a nature trail followed by shopping for vintage fabrics and embroidery at the Glenwood Antique Mall or First Fridays in Kansas City’s West Bottoms. Followed by a meal at one of my favorite restaurants in midtown, Tailleur on Main or sister restaurant, The Russell.

Don’t forget to join us for Missouri Star LIVE on March 8th, 2022 at 11:00 am cst to learn more about Amy (and maybe to win a special giveaway prize from Amy herself)! In the meantime, be sure to follow Amy on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. You can learn more about her and her projects as well on her website and blog.

Can’t get enough? We can’t blame you!

Amy is now offering online DIY courses based on her collection of vintage fabrics and notions at VintageModernMakers.com. Grow your appreciation and knowledge while you create practical projects. Each “Primer” course includes sewing patterns and technique tutorials. Amy shares fascinating history lessons including field trips to museum exhibits. Be inspired by Amy’s interviews with textile experts as well as artists and makers! You will access both printable PDFs and videos content the user-friendly platform VintageModernMakers.com. Don’t forget to keep up with Amy’s continued journey curating vintage treasures and never miss a new pattern or book by signing up for her newsletter HERE!

March 27, 2018March 27, 2018

Sewing with Rayon: Tips and Tricks

Amy Barickman, founder of Indygo Junction has joined us for a Facebook Live Video. Watch the replay below as Amy and Misty chat about tips and tricks for sewing with rayons!

Who is Amy Barickman?

Amy is an entrepreneur in the sewing and crafting world with more than 25 years experience, but her passion for this industry began much earlier than that. Amy grew up immersed in the sewing and crafting business, as her mother owned a creative arts shop in West Des Moines, Iowa. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in art and design, Amy knew she wanted to make craft and art her life’s work and that’s when she decided to start Indygo Junction, a fabric arts publishing company, that showcases the talent of leading sewing and craft designers. Over the years Amy has teamed up with innovative artists to publish over 1,500 pattern titles and write over 80 books. Amy has also released several beautiful fabric collections over the years and shares her passion for vintage fabrics and sewing at AmyBarickman.com. Amy lives just an hour away from Missouri Star and has joined us for several videos over the last few years as a guest on Man Sewing with Rob Appell as well as a tutorial with Jenny featuring denim.

With Amy’s experience in writing and creating apparel patterns, she has many helpful tips to share with us all. That’s why we asked her to join us on today’s Live Video and share her expertise on working with rayon fabrics with us.

What is Rayon Fabric?

Rayon fabric is made from cellulose making it a semisynthetic fiber. This gives it the properties of both natural and synthetic fibers. It is smooth and slippery like nylon, but feels more natural when worn, making it great for clothing in the summer and in warmer climates.

Download Amy’s Tips and Tricks for working with rayons HERE and take a look at some of the gorgeous clothing you can create with rayons below!

Isn’t this Indygo Essentials – Shift Dress made using Les Fleurs – Berch Floral Enamel Rayon Yardage darling?

We adore Amy’s Warm & Cozy Wrap Pattern in the Longitude Batiks – Navy Medallion Rayon Yardage.

If you love a comfy shirt with a fun design element, this Button Back Shirt Pattern made in Batik Rayon – Ferns Blue/Green Yardage is for you!

We’re feeling summer ready after seeing this Turn About Tank Pattern in the Longitude Batiks – Magenta Medallion Rayon Yardage.

How cute is this tunic made from the Katelyn’s Dress, Tunic and Top Pattern using Longitude Batiks – Teal Floral Rayon Yardage.

We hope with the tips and tricks for sewing with rayon from Amy you’ll feel comfortable giving some of these patterns a try! Be sure to share your creations with us on social media using #msqcshowandtell.

Shop all rayon fabric at Missouri Star HERE.

Shop all of Amy’s apparel patterns HERE.

October 3, 2016October 3, 2016

Tutorial Reboot Featuring Guest Amy Barickman

Revisited Quilting Tutorials from Missouri Star Quilt Co

Hi! I’m Amy Barickman, founder of Indygo Junction. I am so excited for this opportunity to reboot one of Jenny’s tutorials. I am lucky enough to be a neighbor of Missouri Star. My hometown, Kansas City, is about an hour from Hamilton. I have enjoyed collaborating with the MSQC team over the last year. Jenny invited me to film a tutorial on quilting with my Crossroads Denim. I have also been a guest on Man Sewing, creating a recycled denim messenger bag from jeans and recently Rob released our I LOVE My Mummy pattern pillow tutorial. If you get a chance to visit the wonderful “Quilt Town” of Hamilton you will see a trunk show of our Indygo Junction apparel patterns in the main street stores. Yesterday my Missouri Star catalog arrived and our Fabriflair Radiant Star made the cover!!!

For the reboot I decided to combine the Love Notes block with our popular Indygo Junction Banded Baskets pattern. Since the body of the basket is pieced in sections, it was very simple to add patchwork- a perfect canvas to showcase blocks. The fabric we chose was my new RJR line Vintage Made Modern Stitcher’s Garden combined with Crossroads Denim Eggplant. Customize your basket with colors and fabrics to make a great gift or useful storage basket for your home!

To make the basket, I used both florals and a ginghams from my Stitcher’s Garden line, and my Crossroads Denim in Eggplant for the top band, bottom section and handles. You will also need a stiff interfacing, batting or stabilizer to give the basket some structure. Choose a coordinating thread for the topstitching.

Using Jenny’s tutorial, cut eight 5” squares of both the gingham and the floral for the blocks, and sew all around with a quarter inch seam. Then cut them diagonally to create four half square triangles and sew them together in a four-patch to create a ‘love note’.

Arrange all the blocks with the ‘envelope flap’ in the upper right corner and pressed the center seam up in half the blocks and the opposite way in the other half to nest the seams. The pattern uses 3/8” seams, you don’t want to lose the points in the blocks so use a quarter inch. Press the seams toward the denim and top stitch close to the seam on the denim side, just for a little more reinforcement.

After sewing the blocks together in a row, it measured 5.75” x 44”. Since the pattern calls for a 44” long body of the basket, it worked perfectly without adjustment.

If your seams are a bit scant or more generous than a quarter inch, your measurement may be a bit more or less. If you need to, you can add a bit of sashing at the end to bring it up to size, or adjust the other pieces to whatever your length is. (Just remember to adjust the lining dimensions, too!)

Based on the height of your block row, you will need to do a bit of math to determine how wide to cut the strip for the bottom of the basket body. In making the large basket, the piece below the band (the pattern refers to it as the bottom) needs to be 12” tall. Since my block is 5.75, I need a strip 6.25 plus a half-inch for seam allowance to have a 12” piece after I sew them together.

Sew the basket band onto the top of the row of blocks and the basket bottom onto the bottom of the pieced row to complete the outer basket body!

Follow the directions as written in the pattern to construct the rest of the basket.

Just for fun, I decided to miniaturize the block by starting with a 2.5” square to make the patchwork inset in the small basket. (Pin for scale in the photo).

I love this combination of Stitcher’s Garden Prints! Also note that the fabric line has a signature collage print, “cheater” type fabric.

Eleven blocks was exactly the correct length when sewn together. Again, border the print fabric with strips of Crossroads Denim and add a print fabric to bring the total to the correct height for the outer basket.

This is a fun & easy way to add a new dimension of quilting to your home. I love the idea of making a basket to companion a quilt for gift giving and Chloe our cat does too!! Keep in mind you can use almost any block along this border in this versatile Banded Baskets pattern! Enjoy.

Here’s where you can find me on the web:

IndygoJunction.com (Subscribe to our eNewsletter to learn about new products, receive special offers, discounts, videos and to receive a FREE monthly pattern!)

AmyBarickman.com

Or join our Facebook group at www.Facebook.com/groups/indygojunctionpatterngroup

August 31, 2016August 31, 2016

What is Fabriflair™ Feature and Giveaway!

Have you ever heard of Fabriflair™? It’s a brand new product from Indygo Junction. Paper piecing with mat board templates to create beautiful three-dimensional projects that are eye catching and so much fun! You can learn more about it in our latest issue of Block Magazine.

Block Magazine! 10 quilt patterns for $5.99!

Think…

Dimensional paper piecing
“Material” amusements for needle and thread
Eye candy for quilters

Fabriflair™ kits are such a clever, unique way to showcase favorite fabrics, embroidery and fiber art for quilters and sewers alike. And they’re quick projects, so it’s a nice break from always feeling like you have to finish those UFOs and PHDs.

Here’s how it works: Cover pre-cut, rigid mat board templates with your favorite fabrics and piece them together into decorative and functional projects. It’s English Paper Piecing with a twist and it’s dimensional so no need to remove the “papers” or “templates”. Whether you pull from your stash for a more eclectic look or grab a precut pack from your favorite designer’s new line, once you start stitching you will find it’s addictive!

Take a look at this short video for a peek at the process:

My name is Amy Barickman. Check out my book Vintage Notions and RJR fabric lines for more of my story. My company Indygo Junction has produced patterns and books inspired by my extensive collection of vintage patterns, fabrics and embroidery designs. Fabriflair™ was inspired by a dimensional star I found created with feed sack prints with buttons accenting the center of each star! It started with a star and now we have 6 kits available!

Fabriflair™ is the perfect on-the-go project for quilters. Easily portable and perfect for pre-cuts! If you love to keep your hands busy, these can easily be stitched in your leisure time while watching sporting events (kids or on TV) or listening to your favorite podcast!

While you can make Fabriflair™ for yourself showcasing your favorite new charm pack, you can also personalize Fabriflair™ for friends and family using all kinds of themed/novelty fabrics!

We are huge Royals Fans here in Kansas City! 2016 World Champs! How about combining your team’s fabric and up-cycling shirting for this Brio Sphere. I am also Kansas Jayhawk Alumni and die hard fan!!! Here’s my Radiant Star showcasing a combination of several novelty team fabrics.

Customize Fabriflair kits with your favorite fabrics!

Christmas will be here before we know it! I love the large Radiant Star as a centerpiece or even a tree topper!

My favorite ornaments on my tree are hand made with a story! Try making a Trilliant Ornament or Brio Sphere with vintage fabric and beads or personalize with an embroidered name. A perfect keepsake to make with leftover fabrics from your quilt. Stitch up an ornament to accompany a quilt you are giving as a gift!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter to win! Now it’s your turn! Share your ideas for personalizing Fabriflair™ in comments and choose 1 (or all) of the options to enter above and could win all six kits along with a Fat Quarter pack of my new RJR line Vintage Made Modern- Stitcher’s Garden OR a second winner will win $25 MSQC Quilter’s Cash.

January 29, 2016January 29, 2016

New Friday Tutorial: The Denim Strip Quilt with Special Guest Amy Barickman

Quilting superstar Amy Barickman from Indygo Junction is here to team up with Jenny for a new tutorial, the Denim Strip Quilt! This is a great quilt for beginners because it looks so much more difficult than it is, so you can show off your skills without pulling your hair out! It doesn’t even require binding (though you could absolutely construct it like a traditional quilt with binding)!

Amy Barickman’s Crossroads Denim fabrics are a dream to work with! They are so soft and come in so many gorgeous colors that you’ll definitely be making a list of all the things you can make with it!

This quilt was inspired by this pillow that Amy had made and we just had to turn it into a quilt!!

Click on the button below to watch the tutorial and get all the supplies you need to make this beautiful quilt! Happy Quilting!