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In celebration of Amy Butler’s new book, Little Stitches for Little Ones, I thought I’d take us back to 2006 and reminisce about her very fantastic book, In Stitches.

I could tell that I was getting old this year when all I really wanted for my birthday was Amy’s In Stitches and Amy Karol’s Bend the Rules Sewing. There were birthdays, pretty recent ones I am ashamed to admit, where all I wanted was a hookah to smoke really gross, sticky, Indian tabacco with my friends. Other recent ones I can’t really remember very well but I do remeber looking at the inside of a toilet a good part of the night.

Don’t get me wrong, getting old isn’t a bad thing for me– it was actually very exciting. I felt like a woman finally this past year and my hobbies were reflecting that. So anyway, here I am trying to explain to my husband what sewing books to buy me and he’s looking at me like I am telling him which tampons to get at the grocery store for me. “Jewelry, I want jewelry, ” I say and he can understand those requests, very well I am happy to say. I had to find someone else to buy me some Amy B. I email the links you see above to my sisters and mother. Unfortunately this threw them for a loop too. I ended up with a Amazon gift card from one sister telling me to order it for myself and a very irritated mother who told me that it is unlady like to tell people what to buy you if they aren’t asking.

Okay, fine. I think I would have had better luck asking for the hookah. So in a last ditch effort to get my hands on In Stitches, I have my infant son order the book for me. I gave him my credit card number of course and typed in Barnes and Noble’s web address for him, but that isn’t the point. I was sure that little Auggie wanted to get these books for me as a present, he’d been hearing me complain about wanting them for long enough
The day the two books arrived I was ecstatic!

I mean, look at these stunning photos, these  vibrant colors! I couldn’t put it down. Keep in mind that Mimi Green and Augustine had both just been born. I really didn’t have free time for Amy, but I was willing to loose sleep over it, for a few days anyway.

I did buy the vintage sheet Amy recommends for making her PJ pants. I bought Michael Miller fabric to make a quilt. I had super good intentions, I swear I did.

Although none of Amy’s patterns ever made it to my sewing machine I have no regrets. Amy’s book is nothing like the exercise equipment I bought that has now turned into another place to hang my clothes. Although not used for what it was intended for, I am in love with In Stitches.  This book is the book I’d want to be if I were a book. The gorgous colors, the stunning photography! Colin McGuire outdid himself with the photos, I so hope that he shoot Little Stitches for Little Ones.  The reason I don’t know for sure– Amy is only selling this on her website. It won’t be on booksellers shelves till early September.

That’s okay with me, I am still in my honeymoon with In Stitches anyway. There are truly few things that are better than an overcast day, a fine cup of espresso, and cuddling up on my big couch with this book. The pages are thick and matte. Bound by wire, you and your imagination can easily flip through and have the book lay flat (great for laying it on your sewing table — I’m told anyway. he he.) The lifestyle that this book portrays is one that I aspire to. It’s like everyday is a Sunday afternoon in a really hip, cool, stylish world. All you need are your comfy PJ’s, a big pillow to snuggle with and you are fabulous. As simple as that Ms. Butler is.

Today though i am making a promice to you and to myslef. I am going to pre-order Little Stitches for Little Ones and the day it gets here I am going to make something from it. Even if I have to rearrange the sun and the moon so I can have extra hours in my crazy day, I will do it. This time it won’t seem too selfish to me. Auggie really wants an Amy Butler kimono and new crib set, he told me so;)

I had so much fun at my first craft show. My grandpa made me a super cool display, my table looked pretty good for my first time, and the other artists were really sweet and nice to meet.
It was Noah’s idea to bring his puppy;) She was wearing a Mimi Green collar of course.

My mom and sister stayed with me all day and Dan brought the kids, including Cessie, down for a bit. But I have to say that it was exhausting. I did learn a few things that may help anyone who wants to do a show.

Craft Show Tip #1 — Dress in layers. I would have been doing a bit better in the morning if I had brought a jacket and a bit better in the afternoon if I had worn shorts. Yes, it is still cold here in NM in the morning time – can’t wait till we are over that!

Tip #2 Have a game plan about what you are going to say about your product. I didn’t think too much about that, and I am sure that even if I had it would have needed to be tweaked in practice, but at least I would have had somewhere to start. I may have sold more if I had "sold" my collars and leashes better.

Tip #3  Make sure to network with the other vendors. I met a lot of really cool women that I hope to work with again– plus now they have my info which is key. Sometimes it is about who you know.

Tip #4  Go in without expectations. Just like anything else in life, if you don’t expect things to happen you won’t get disappointed if they don’t. I wasn’t sure how it would go, which I was glad about later when I realized that I had a massive show/sewing  hangover of sorts.  I was so tired, I am still getting over it!

Tip #5  Have a colorful display. I looked at craft displays on Flickr before the show and got some great ideas. The more attention you can draw to you the better– this really means color and multi level views. If your display is flat you might find that your sales are too. And you can quote me on that one;)