Amy Barickman is a busy entrepreneur, mom and all around creative spirit. Founding her well-known craft & pattern business, Indygo Junction, over 20 years ago, Amy knows what it takes to thrive in publishing. Working with many designers, Amy strives to bring her unique eye for trends to handmade and DIY fashion. She also creates her vintage-inspired fabric line for Red Rooster Fabrics.
Her love of all things vintage led Amy to embark on a second business venture, The Vintage Workshop. Developed to provide creative spirits with a resource for timeless imagery, The Vintage Workshop’s blog offers Amy’s Pick, an image-a-day giveaway. Like us on Facebook to see the daily feature!
Last year, Amy presented her latest endeavor at The Creative Connection. Publishing her “labor of love”, Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion & Fun under her new venture, Amy Barickman, LLC book publishing.
Amy’s book has won multiple awards in the independent publishing community. Here is an excerpt from the magazine Foreword Reviews…
“…Vintage Notions…is a celebration of domestic aesthetics…the book itself is art, overflowing not only with sweet morsels of fashion, needlework, and cooking, but with beautiful textures and colors…This book would be welcomed by anyone who is inclined to a vintage bent, who fancies home economics, or who finds happiness in making art out of life.”
~ Foreword Reviews
Recently, we sat down with Amy to talk a little more about her experiences publishing her book Vintage Notions, and to share a bit about her experience as a panelist at The Creative Connection event last year:
TCC event was wonderful! The Marketplace offered an amazing venue for sharing, selling and networking with other gifted artisans. I was thrilled to be a part of the panel on launching a business and I learned so much from my fellow speakers! The sharing of our experiences has proved to be invaluable on many levels! The event that continued throughout the weekend offered so many opportunities to network with successful, creative women in business.
This year I am returning to be a part of the Self Publishing Panel. I’m so excited and honored to be joining this talented group of women. I’ve learned so much during the process of publishing and marketing Vintage Notions – I have so much to share this year.
When did you decide that your research into the life of Mary Brooks Picken should be made into a book?
Vintage Notions really started to materialize as I realized the timeless content that existed in the Inspiration newsletters that the Woman’s Institute published. Many were written by Mary Brooks Picken who eventually complied “her choicest writings” into a small book called Thimblefuls of Friendliness: One Woman’s Every-Day Philosophy. Even more exciting, the more I read her writing and learned about the Women’s Institute that she founded, the more in awe I became of her contribution to the field of women’s entrepreneurship. Not only was Mary herself a successful entrepreneur (something that was, of course, rare for her time), but she also empowered countless other women to support themselves and their families through development of practical skills. I came across so many stories of women who recovered from economic hardships, depression, found new confidence in themselves…all because of the Woman’s Institute’s work. Correspondence classes ran for almost twenty years — I accumulated so much great material that I knew couldn’t just be left to the past. I was compelled to share it with a modern audience!
How has the publishing of Vintage Notions affected your role in the sewing and craft industry?
My other businesses, Indygo Junction and The Vintage Workshop already gave me a broad customer base, but publishing Vintage Notions allowed me to connect with even more people. I’ve found new professional communities – The Fashion Group,and the Costume Society (both organizations Mary was instrumental in founding). Because of all the research I did, I’ve also found a platform on which to speak professionally sharing Mary’s story, and that of The Woman’s Institute as well as my experience with 20 years in the industry. The story of the domestic arts, particularly sewing becoming a means for economic improvement is so relevant for the modern community of sewing and craft. Through my lecturing so many have inspired me! Mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs has been particularly rewarding.I had a wonderful experience at as a panelist at last year’s Creative Connection and really am looking forward to joining the panel on publishing this year.
What feedback have you gotten about Vintage Notions?
I’ve gotten very positive feedback on it! We’ve actually won a number of book awards and recognitions, from organizations like the Independent Publisher Book Awards,, and Foreword Reviews’ 2010 Book of the Year.I’ve also gotten some really nice reviews from other women in the industry, such as Mary Engelbreit and Amy Butler.What’s really been fun, though, is the feedback from people who buy the book.A lot of readers have some sort of connection, or a family member that gives them an interest in sewing or home arts. I think the book offers a platform for sharing stories for future generations, and I love to see this book encouraging that discussion.
Why did you decide to publish independently, and how has that worked out for you?
We did submit the proposal to several publishers, but didn’t receive any offers. I believed in the material, though, and decided to move forward independently. Fortunately, I had some experience in publishing with Indygo Junction —mainly 24-64 page instructional books. But this book was much more complicated.Vintage Notions was more inspirational title than project based. I was fortunate to have a talented colleague,Jean Lowe, agree to take on the editorial direction and coordinate production of the book. She has extensive experience in trade publishing.
Self-publishing is a challenging process, but I believe it was the right path. I kept control of the book’s look and content, and I can confidently say that it turned out true to my vision. We also had the flexibility to create our own campaigns, contests, and sell direct to stores and customers.
How long did it take you to write and publish the book?
About a year and a half. The process of printing overseas itself took about three months including shipping.I would have liked to print domestically, but that would have priced the book out of the market.
What was your favorite part of the whole process?
I really enjoyed the process of discovering and finding little nuggets of wisdom and inspiration within the material. The whole thing was an amazing journey—researching and finding out how relevant Mary Brooks Picken’s contributions still are today, and how many generations of women were affected.And the wonderful thing is, those discoveries haven’t stopped yet!
You can find more information on Amy’s journey with Vintage Notions by visiting her website and blog at www.amybarickman.com.
Also visit her company sites: www.indygojunction.com & www.thevintageworkshop.com
Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/amybarickmanstudio
We are so excited to have Amy as a Panelist on our THE CREATIVE CONNECTION panel Self-Publishing. If you have ever wanted to know the ins and outs of getting your book published, you can’t miss this panel! Plus, Amy will also be signing copies of her book Vintage Notions at the Autograph Party in The Handmade Market. This book is one of my all time favorite creative books. I love anything to do with vintage images and sewing, so I was so excited when I received it last summer. I read the entire book in one sitting! How would you like to see for yourself? Amy was kind enough to offer a copy of Vintage Notions as well as one yard each of the 19 coordinates of her new fabric line – The Dressmaking Collection that was inspired by the book. It’s a sweet deal as the fabric won’t be available to the public technically until September. I so wish I could enter!
All you need to do is comment to this post with the number one author you’d like to meet at the Autograph Cocktail Party. That’s it!
Additional entries:
*Follow WWC and TCC on Twitter
@WHEREWOMENCREAT @TCCEVENT (1 Entry)
*Tweet about this contest (1 entry)
*Blog about this contest and mention THE CREATIVE CONNECTION (1 Entry)
*Have a WWC button or link on your blog (1 Entry)
*Post a Comment on THE CREATIVE CONNECTION BLOG (1 Entry)
Remember to post separately for each additional entry and please only post the amount of entries allowed. Also, make sure we have a way to contact you. This contest ends on Wednesday, July 27th at Midnight (MST), so make sure to get your comments in by then.
One more thing … Facebook rules are ever changing, so we never involve them in any contest we have. However, we would appreciate a “Like” on our THE CREATIVE CONNECTION EVENT Facebook page.
Creative Karma will be bestowed on you!
I really am not familiar with any of the authors that will be at this book signing but I have recently found the Where Women Create magazine and it is so beautiful! The pictures alone are amazing. I scrapbook and also recently started doing mixed media canvasses and I occasionally sew. Really into anything vintage so I think all of this just goes together, all interesting to me! Deanna Foy
I’d like to meet Amy Barickman, to tell her personally how happy I was to win this giveaway!
I follow WWC and TCC on Twitter.
Well I would say Amy, but I have already had the pleasure of meeting and working with her at Sew Expo in Puyallup, WA. So instead I will say Elizabeth Hartman, wow that was harder than I expected as I started thinking about it I realized I have met or work with about a half dozen of the names I first thought of.
I love this book. I’m trying my luck at winning it again. Old notions are my favorites.
I’d like to meet Amy Barickman, because I’m from Kansas City, too!
Hello, nice interview. I would probably enjoy meeting Amy. I love all things vintage, especially sewing related.
I am now following both WWC and TTC on twitter.
I tweeted about this contest. @nalaxu
I posted a comment on CCB.
What a great article. Keep them coming!
Why Amy Barickman of course!!! Thanks for a wonderful segment!!
It’s too hard to choose just one but if I must I choose Amy Barickman!
Thanks for the chance to win!
I commented on your fab blog!
While I’d love to meet MaryJane Butters or Becky HIggins, it would be a dream come true to hang out with Susan Branch at any kind of event, any time, anywhere. Can you imagine how much fun that would be?
I left a comment on “Good Ideas”.
It would be AWESOME to meet Amy… sound like a wonderful book to add to my library of inspiration!!!! TFS!
I have a WWC Button on my blog!
I would love to win this book, I just looked through it @ my local bookstore & thought “I’ll wait to buy it at The Creative Connection & ask Amy to sign it!” ( of course I’m not sure I can go yet, so I’m trying the power of positive thinking ~ lol)! And then to have a chance to win it AND the fabric- WOW! Thanks for the chance! If I win, I’ll BRING the book to TCC with me!
I’m obsessing about it- I just need to sign up!
Debbie :)
Hello!!
I would love to meet her and take the class on how to self publish!!
What a dream that would be…..publish my very own book:):)
I already follow wwc & tcc on facebook:)
Thanks so much and happy Tuesday!!!!!
Hello!!!
I would love to meet her….and I would love to attend the event! One of these days:)
I already follow wwc & tcc on facebook!!
Thanks so much and Happy Tuesday!!
I would love to meet Amy. She seems to be so grounded in her work, and she is such an inspiration. However, I’d love to meet anyone that is associated with “Where Women Create”. I’m sure I would have a ton of questions for any of them.
I am already following WWC and TCC Event on Twitter.
I tweeted about the contest. I’m embmimi.
http://twitter.com/#!/embmimi/status/95875014246666240
I posted a comment on the Creative Connection Blog under the article about Crafty Chica.
Would love to meet Amy B.!
I would enjoy meeting Amy Barickman. It seems like my interests are so similar, and she has done so much with her talents! I want to be more like her when I “grow up!”
I would be so happy to meet Amy!
I would Love to mingle with Amy Barickman she has such gorgeous things on her blog, I also love her sewing CD books!
Amy Barickman, of course! I have many Indygo Junction patterns and love them. I’d love to make one of her patterns with her new fabric line. And, the book would be wonderful as well.
I have a WWC Link on my blog Pinkdilla
I’ll pick Amy. Definetly would love to see the book.
I would be torn between choosing Amy Barickman and Betz White as I have a great admiration for them both. Thanks for entering me in the giveaway!
Just blogged it! pinkdilla.com/
Just Tweeted! twitter.com/wcselby
I would love to meet Amy since I have been following her for a number of years. She has been a great inspiration to me…I had given up sewing for a almost 20 years when I discovered her fabric patterns and fell in love. Thanks for the opportunity to enter!
I’d love to meet Amy Barickman in person! I Love “Vintage Notions”, I bought it the first time I saw it advertised! It’s one of my “Inspiration bibles”!!
The number one author I would love to meet at the autograph cocktail party is Amy Barickman. I have been subscribing to her Vintage Workshop newsletter for quite some time and I share her love of vintage. Her new fabric line is GORGEOUS and makes my heart to pitter patter. Her new book looks yummy!
Number 1 author? that is a tough one because of all the talented people out there but Amy is definitely one of them! LOve all the inspiration to be found here!
I follow both @WHEREWOMENCREAT @TCCEVENT as MomtasticStitch on twitter!
Actually, I would love to chat with Amy Barickman! I have many of her patterns from Indygo Junction, and love her books.
What a beautiful book and new fabric line – I love anything vintage, but especially sewing items. I’d love a chance to meet Amy from Indygo Junction, her patterns are amazing…
Amy Barickman has designed some beautiful patterns – I haven’t got her book yet, but love anything vintage ! Love to meet her, very cool that this book is self published.
I would love to meet Amy! I am a quilter and have loved the 30′s type vintage fabric. But I sure am liking the fabric in her new collection.!
I would love to have Amy Barickman’s autograph! Her VINTAGE NOTIONS book is a treasure. I am quite excited about the possibility of winning all of that lovely fabric :)
Gosh, there are so many fanastic authors – I guess I wouldn’t want to miss Ashley English or Amy Barickman!
This is my first visit to WWC from Indygo Junction, one of my favorite sites and shops. I’d like to meet Amy or any of the women who create and publish their work for us to use at home. It enriches my life to create beautiful, useful things for my family and friends. I greatly appreciate the time it takes to write clear, easy instructions for a project and make patterns for me to follow and adapt from someone’s original work.
It would certainly be my pleasure to meet Amy. Thanks for this segment.
Why Amy, of course!
I would love to meet Amy Barickman! Her book is fantastic and for me, like spending the afternoon with my mom or grandmother. Thank you so much.
I left a comment on The Creative Connection Blog!
I would love to meet Amy Barickman because I love vintage things and because she seems like such a gracious lady.
I am certain that all of the speakers would be fascinating to chat with, but I would like to meet Amy Barickman. I appreciate her efforts to preserve the history of sewing and introduce her readers to the talented people who helped improve the lives of women.
I follow WWC and TCC on Twitter.
*I placed a WWC button on my blog! http://anne-writehere.blogspot.com/
I love vintage and I’d love to meet Amy!
I also started following on twitter, AND tweeted about the contest! @boodles64
Love to meet Amy B. In person – the book and new line of fabrics is yummynand I can think of lots of uses for them.
I would love to meet Cristina Ferrare or Tina Haupert.
I followed both WWC and TCCEVENT on Twitter. I am eclecticindiv on Twitter. :-)
I left a comment on the Creative Connection Blog in the article about the Crafty Chica, Kathy Cano-Murillo. I love her designs and wish I could attend class in September… :-)
I’d like to meet Amy Barickman. Vintage rules!!
I also tweeted about the event at http://twitter.com/#!/eclecticindiv [ eclecticindiv Marybeth Mank
Would you love to win free fabric? Visit http://t.co/eN7yM9M to find out how! Gorgeous vintage-style fabrics great for multitude of designs]
LOL! Can you tell that I would really love to win this fabric?? :-) I put buttons/links on my blog at http://gr8chefmb.wordpress.com/. Scroll towards the bottom of my page to the blogroll section to find the buttons. Thanks!
BTW-I would love to meet Amy Barickman, too. I love her other websites Indygo Junction and Vintage Workshop. I have been a longtime subscriber to those websites. She has some really neat ideas and projects listed on those websites.
I’d love to meet Amy. Her book is great and I’m really looking forward to that new fabric collection with such great prints!
I would love to meet Amy Barrickman–that would be such a treat! Thanks so much for featuring a wonderful interview on the book and the new fabric line!
I would love to meet Amy! I have purchased and made a few of the Indygo Junction bag patterns. And also have the Buttonware book and have made a few items in it.
The number one author I’d like to meet at the Autograph Cocktail Party is Amy Barickman. I have been reader/customer of her’s for a long time. So I think it’s about time we met!
Picking just one top author would be as hard as picking one book…thankfully there are too many great ones to select from-love that!!! Amy has done it again with her amazing new fabric line. Will certainly be watching for it at my local quilt shop! Thanks for the great blog post on her!
After her twenty years of creative innovations, I’d be hoping to meet the very talented Amy Barickman at the Autograph Cocktail Party. I’m fond of vintage sewing and crafting, so Amy’s award winning book ‘Vintage Notions’ will be on my wish list. If only my Home Economics teachers could see how their efforts to teach domestic arts, just as Mary Brooks Pickens did, they all would be so very proud of how far their teachings have traveled into the present and on into the future.
Since I have never met a sewing/craft author, I would be happy meeting any of them.
I now follow WWC and TCCEVENT
I post this contest on my twitter site.
I posted this contest on my blog and mentioned The Creative Connection.
I puta WWC button on my blog.
I posted a comment on TCC
FUN! Thanks for the chance to win this intriguing book!!
Amy Barickman. I love her style.
Love the new fabric line and book……count me in and sign me up!!!!
Well, wouldn’t it be great to meet all of them?! But I am loving everything about Amy Barickman’s entrepreneurial offerings! So, meeting her would be fab. :)
When I received my copy of this amazing book in the mail from Amazon, I snuggled up on the chair in my studio and devoured each and every page. I was so amazed by the common sense of Mary Brooks Pinken and how she applied it to a lifestyle filled with creativity and honesty. This book is a prize in my crafting library and I go back to it often for inspiration. Thank you so much Amy for taking the time and effort to bring this wonderful lady to life again.
I just love your book. I gave it as a gift and wished I had kept it for myself but my friend really loved it. So to win a book, meet you and win your fabric would be so amazing. But if not I know I will buy a book for myself.
Well, wouldn’t it be great to meet all of them?! Amy B.’s entrepreneurial success is so inspiring. Her creativity is awesome. Meeting her would be terrific!
I would like to meet Amy Barickman, when I was younger I used to ferret out notions from old wholesalers in downtown Houston. And, I too am a self-publisher–what a learning curve and a sentient journey!
This book would be a fabulous addition to my sewing room!!! How inspiring.
I thought I may have commented on this but just in case….. I think you are fabulous!!!!
I love contests!!!! Especially when I win!!!!
One author that I would like to meet is the Crafty Chica! I have already befriended Where Women Create and love to read the magazines. I don’t tweet so I can’t enter the Amy Barickman contest that way.
Wish me luck!
Amie
:)
I would love to meet Amy!
I love her work– her books, patterns, fabric and images inspire me daily!
I don’t know who will be at this particular signing, and I will not be able to attend. But my all-time favorite artist is Mary Englebreit and I would love to someday meet her and hear some of her artistic wisdom in person.
I would love to meet Amy. I love everything vintage. Thanks for the giveaway!
Love books! Love fabric! Love books about fabric! Love Where Women Create!
Love the interview with Amy and I think I would like to meet her. Very interesting career path for her.
I would love to meet Amy Barickman. I have dozens of her images, cd’s and patterns. They are my favorites!
really enjoyed reading this. The fabrics are really nice!
Lovely book. I would like to meet all the authors and artists, but would gravitate to Lynn Perrella if she were there.
I would love to meet Amy Barickman and be able to thank her for all the inspiration she gives us!
WWC button on my blog http://elliesewsweet.blogspot.com/
Left a comment on Lisa Leonard post. Such beautiful jewelry!
Hmmm, not sure but Tim Holtz and I once belonged to the same rubber-stamping group so maybe it would be a good icebreaker lol!
I would love to meet Amy!
I would LOVE to meet MaryJane Butters. She has really brought about change in regards to eat healthy and organically. ♥ her.
I would like to meet Amy.
Mary Jane Butters….I love her books !!!!
I have been looking for vintage looking material for my first quilt and this is perfect! I love Where Women Create, I find so many treasures I would not have known about otherwise.
I would like to see Lesley Riley! What a great site you have!
Amy Barickman definitely. This prize would be a dream! :) Shelly
Thanks to all the women of the past and of the present that had a Grand Notion that their idea was worth writing down. While I’d love to meet Amy, of course, I’d also love to meet Heather Bailey.
I would LOVE to meet Amy and Thank her for the beautiful material! Hope I win some!!!!!
I would like to meet Amy. I love her fabric!
I would love to meet Amy. I love her fabrics!
I made a lovely apron designed by Amy Barickman which is too pretty to even allow in the kitchen! Vintage rules!
I would like to meet and talk to Amy Barickman. While she’s at it, perhaps she would autograph my book! I ordered it when I first heard of it when she appeared on Nancy’s Z’s program on PBS. Thank you, Amy, for adding to my world!
I would love to meet Amy Barrickman after having read her new book. I have been a fan of the Institute of Domestic Arts publications for years, and have collected quite a few of the originals which I use as source material when demonstrating historic needle arts as part of the domestic arts division for the Wilson County Kansas Old Iron Club
My post disappeared! But I would like to meet Amy Barickman after having read her new book. I have been a fan of the Institute For Domestic Arts publications for many years, and have collected quite a few of the originals. I use them as source material when demonstrating needle arts as part of the domestic arts division of the Wilson County Kansas Old Iron Club.
Of course I’d like to meet Amy. I love Indygo Junction! It was interesting to learn more about her in your interview. The history of earlier times and women sewing that she has brought forward is so wonderful. Reading about her new book reminds me of my Grandmother sewing on her treadle Singer. The last piece of clothing I remember her making for me was a blue pleated wool skirt. I was fascinated by how she could make all of those pleats so perfectly the same size. As the youngest of 3 cousins, I’m sure some of my hand-me-downs were made by her too. I have often wished I still had that skirt, but I am lucky enough to have inherited her sewing machine and the wooden drawers are decorated with very pretty scroll work around the small round handles. I use some of the free downloads in my altered book group round robin. I love the old fashioned Christmas groups also for making extra special gift tags. I’m thinking of using some of the postcard sizes to make a garland to hang in my breakfast room window this year. I especially like seeing project suggestions and what others have done. I’m planning to do a shadow box similar to one shown on the web site with a sewing theme & a picture of my mother and grandmother to hang over the sewing machine.
Amy Barickman gets my vote.
So many, many authors. Probably Jo Packham would head the long, long list. Where Women Create just continues to amaze me. I love vintage notions in particular, so of course Amy. Love your book. Would love to win!
I love your book and would love to win a copy and fabric and meet you too.