Ackerman - Inspired to sew by Bari J.: 15 pretty projects, sewing secrets, colorful collage

Text copyright 2011 by Bari J. Ackerman

Artwork copyright 2011 by C&T Publishing, Inc.

Publisher: Amy Marson

Creative Director: Gailen Runge

Acquisitions Editor: Susanne Woods

Editor: Cynthia Bix

Technical Editors: Carol Zentgraf,

Amanda Siegfried, and Gailen Runge

Copyeditor/Proofreader: Wordfirm Inc.

Cover/Book Designer:

Kristy Zacharias

Production Coordinator:

Kirstie L. Pettersen

Production Editor:

Alice Mace Nakanishi

Illustrator: Wendy Mathson

Photography by Christina Carty-Francis and Diane Pedersen of C&T Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted

Published by Stash Books, an imprint of C&T Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be used in any form or reproduced by any meansgraphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systemswithout written permission from the publisher. The copyrights on individual artworks are retained by the artists as noted in Inspired to Sew by Bari J. These designs may be used to make items only for personal use or donation to nonprofit groups for sale. Each piece of finished merchandise for sale must carry a conspicuous label with the following information: Designs copyright 2011 by Bari J. Ackerman from the book Inspired to Sew by Bari J. from C&T Publishing, Inc.

Attention Copy Shops: Please note the following exceptionpublisher and author give permission to photocopy pattern pullout pages P1-P4 for personal use only.

Attention Teachers: C&T Publishing, Inc., encourages you to use this book as a text for teaching. Contact us at 800-284-1114 or www.ctpub.com for lesson plans and information about the C&T Creative Troupe.

We take great care to ensure that the information included in our products is accurate and presented in good faith, but no warranty is provided nor are results guaranteed. Having no control over the choices of materials or procedures used, neither the author nor C&T Publishing, Inc., shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. For your convenience, we post an up-to-date listing of corrections on our website (www.ctpub.com). If a correction is not already noted, please contact our customer service department at ctinfo@ctpub.com or at P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549.

Trademark () and registered trademark () names are used throughout this book. Rather than use the symbols with every occurrence of a trademark or registered trademark name, we are using the names only in the editorial fashion and to the benefit of the owner, with no intention of infringement.

Bari J. is a trademark of Bari J. Ackerman; Keeping It Real Sewing is a trademark of Bari J. Ackerman; and Fabric Mixology is a trademark of Bari J. Ackerman.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ackerman, Bari J.

Inspired to sew by Bari J.: 15 pretty projects, sewing secrets, colorful collage/Bari J. Ackerman.

p. cm. p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-60705-011-7 (soft cover)

1. Machine sewing. 2. Handicraft. I. Title.

TT713.A255 2011

646.2'044dc22

2010019010

Printed in China

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Lovingly
Dedicated

As I create, memories of
Grandpa Danny float by at the
most unexpected of moments.
From the very first time I
sheared through fabric and
began to sew, it seemed he was
right there with me, watching
and cheering me on. As a
furrier and an artist, he was
an ever-present creative spirit
in my life. Though no longer
physically with us, he is still
present to this day.

Grandpa, this is for you.
Thank you for the
rides to the moon, trips to the pumpkin
patch, holiday windows on
State Street, and most of all,
for being you.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Friendship and sewing go hand in hand in my life. Without the help of my good friends at our local quilt store, Wooden Gate Quilts (formerly Quilters Inn) in Danville, California, I have no doubt I would not be doing what I am today. Thank you, Jane, Marby, and Kathy, for not telling me how ugly that first handbag was but rather gently guiding me in the right direction.

Hugs to all of the ladies in the Monday and Tuesday sewing drop-ins, and extra big hugs to my mentors and friends Janis Stob and Margaret Lindermann, who adeptly guide us all.

I have to add an additional word about Janis. Each time I had something to troubleshoot while writing this book, she helped me work it out. Over the years, Janis has taught me so well that when I ask a question, I can nearly predict what she will say. A teacher who gives you that extra push to come up with the answerwell, that is a teacher. I cant thank her enough.

Thank you also to Mickey Krueger and Laura Jaquinto of Windham Fabrics, Kathy Miller of Michael Miller Fabrics, and Carolyn St. Clair and Lissa Alexander of Moda Fabrics for generously providing much of the fabric used in the projects for this book.

Thank you to Dan at The Sewing Machine Shop in Walnut Creek, California, for generously lending me a machine to work on when mine went kaput and was in his shop waiting sadly for its new circuit board. Thank you for getting it back to me so quickly, too.

A special thank-you to C&Ts publisher, Amy Marson, and to the fabulous editors, designers, photographers, and staff who worked on this book: Gailen Runge, Cynthia Bix, Carol Zentgraf, Kristy Zacharias, Kirstie L. Pettersen, Alice Mace Nakanishi, Wendy Mathson, Christina Carty-Francis, and Diane Pedersen. And a huge shout-out and a hug to C&Ts acquisitions editor, Susanne Woods, without whom I would never have dreamed of writing a book.

And thank you to my exceedingly patient husband, Kevin, and daughters, Anna and Emily, for putting up with me while I was writing this book. I love you all so much! And Ill be out of The Sewing Cave in just one minute!

To be in the presence of Bari J. Ackerman is to be in the presence of generosity, quality, and thoughtful attention to detail. These are the principles that exude from this most talented artist as she maneuvers through all facets of her life as a wife, mother, artist, and entrepreneur. The demeanor that Bari projects might be understated, but have no doubtshe is a creative force who knows how to set her sights on the big picture with the kind of focus needed to make grand gestures and lasting marks.

When I first met Bari, I could hardly believe the beauty that I saw in her handbags. The colors and textures of fabrics that her unique eye could pull together were what impressed me most. For us who love to sew, selecting the right combination of fabrics is arguably the most difficult part of the process. A primary reason Bari has become such a successful artistic sewer is her mastery of scouting luscious fabrics and combining them in fresh and fabulously unexpected ways.

Another reason for Baris success is her ability to translate her quality fabric choices into breathtaking designs with beautiful silhouettes. This ability to do bothselect fabrics and create amazing designsis why Baris work is so sought after and continues to gain a strong and loyal following.

This loyal following is one that Ive had the pleasure of witnessing firsthand, as I have had the pleasure for many years of being Baris editor for numerous magazine titles. Through this relationship, I have been deeply inspired with her openness to share her knowledge and teach those who want to learn. She is an artist who is passionate about sharing her tips, her tricks, and all of her wonderful techniques and design concepts. Not surprisingly, this generous approach has garnered an enthusiastic response from readers, who become entranced with her designs and her down-to-earth approach. In other words, readers love Baris ability to keep it real.