Presentations By Amy Barickman
Amy Barickman is the founder of the sewing pattern company Indygo Junction and author of the best-seller Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion & Fun! With a knack for anticipating popular trends and new talent, Amy’s ability as a collaborative entrepreneur has allowed her to design over 1200 patterns and 80 books. She has also introduced new brands, including her Vintage Notions book series and Fabriflair®, dimensional paper piecing designs. Prym Consumer, the USA maker of Dritz® and Omnigrid®, recently acquired Indygo Junction. Amy is now able to put her full attention to her passion for sharing fabulous vintage textiles & projects made by hand, including embroidery, quilts, fabric & notions, as well as DIY publications from the past with modern relevance. 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 in vintage made modern style. She also enjoys sharing through presentations she offers both as in-person and virtual events.
Presentations
For the Love of Pearl Buttons: A favorite vintage notion from industry to inspiration!
From fashion to function, see various delightful DIY ideas that will inspire your creative spirit to craft with these beautiful notions. Meet artisans who create unique designs in mother-of-pearl buttons. Amy tells the little-known national treasure story of the gold rush of the Midwest. 1.5 billion pearl buttons annually were produced in Muscatine, Iowa, from shells mined from the Mississippi River. Take a tour of the National Pearl Button Museum with Amy as she shares photos and stories from her research trip to Muscatine.
Sew Vintage!
A presentation filled with ideas for incorporating vintage textiles, thrift shop finds, and cast-off cloth into unique projects for home and fashion—from recycling denim to upcycling orphan quilt blocks and embellishing with hankies. Learn tips and techniques to create modern makes with your collection of notions and fabrics. Preserve memories in cloth with ideas for creating with family clothing and heirloom needlework. Amy will also share the timeless wisdom from her book, Vintage Notions. It is filled with creative ideas, practical advice, vintage fabrics, and samples of authentic handmade and illustrations that celebrate the rich heritage of Mary Brooks Picken and The Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences.
Participant Testimonials
“Learning the history of the pearl buttons was great. Definitely gave me the motivation to travel to Iowa to go to the Muscatine Museum. I have plenty of pearl buttons from my mother’s collection. Look forward to seeing Amy’s inspiration on her Facebook lives.”
“Wow! We even took a field trip virtually! Super presentation and Amy’s photos of vintage to modern projects were very inspiring. Thank you for a wonderful class.”
“Interesting information about an industry that thrived and died. Sad that the US no longer produces these lovely items. Made me appreciate the buttons I have inherited in my grandmother’s button box!! Also gave me another destination to add to my list of places to visit.”
