I’ve got the solution for your writer’s block!

08/18/2011

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Thanks to all who have been singing up for my newsletter over at my new site! The first edition will be coming out very soon, and then it will be bi-weekly.

If you follow that link above, you’ll see that you have the option to just sign up for the newsletter, or sign up to receive the newsletter, plus the first two chapters of my eBook, “Put Your Passion Into Words: How to Overcome the 4 Biggest Obstacles Standing in the Way of Writing Your Web Site” 
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I wrote this eBook for entrepreneurs (yes, selling on Etsy or trying to launch your own pattern line absolutely makes you an entrepreneur!) who are trying to get their web site finished, but are struggling because they just don’t know what to say. Believe me, if this sounds like you, you are not alone! I went to a networking event last night here in Cincinnati, and I talked to so many people who were struggling with getting their web sites up and running because they couldn’t get the copy written. So, take a look at the book and the first few chapters, and if you want more, it’s just one more click!

In other news, I’m making progress on Max’s penguin backpack (from Oliver + S Little Things to Sew). If I could get more than a 15-minute stretch to sew, I’m sure I could finish it!

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Two big website announcements!

08/12/2011

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I’ve got two super exciting announcements, on two totally different topics (or are they . . .?).

Anyway, first, my new website is finally live! I love it so much, and I adore the design my friend Claudia did! That color is now called Judi Aqua.
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I’ll be sharing more about it in the coming weeks. I’ll still be blogging here for my crafty friends, but I’m also starting a newsletter (where craft-related stuff will certainly pop in from time to time). So, if you want to join my newsletter list and hear from me (either once a week, or once every other week—haven’t decided yet), then click through here, and use the signup box on the right. You can also download a few chapters of my eBook. No spam. No craziness. Just me, communicating with you.
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So, from one website announcement to another. Did you know that TODAY—August 12—is the very day, 160 years ago, that Isaac Singer was issued the patent for his sewing machine? Singer is celebrating their 160th anniversary all year-long, and today, they launched a brand new site: MySingerStory.com! Look at these beautiful (rotating) images from the site! (Many will look familiar to my readers, because Singer graciously let me use many of these in the pages of Sew Retro.)

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This site is so cool because not only can you share your own Singer memories (and read others’ stories), you can also search everything about your particular model, and find out information. Now, that part is not quite ready to go yet (should be ready next week), but there are stories there, and fun historical tidbits (some pulled from Sew Retro). The Singer folks also asked me to share my own story, which I’ve done.
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I know that you all will LOVE this site, and love all of the fun stuff Singer is doing this year to celebrate. In fact, I’ll be talking more about that as well!

So, is it coincidence that I’m launching my new site the same day Singer is launching theirs? Well, okay, yes. But, I'm starting to believe that coincidence is just the universe nudging us to look deeper at something. And here it is: Singer’s site is all about sharing your story. Helping clients connect by sharing their story is the focus of my new brand: Words That Connect. In fact, the guiding principle of my business is simply this:

Your story is your best thing.

Singer knows it, I know it, and I can’t wait to tell you more about why stories matter so much, in your life and in your business.

Have a great weekend!
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iPhone Bliss

08/07/2011

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You know how in the beginning of a new relationship, you are so smitten, you can barely think about anything else than how into the new relationship you are? You imagine scenarios. You spend hours daydreaming, running through interactions, maybe even staring at pictures of the two of you together? It’s just passion, all day, all the time.

Well, my new iPhone and I are in that phase.
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This isn't actually my iPhone. My pictures turned out bad, so I grabbed an image!
I’ve had it less than a week, but I think it’s fair to say that it’s true love. When I stare into its beautiful crystal-clear screen, I feel like giddy and tingly.

For the past few months, I’ve bee saying I’m going to get an iPhone. But I was worried that I wasn’t tech savvy enough. Everyone talked about how easily it synced, but even just the idea of syncing made my stomach hurt. The thought of setting up accounts, figuring out how everything worked, dealing with what was sure to be one headache after another—I just didn’t want to take it on. And changing cell phone plans (I had T-Mobile)—surely that was a huge pain, right? Plus, I’ve barely had time to do anything the past few months with the big project I was involved in.

But then on Tuesday, with all deadlines met, I finally found myself with a free afternoon. I went to Caribou Coffee to chill for a while, and saw that a Verizon store was right next-door. It must be fate, I decided. An hour and-a-half and like a million dollars later, I walked out the door with my iPhone! My number was transferred, just like that.

What really surprised me is that having never used a smart phone before (or even paid attention to them), I immediately understood how to use it. I started downloading apps, taking pictures, and (with my breath held), plugged it into my MacBook Pro. And, somehow, it just knew what to do! All of my music and email just synced, and I didn’t have to do anything.

So, in the past five days, here is what my new iPhone and I have done together:
  • Taken tons of pictures, like these:
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  • Played tons of Words with Friends games with my husband (I’ll never be able to beat him because he plays Scrabble obsessively and knows more stupid words than I care to ever know)
  • Took a picture of the penguin backpack from Little Things to Sew, made a list of the supplies I needed with the notes function, downloaded the Jo-Ann’s app and coupons for my shopping trip, and headed with Max to Jo-Ann’s to get all of the supplies.
  • Downloaded a running log app to keep track of all my workouts (so I can stop using paper logs—I’ve got piles of them).
  • Texted with friends and colleagues, without it taking half an hour to compose a text message. (My previous phone was a 5-year-old flip phone and texting was a major headache.)
  • Downloaded an e-copy of Malcolm Gladwell’s  What the Dog Saw from my library’s e-pub collection. I’m reading now. I heart Malcolm Gladwell.
  • Kept up with friends and groups on Facebook, and posted pictures and videos that I had just taken with the phone.
  • Downloaded some free kids’ apps—one makes farm animal noises and one is a coloring book (Max already grasps how to use them).
  • Sent and received emails in random places, like while in the car (as a passenger, not a driver!) and at the playground.
  • Lots more (seriously, I'm a terrible example of being attached to your phone for my kids. But I'll chill, I promise).
I’d like to say that I posted this blog using it, but alas, I still prefer typing long-form on a real keyboard. But if I get my thumbs into shape, I could absolutely do it!

Anyway, an iPhone is an investment (I paid $200 at Verizon—maybe you can deals, but searching for deals isn’t my thing), and the monthly plan is slightly painful. But not awful. For the convenience and connecting power, it’s worth it. And even for tech novices like me, it’s unbelievably easy to use!

Next on the list: searching fabric and pattern apps!
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Someone had a birthday!

07/30/2011

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I’m slowly emerging from one of the craziest months of my business. I had this idea that I would finish up my big project and relax this week. But . . . that didn’t happen.

But I did make time Thursday night to watch Project Runway! Thursday was also Max’s birthday, so I snuck about an hour on Wednesday to make this little pillow for him, so he could wake up with it Thursday morning.
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He’s had this not-very-cuddly brown pillow I made a long time ago in his bed for the past few months. It’s got icky glue patches (where the embellishments fell off) and doesn’t exactly say sweet slumber. I asked him if maybe I could make him a special soft pillow instead, and he was all about it.

So I rooted through my stash and found a scrap of some ultra soft green stretch veloury stuff. My pillow form was 16 inches, so I cut two pieces, front and back, 17-inches by 17-inches. I used a scrap left from the Clifford quilt to make the letters of his name. To prevent the velour stuff from stretching when I appliqued, I applied some lightweight fusible interfacing on the back. Then, I did a simple machine applique (a blanket stitch) around the letters. Not my best work ever, but a good last minute gift for a 3-year-old.
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I decided to do a zipper close (following the method I talk about here), stitched up the sides, inserted the pillow form, and the Max pillow was done! I put the pillow onto his bed after he was already asleep Wed night so that he could wake up with it the morning of his birthday. He loved the pillow, although the wooden train cars, Busytown cards, and set of kid-size tools were probably the bigger hit. He also loved the toybox that my father-in-law made (which matches the table that my husband built that I blogged about last week).
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Next up on the list is a new backpack, since he starts preschool in September. I’m going to use the penguin backpack pattern from Oliver & S’s Little Things to Sew. Have you seen this book? It’s unbelievably adorable!

And eventually, I’ll get around to sewing some girly wonderfulness for Georgia. Her first birthday is coming up in about a month. I mean, seriously, look at this face!
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In other news, I should have some exciting news to share about Sew Retro soon (I need to make sure all the details are confirmed first). And, on the copywriting side of my business, my new web site is just about to launch (it will be the same domain as my original site, judiketteler.com, and I’m getting rid of jkcopywriting.com). I’m way excited about the design and some of the new aspects of my writing business.

More on that later . . .
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The secret is out . . .

07/16/2011

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The wife is always the last the know. Isn’t that the way it usually goes? Sure, there are signs. Receipts. Strange behaviors you can’t explain. Faraway glances. That’s right. My husband has been hiding something from me. For six years, he kept the secret so well-hidden. But now it’s out.

That’s right, my husband has mad woodworking skills! And he never told me!

I mean, yes, there was the occasional home repair project he seemed just a little too proficient at. And he’s a master at putting together Ikea furniture. But I never suspected this. .

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Can you believe he up and made this completely adorable table for the kids? (Not the chairs; they are from the neighbor and have been collecting dust in our basement for two years) And he painted it, and the chairs to match! (My suggestion on the colors—they coordinate with the toy box that my father-in-law made and painted for Max, which he’ll get on his 3rd birthday in a few weeks).

Anyway, here is how it started:

Allen: I think maybe I want to build something.

Me: Okay, do you know how to build things?

Allen: I’ll figure it out. What should I build?

Me: How about building a little art/activity table for the kids, since we’ve been looking for them at flea markets and haven’t found what we want?

Allen: Okay. I’ll build that.

A few conversations with his dad, some borrowing of tools, and three days later, I come home from a day-long meeting, and the table is done.

But wait, there is more! After he built the table, he wanted another project. He decided to build a giant shelf to organize the awful, messy, cluttered, downright scary part of the unfinished side or the basement. He decided that on like Wednesday and by Friday, it was done.
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It’s a monster. I really couldn’t even get a good picture of it. Please do not look at the total mess that is the unfinished side of our basement. This is why we need a giant shelf to organize it. Apparently, he has a vision for the basement of everything in perfect order, with its own place. Sounds beautiful to me!

This morning, he said: “I need another project.” Is there a sweeter sound in the world?

I think it’s time for me to get out the secret list I’ve been keeping in the event that my husband turns out to have crazy woodworking skills that I knew nothing about!

Anyway, the kids love the table. Max has already built elaborate cities on it with his blocks. And seriously, is there anything cuter than the way kids’ feet dangle off chairs?
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I can’t wait to post about whatever his next project is (since I seem to have no time to do my own projects—my crazy deadline is almost over though!)
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Trying to get out from under

07/07/2011

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Right now, my life feels like one massive countdown to one massive deadline. I keep looking wistfully at my sewing machine and all of the projects I want to do (and write about!). But until I get out from under (in just a few weeks), I can't do anything else. It's not a bad place to be (a deadline means work!), but it is hard to have such a singular focus.

So here is me, pressing on, once again . . .
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Three days in Denver

06/22/2011

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Thanks for everyone’s nice comments about my Special Spaces pillows! I really enjoyed being part of such a great team. And, of course, I greatly cherish that comment from Bailey’s mom.
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Continuing on with my crazy week, the day after the Special Spaces makeover, I got on a plane to Denver for a much-anticipated business retreat at the Omni Interlocken Resort (I’m seriously going to write them a love letter for their exceptional service). 
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I’ve written before that I’ve been making lots of changes in my writing business as part of my work with my business coach, Darla LeDoux, and the Mastermind program that I’m a part of. This retreat was a chance to gather with the four other members of my group, along with Darla, to share our progress (and get and give feedback), do more planning, and learn new strategies. We also got to take this fabulous hike. Look at those mountains!

There may have also been a ride in a limo to a great restaurant in Boulder.
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Well, and a massage this morning, followed by a glorious soak in the hot tub and a dip in the pool.
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Oh, and how random is this? My sister, Claire—who lives in New Hampshire—just happened to be passing through the Denver airport with her son (my nephew) Pete, this afternoon when I was leaving. They were on their way to hike the second half of some insane 480-mile trail somewhere around Denver. She lives 2,000 miles away from me and I hardly ever get to see her—and her plane just happened to be arriving at the gate directly across from my gate 10 minutes before my plane to Cincinnati left! Do you know how BIG the Denver airport is and the odds of that? Not to mention all the delays she had to experience before getting to Denver to even have us at the airport on the same day at the same time (her coming and me leaving). We knew that morning there was a chance we might see each other, but I never thought all of the pieces would fall into place for a 5-minute visit, but somehow they did. What a sweet little gift.
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But seriously, it was 93.37% work (Allen, if you are reading, it was 100% work). Awesome work, actually. When you are working in your business, it’s rare that you get to step back and think deeply and seriously about the direction your business is heading, about your goals, and about how—step by step—you are going to make it happen. And then, you have five other people to hold you accountable and stare you down (lovingly) if you don’t do what you say you’re going to do.

I am going to do what I say I’m going to do. That’s a promise.

In fact, I can’t wait to share everything I’ve been working on (soon!). I think I’ve found a sustainable way to bridge my writing business with my involvement in the craft industry. I mean, Sew Retro was one way I did that, and of course, this blog does, too. And I love this space and the book is one of my proudest pieces of work.

But I’ve got even more exciting things in mind for the future.
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I must give credit to my friend, Brian, for taking this picture!
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Special Spaces Cincinnati: a special experience indeed!

06/19/2011

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When I signed up to volunteer to be part of the sewing team for Special Spaces Cincinnati, I didn’t know that it would be in at the tail end of my busiest week of the year. I’ve been up every night until about 1:30 a.m. trying to get work done. So when the alarm went off Saturday morning (after another late night), I admit, I groaned a bit.

But once I got there, I knew it was going to be a very cool day.
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We were giving 7-year-old Bailey a brand new princess bedroom, as part of Special Spaces—a national organization that does one-day bedroom makeovers for children dealing with life-threatening illness. The Cinci chapter is brand new and Bailey’s room was their first makeover. Bailey has been dealing with leukemia for the past year. She’s been sick, but very, very brave. She has three other siblings (including a 9-month old baby brother, same age as Georgia), and she shares a room with her 3-year-old sister, Rachel. A friend of the family nominated her for the room makeover.

Thankfully, Bailey is doing very well. I found out Saturday that her last scan was cancer-free, and she is in the maintenance phase of her treatment. But after everything Bailey has been through, she deserves the bedroom of her dreams, to recover in, and make more dreams. Here is the before shot of the room . . .
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I signed up to be part of the sewing team, headed by Robin Nielsen, who owns Stitch Studio  here in Madeira. We had the task of doing all of the sewing, including two quilts, a handful of pillows & shams, and the window treatments. Robin did 90 percent of the sewing herself ahead of time—like the very intricate window treatments. She is absolutely amazing! (Here they are before installation.)
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That's Robin cutting one of the adorable monogrammed shams. Her best friend, Leslie, also helped her out. I had such a fun time listening to Robin and Leslie talk about all of their sewing (and other) adventures over the years. They are really a lovely pair, and made the day even more enjoyable.
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My contribution was these two pillows (I used the gathering technique from the Mod Pillow for one of them, and decorated the other with yo-yos).

I also did the patchwork on the cover for the bench cushion below.
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 It was so fun to watch the couch pile up with pillows throughout the day. All day long, the carpenters and painters and craft team were in and out, furiously working on things (there were about 20 volunteers in all). Robin, Leslie, and I were in our own little Zen, just sewing and chatting.
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Serious stuff was being built and painted in the tents out front (I heard the hum of power tools all day.) I’d always wondering how those one-day makeovers actually work. How do they get everything out, reconfigured/painted/built, and then everything back in before the family comes back?
I know the answer now: it’s a ton of really, really hard work, and it reaches a panic mode about 10 minutes before the family is due back. There was so much to do in those last minutes--so many parts to coordinate and things to move in. I can’t even believe all the great details the team did, like all of these adorable pieces!
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 But truly, that moment of the reveal was probably one of the coolest moments of my adult life. I wasn’t in the room for the reveal—there were too many volunteers. But I could hear Bailey squeal, and I also got to see it on the news last night (there were three TV crews there). And I got to go in after with the sewing team and show her everything we did. Here I am with Robin, Bailey, and Leslie.
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I can’t believe the amazing people that made everything come together. I had such a small role to play, but it felt so great. I’ve been thinking for some time that  I want to use my sewing skills to give back, and I feel like I’ve found a very wonderful cause.

A few more pics . . .
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And the winner is . . .

06/16/2011

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I know, I know . . . you're all eagerly waiting (I had to go running, take a shower, and eat lunch, and I missed the noon deadline!). I just picked the winner at random (literally, I scrolled up and down the comments with my eyes closed and just clicked and then opened my eyes).

The winner is . . . Julie Witt! Julie says that her goal is to design her own pattern, in either sewing, knitting, or crocheting. I think you should take that as a challenge, Julie, and make it happen! In fact, I loved reading all of your goals. What an inspired bunch! Thanks for sharing your goals, and I hope writing them down (on a public forum) gives you the push you need to accomplish them.

These giveways are my favorite thing ever, so I hope to keep doing them.

Julie, I'll be in touch via email about getting you your winnings.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Judi

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Q&A with Bari J. Ackerman + Sew Retro/Bari J Giveaway!

06/09/2011

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When I think of Bari J. Ackerman,  my brain goes to layers and layers of loveliness. Her work is so intricate and her use of color so joyful that looking at her blog is often my reward after a day of stressful work (her logo alone calms and inspires me).
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Her first book, Inspired to Sew, (Stash Books) came out earlier this year (do you have it yet? Why not?! Go order right now!). In addition to her line of patterns, she also designs fabric (her next line, Paris Apartment, will be available in July). What I particularly love about Bari J. is that she has this terrific eye for vintage that just feels right and feels real and usable (she talks about this in her Q&A—I love what she says about vintage purses). When I look at her stuff, I am reminded that color and texture and playfulness and nostalgia aren’t just concepts for Milan runways or boutique windows: they can be tenets of everyday life.

Bari J. is generously offering one of her gorgeous patterns (the winner can choose any one of her patterns, all listed here) and a stack of 8 fat quarters (it will be a random mix), which might look something like this . . . 
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So, enjoy the Q&A with her (it’s very insightful—especially for people who dream of designing fabric), and enter to win Bari's stuff, as well as a copy of Sew Retro, by leaving a comment between now and Thursday, June 16th, at noon EST. I won’t disqualify you if your comment is just “hey, cool,” but in the spirit of Bari J’s story (see question #1!), I’d love to know what goal (sewing-specific, business, design, personal—whatever) you still have for yourself, whether you’re 23 or 35 or 64 or 82.

Q: I’m always fascinated how people come to fabric and pattern design. What is your background, and what made you switch from just making bags to designing fabric and patterns?

Bari J.: Just out of college I worked as a copywriter and graphic designer in advertising. After I had kids and stopped working I started puttering around making jewelry and collage art from found objects, which I sold to local boutiques. Soon thereafter I found sewing and was immediately hooked. Once I had my website up and going I found I was doing a lot of graphic design again and that’s when the idea for surface design, and in particular fabric design, began. It was also pretty clear to me after I started my blog that although people loved my bags and accessory line, my readers were DIYers. I can’t even tell you how many times I was asked for a pattern. The next logical step really was sewing patterns.

Truth told, making the jump to fabric design was not easy. I’d done graphic design and I knew the computer software, but I had no idea where to start. I didn’t know how to make repeats and I didn’t trust my drawing skills. It’s funny because my mother painted my whole life. But having come from a large family, each sibling sort of takes their role and sticks with it. My brother and sister drew and painted a bit, so I was the actress/singer in the family. It’s interesting how family dynamics work. It never even occurred to me that I could draw until I finally tried at 35 years old. In order to design fabric, I had purchased a graphics tablet for the computer. Once I picked up the pen and got going, the ideas kept coming. I can’t even tell you the number of hours I practiced drawing or the number of designs I erased, but eventually I had a collection ... and I’d figured out the elusive pattern repeat.

Right about that time, Spoonflower, started its beta program. So I wrote them and asked to be a part of it. They digitally printed the first collection for me, I made a quilt and other items and off I went to quilt market with several appointments ahead of me with fabric companies. At the time it was still unheard of to have actual fabric samples (now it’s old hat, everyone is digitally printing), so it was a blast to show what you could actually do with the designs I’d done. Everyone wanted to know how I got the fabric printed. Things sure change fast, huh? That was October 2008.

Q: Paris Apartment is your next collection, correct? I love the previews I’ve seen! What inspired this collection, and when (and where) will it be available?

Bari J.: Thank you. I’m thrilled with this collection. It really came about just through doodling and daydreaming. I have always wanted to go to Paris, but I’ve never been. As I was drawing bits and pieces out, I realized it all was part of my elaborate fantasy. This collection is how I imagine I might live if I were to have my own Paris Apartment. It is printed by Lecien and will be available in stores in early July all over the world.

Q: I’m also fascinated with how people arrive at writing a craft book, especially since it’s usually a labor of love. Inspired to Sew is so beautiful. What’s the backstory?

Bari J.: Thank you again. When I arrived home from that very first quilt market, having just sold my first line, Full Bloom, for licensing, I received an email. I was riding pretty high on the success, so in all honesty I was waiting for the sky to fall. You know? That feeling of, it’s all so good, something bad is bound to happen any minute. (Is that just me?)

At any rate, I received an email from the acquisitions editor at C&T that she’d been reading my blog and it turns out I live nearby and would I like to meet for lunch and chat. I was so completely convinced that it was a joke, I nearly deleted the email. I went back to read it a couple days later, and responded, “sure, I’d love to meet and talk about it.” And with a laugh, I forgot all about it. In the end, obviously, I did end up taking that meeting. It turned out C&T was about to launch their Stash Books imprint and it was just the absolute perfect opportunity.

It was, in fact, a labor of love for me. I, again, had no idea how I’d proceed, or if I could even do it, but it all turned out just exactly as I’d imagined, and as an added benefit, it is what propelled me into producing my line of sewing patterns.

Q: I love your tagline: Vintage inspired design for your modern life. What does that mean for you—in both your day-to-day life (what I like to call “the slogging through”) and your creative life?

Bari J.: Throughout my life, I’ve had a love of old things. I think I arrived at it through my mother who also has that aesthetic. However, you just sometimes can’t live with old stuff. In fact, old handbags are most seriously one of those things that are hard to live with in. They can be smelly for starters, something that always bothered me. And for another, they just don’t have modern conveniences. So, the tagline came from the desire to make handbags that were vintage modern. Something with an old-world feel, but with modern conveniences such as added pockets, etc. And that of course easily translates across all of my design whether it be fabric or sewing patterns.

Q: I love your post about the Springtime in Paris clutch, and how many tries it took to get it right. Often times, people don’t see all the work that goes into getting something right (and the mistakes made!). What is your process for developing patterns? Do you see it all in your head, or get your best ideas in the shower, or sketch it out, or just start cutting fabrics, etc.?

Bari J.: I’d say all of the above although I have been know to cut straight into fabrics without a plan which is something I have to force myself not to do.

I do see what I want in my head but sometimes it just doesn’t make sense in reality, so for me, I try to always make a muslin version first after I sketch and work out the measurements, etc. A little restraint in diving right into the real fabrics tends to go a long way for me.

Q: Your work is so rich in color and layers. Does it get tempting to keep adding more, especially when you are working with fabric you love? How do you edit yourself?

Bari J.: Oh boy, I have a terrible time editing. I think it’s just an instinct as to when to stop. I hear my mom saying: “Don’t you think that’s a little bit ‘unga-patchkie’?” Which is Yiddish for over the top or over done.

I do think more is more though. I’ll always say that.

Q: I find that designers are super friendly and the crafting community is a warm one. Still, there is a lot of competition these days as more and more independent designers are producing lines of patterns and fabric. Does it ever feel overwhelming? How do you stay focused?

Bari J.: I’ll tell you what, it IS overwhelming, there IS a lot of competition, but it also is a very warm community and I do think we all try to support one another. There are people who are very giving who have helped me along the way, and I try to give that in return. I do also try to stay out of the blog-o-sphere when I get that overwhelmed “I’m never gonna make it feeling.” And I had a designer say to me once that she just tries to “stay in her lane.” I’ve adopted that attitude.

Q: Lastly, what’s next for you in the short-term and the long-term?

Bari J.: I’ll be working on a new fabric line in the coming weeks for next spring and also a book proposal. And I’ll be teaching at the Sister’s Outdoor Quilt Show’s, Quilter’s Affair next month and then I’ll be in Utah teaching at the Sewing Summit in October.

Long term, I intend to license my designs on other surfaces ... hopefully some home goods and paper. All fun stuff. I really love my job.
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