Episode 50: Amy Chappell of Ameroonie Designs

A

Foreign. Hi, guys, and welcome back to the Social Hour podcast, a podcast for SEAS by Sewists. I'm your host, Bethany, and today I am here with my lovely, beautiful friend, Amy Chappell from Amaruni Designs. Hi, Amy.

B

Hey, Bethany. How are you?

A

I was so good, and I feel like I just saw you last week at H and H. It was not that long ago.

B

It was so fun.

A

I know. And we finally got to meet in person and we hung out for, like, two days. Like, we really walked the show and had so much fun together. And I have to say, you really made my H and H experience 10 times better. Truly. I, I've been thinking about it a lot since we met and since that time, and, you know, I, I, I talk about this sometimes on here, but I a big fan of helping out my friends in the industry, making connections, being your cheerleader. Who can I help you meet while we're at these events, especially if it's like their first time at one and they're starting something new or wanting to grow into this space. Because I've been in this industry on that side for a long time, and there's definitely some advantages to having been in it, and I like to connect people, but very rarely do I get that reciprocated. And it doesn't stop me from doing it, but it is a breath of fresh air when someone's like, hey, I want you to meet this person. And I want you to meet this person. Because while I am connected in the industry, I'm not connected on all facets of the industry. And you and I coming together doing very similar things, you're like, hey, like, let's walk this show together. We have similar goals, similar people, similar stories of what we're, why we're trying to reach out to brands. It's different than being a shop. And so how can we work together? And there were people I introduced you to, there were people you introduced me to, and it was such a different experience. I've never had at a show like that before, and you are the reason why, and I'm so grateful. So I just had to say thank you.

B

Oh, it's my, it was my pleasure. And it's nice to be. I mean, I've been in and around the edges of this industry for over 10 years now. And so it was nice to kind of. That was like the first show that I went to where I was like, I kind of feel like I'm coming into my own as an entity and not just like a hoverer or a hobbyist. You know, like, I actually feel like I have my place in the industry now, which it was really fun. And, and I'm with you. Like, let's make it better for everyone. Let's, you know, help everyone do the best they can because it just helps everyone, you know, it does.

A

And there's room for everybody. And I sometimes feel like people don't fully embrace that, but there really is. Like, it can feel small at times when you're in it. But truthfully, like, there's room for everybody. So that's why I'm always like helping everybody else out. But it was nice for me to be able to have someone else introduce me to people for a change. And it was like, oh, that's really nice. Like, it really does make a difference. So thank you. Thank you for that. Now we are going to kick off with an icebreaker question and this question. We'll both answer it if we can. It's a bit of a tough one. What's the project type? You never get tired of sewing. And I chose this question because you do lots of different types of projects like I do. And so that's why I find this a hard question. So if you can come up with an answer, I'll try to as well.

B

Well, my answer is the one I'm currently working on.

A

Okay. Yeah. Right.

B

So it's like, like I'm working on a sample. I have a, a banner that says America and stuff and I have kits for it. So I was working on a sample to show off this one kit so I could show the different colors and stuff. And I'm just sitting, you know, just like, I've already made this banner. This is my second. I, I'm actually working on two versions. So I'm working on number two and three of the exact same project. I'm like, I. Just so meditative and I can just turn on a movie and this is so great. Yeah. But then I'll, you know, be piecing something and I'm like, oh, I just love when all the pieces come together or when I'm making a bag. I'm like, oh, it's just so satisfying to walk. So I, My current project is. Is my favorite answer.

A

That's such a good answer. It's probably the best answer for me. I, I'll ask you a second question, a follow up question because I. You might relate to this. I find it hard to make something more than once once I've made it. Unless I'm designing it for a pattern and I'm testing out the process, that's a little different because even then, I don't always finish the whole thing all the way through if I'm still testing different methods. But I. Once I finish a project and I'm done with it, I don't really want to make it again because I. Ready for a new challenge or ready for a palate cleanser or, you know, something else to switch it up. Do you find that to be the same for you? You like the repetition? Okay, well.

B

And it's good. It's not necessarily the repetition, but it's. I can see this in a different color way. Oh, I want to see this in it with a different feel. Oh, I wonder if I change this thing, how that would look. Because I. I have a degree in biology.

A

You're adding something new to it. You're not making it.

B

I have a minor in chem, so my whole education in college and stuff was that experimentation and that repeat. You know, let's. Let's adjust this little thing and then repeat and then adjust this little thing and then repeat. And that's kind of how I approach sewing and stuff. Like, I. I have my. One of my most famous. I'll say famous in quotes, but it's a little mini quilt that has rays that are. Quilt as yous Go. And it says, you are my sunshine. So it's turned edge applique and raw edge applique and embroidery and quilt as you go all in one project. I have probably made that a dozen times, and every time I make it, it's my favorite time. Like, I. I could make it a dozen more times. It's. Yeah.

A

So we found your project. You'll never get tired of sewing.

B

Well, it's. I mean, it's any project like I have. Yeah, Yeah. I. It's just that little.

A

What.

B

How would it look if I switched up this fabric? Or how would it look if I just tweaked this little bit of it? And so it's just so fun to see all the different versions of it. So. Yeah.

A

You know, funny you say that, because I designed a quilt at the beginning of the summer or this year in January, I let. I released it called Frost Yourself. And it was like in these ombre's of blues. But then I, immediately after I finished it, I was like, I want to see this in another colorway. And you can do the digital mock ups and that's one thing. But like, I had it in my head that I needed a sunset version of this. And when I made it, I was like, that's satisfying. And so for me, I get it, like changing it, choosing different colors, different types of materials, whatever the project may be, adding a different element, like you said, applique or embroidery to it really can make it feel like a whole different project, even if you have made it again. So that's also okay. So chemistry. I did not know that about you.

B

Yeah.

A

So chemistry major turned designer and sewist and quilter. So how did that transition happen?

B

Super interesting is that there are a lot of of science majors in our industry, which is super interesting. There's other fabric designers and stuff who have degrees in sciences and stuff as well. So I think that's really interesting. It was so I was going to be a doctor. I was like, I'll, you know, do that. And then I took the MCAT to get into medical school and somebody dropped their pencil like during the test. And like if looks could kill, that kid would have been dead like 50 times over. I mean he just. The glares and in that moment I was like, they want this so much worse than me. Like, here's your sign. I was like, you know what? Somebody else can be the doctor and do all of those years. And so I just started working in a lab, which I loved. And then I started having kids and I just was like, you know, I just want to raise my kids. And I ended up having six of them. So that took a lot of energy and time and effort.

A

That's a whole nother full time job.

B

Yeah. So that, that became the job. And then as a way to survive that job, I found crafting. Well, I'd always loved crafting and making and stuff like that. And then my mother in law bought me a little sewing machine from a yard sale. So it was a $20 little cheap machine. And I was so grateful for that machine because I wasn't afraid of it because it only cost 20 bucks. So if I wreck it, then we're not out that kind of money and stuff. And so I just went to town and just played on that and tried new things and it. But I was still my main, you know, outlet was scrapbooking and paper crafts. And I did felt and I did clay and I mean all different kinds of things. And then I, when my youngest was a baby, I had come across this heart tutorial from Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew. And it just was a little patchwork heart. And so I, while I was pregnant, I kind of stitched together this little set of nine little hearts in rainbow colors. And you can totally tell it was the mid-2000s. Because there's, like, chevrons and polka dots and all that in these fabrics.

A

Chevron.

B

And yes. I was like, I don't know what I'm doing with these. I'm just playing with them. So that was the first thing that I ever, like, pieced as a, you know, like, quilt related. And then after she was born, I was really struggling with postpartum, just depression. It was just so hard. I had. One of. My oldest was 13 and a half. So I had a teenager, and I had a newborn, and I was trying to navigate all these kids in between. And one nap time, I went down into my craft room and I saw this little pile of nine hearts. And so I just was like, I'm just gonna sew em together in this little grid. Like, I don't know what I'm gonna do with it, but so I sold. Sewed these little nine hearts together, and I held up this little mini quilt. I mean, like, little mini quilt. And I just was like, oh, I love it. And in that moment, it was, like, clicking into place. This little piece of my heart was just like, you're gonna get through this stage. It's all gonna be okay. And it was like, I found Amy again. I'm not mom right here. I'm not wife. I'm not the chaos that's happening all around my house in this little moment with this little tiny set of hearts, I was Amy. And that was, like, piece by piece,

A

it kind of made you your own little person, stitch by stitch, you know? I mean, you were, like, literally piecing these little hearts together. And I just. I think that's really sweet. Like, that's kind of when, like, it became, like, your safe space. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

B

And. And it was the. It was a thing that didn't come undone unless I intentionally undid it, you know? And it just was like, this realization that it was so much more than just messing around or killing time or something to do. It was how I connected with my soul and with who I was deep down as a person. I. That creativity that I enjoy. And, like, I see it in my mom with gardening or. You know, there's so many other ways that it expressed. But for me, in that little moment with those little patchwork hearts, it just was like, this is my thing. And that was kind of.

A

Do you still have it?

B

I do.

A

Do you really? Okay. We might need to see a picture of that someday. My post it. Yeah. Because I think it's. I think I shared recently the first pattern, the first garment Like, I ever made when I was nine. I still have it, and I hadn't shared it in, like, four years. And I'm like, I need to remind myself, like, where I started, what excited me about sewing? What was my aha. Moment of, like, connecting with this craft and why I've been so deep ever since. And no matter where you are in life, when you find that moment, whatever you make for the first time, don't get rid of it. Like, don't. It's a great reminder of where we started. And, you know, when we have, like, we lose our sew Jo, sometimes we all have those moments or we're having a hard time being creative or figuring out what we want to learn next or whatever. Sometimes it's nice to just go back and look at where we started to appreciate all that we've accomplished since then, but also what just got us excited about it in the first place, to kind of go back to the basics. Right. So I love that you've kept it. I think that's really sweet. Um, so obviously you do consider yourself a creative person. Is there. I know you kind of mentioned some other types of crafts that you've dabbled in. Is there anything else that you still dabble in outside of sewing, or you just kind of honed into that one right now?

B

Well, I still do a lot of, like, felt applique and embroidery. I do a little bit of cross stitch here and there. One of my goals. So I made a list. I turned 50 this year, and so I made a list. I can't believe.

A

Hey, by the way, when we're recording this, her birthday's in, like, two days, so she told me that before we started, I was like, oh, my gosh, that's so exciting.

B

Yeah. So I made a list of 50 things I want to do the year I turned 50, and one of them was, I want to make a little animal out of crochet or knit. Probably crochet. Knit. And I don't get along as well.

A

Same.

B

But just, you know, just want to keep exploring and. And having adventures with different kinds of creativity. And, you know, when you turn it into your job, then it. You know, I mean, I feel like I do feel like I'm still at a place where I. It's just delightful to me that this is my job, and I. I love it. Like, the computer work, it's a little tedious. The. You know, but when I am sewing and making or designing, it's just the. I just am so grateful that this gets to be my job. And what I do, I just. It's. I'm just the luckiest. That's all.

A

That's awesome. Well, quick tangent. I taught myself how to crochet a couple years through the Woobles kits, and their tutorials are fantastic. I did, like, three of them. They have, like, a beginner and an intermediate, and I did a few of them. I learned all, like, all the proper foundational skills and how to read a pattern. And then I was able to get a pattern off Etsy and was able to make, like, this giant Belgian Malinois dog for my nephew before he was born, because that's what my brother's police canine is. It was a Belgian Malinois. And so he wanted me to make this giant. I don't think either one of us realized how big it was going to end up being, but it was huge. It took me months, like, one leg at a time, you know, kind of thing. But, like, I couldn't have done it had I not, like, literally just a couple months before, picked up one of those Weebles kits to try to learn how to do it on a flight, you know, for work. And so I highly recommend them for anybody who wants to learn how to crochet little plushies. It. It was very helpful. And now I can pick up any of those kits and I, for the most part, can figure it out. So highly recommend that. But I did want to ask you, was there a point, I guess you started being more creative and getting into sewing, that you decided this is going to go from a hobby to. I'm now branding myself as Amaruni Designs, and I want to make this something bigger. Like, what point? How long have you been doing that? Kind of give us a little backstory on how that came to be.

B

Well, you know, so I started a blog, of course, as you did back in the early 2000s.

A

Yes.

B

And I was trying to come up with a name for it. And, you know, back then, everybody was just being so clever, and I just thought, what's a name nobody will steal and nobody will use? Well, my nickname growing up, my grandma used to call me Amaruni Bambooni. And so when I was like, oh, what's a blog name? I thought, amaruni Designs. No one will pick that. And I was right because it's impossible to say and harder to spell. And so nobody's going to pick that name, but it's. It's stuck. So that's. That's where I started. But I, at the time, I was like, oh, I'll just, you know, throw up these Blog posts. I didn't know anything about SEO or, like, I mean, I just thought, well, if I put it up there, someone will find it. Well, no one's gonna find this random sewing blog in the middle of the Internet, you know, even back then, when it was much smaller than it is. But it was. It was mostly just as an outlet, as a place that I could, you know, go and record what I was doing and that kind of thing. And then there was a conference, a blogging conference that was kind of geared around creatives and stuff. And the first year, it was in Arizona, and I won a ticket to go. And so my husband, you know, we bought an airline ticket and rented a hotel, and I went to this thing, and. And even then, I didn't think, like, oh, I'm gonna turn this into a huge job. But it was. It was enough. Like, I paid for Christmas, you know, like, not even. I never even put ads on there, but I was making zipper pouches and selling those, and I was making little seasonal table toppers and stuff like that. And so that was kind of my foray into, like, how could I turn this into a business? You know, real loose, real. I mean, I still was just a mom, and so I still had so many kids and.

A

So many kids.

B

Yeah, it's just. I mean, I still have one in elementary school, so that, you know, I mean, it just was. I knew that that was my main focus. But about four years ago, when. Well, about five years ago now, when she went into kindergarten, I was like, okay, it's time to, like, are we gonna try to turn this into something real? And I had been lucky enough to work with different companies on their design teams and stuff for a few years, so I kind of felt like I had kind of a start into that, and I, you know. Yeah. So that was. It's been about four years since I've really tried to dive into it, but it. It. That transition from hobby to business is a tricky one.

A

Yeah. Because you.

B

You aren't taking it seriously, and then all of a sudden you are. And so then the things that you weren't really paying that much attention to, now all of a sudden, you need to pay attention to and become a

A

jack of all trades for things you never thought you'd have to learn.

B

Yeah. Yeah. And, yeah.

A

Like, what is SEO? What is marketing? How do I edit video?

B

Like, all these things and, like, content creation and. Yeah. You know, and. But then you also have the finance, you know, like, are keeping your money separate and doing your receipts and getting a Text editor for your patterns and all of the different things that come with it. And so, and you know, like you're still trying to hold on to the joy of it and the like creative part of it. So I have a bunch of friends in the industry and stuff and a lot of them have like outsourced the sewing of it, of their samples and stuff. And I was like, but that's like, you know, makes me sad. I don't know, maybe I don't want to get big because I don't want to have to let go of what I love. But I'm, I mean, we're still trying to find that balance.

A

Yeah, it is a hard balance. I can speak to that too. I totally get it. I, I was gonna ask like what's like been the biggest challenge of creating consistently online. Like, is it finding that balance? Is it coming up with new project ideas? Do you ever feel like you kind of get burnt out on some of that side of the business?

B

I, you know, I, I never feel like I, I have never panicked, like, oh my gosh, I don't know what I'm going to do next. But for me, I think the hardest part is I always overestimate how much I can get done and under how long that will take me. And so my, my vision is always bigger than the reality of both my actual time and my energ.

A

And so we don't ever calculate for life either. Like, we never calculate for like things could happen or if you were to get sick or a kid were to get sick or they make it to the playoffs and now you've got four more weeks of travel or whatever. Like, you know what I mean? Like, we never calculate life into our projections of when we can realistically get things done because we're like, oh yeah, that'll take me no time.

B

Nope, it never works out night's sleep or you, you know, whatever and you're just like, I'm just not feel on it today.

A

Yeah, we all have those days.

B

But I would say for me the biggest part of just being consistent and growing the business and all of that stuff is the work I have to do on myself. Like, if you, if you don't want to have to confront every single deep seated fear and you know, weakness of your character, don't do your own business because it's, it finds a way to the surface every single,

A

it shows us where we need to work on the most.

B

Yeah, yeah. Like the bullying that happened when you were in fifth grade, all of a sudden when you're launching a membership. And you're like, if I ask people to join my membership and they don't, they're rejecting me just like they did in elementary school. You know what I. And you just. Yeah, it's like, whoa, that's crazy that there's this part of it that you weren't even aware of that starts to come up or these. These little scripts that your family has about money and who deserves money. And, you know, you can you be a nice guy and have a lot of money. You know, I was like, I didn't even realize that was a thing until I started to go into my business and be like, oh, I. That's a thing that I didn't realize that I have internalized. And now I have to confront that because I feel like I'm a nice person and I would like to have enough money to take care of my family, you know?

A

Yeah, it is. It is a weird balance. And I think you said it so well of like, how it kind of going into business for yourself unearths things that we may not have even realized were an issue until we are promoting ourselves. We are working on ourselves because we're hardest on ourselves. And we lean towards those who are closest to us, like our closest family and friends for that support. And sometimes they show up and sometimes they don't. And that's a whole nother pill to swallow. So it is hard and it can feel very isolating to have your own business, whether it's in this industry or other industries. Which is why I said at the beginning I was so grateful to meet someone who does similar things to me in this industry, in this capacity that was willing to be so open and honest and share what they know with me and vice versa, because that doesn't always happen. And you could say that for any industry, not just the sewing or creative industry. But, you know, I will say, like, working for yourself is hard. And I kind of mentioned this in my H and H recap video I did over on my own YouTube channel was how this was my first time going to H and H, not representing another brand. So I was just solely representing myself and how it. I've been doing shows for years, and I love doing shows. And you know me, I'm not scared to go up and talk to anybody. I've never met a stranger in my life. But when you have to go up and talk about yourself besides, like, and you're not hiding behind a brand that you're having to initiate the conversation about, it is terrifying. And it was probably the first time I was a little like, what am I doing here? You know, like, why? You know, it took to figure out my purpose at the show, even though I knew I needed to be there. And I'm so glad I went. But I did find myself hiding behind my friends who had a clear purpose to support them until I could figure out where I belonged in the space again. Because this was all new territory, right? Like, it's crazy how talking and promoting yourself or even writing a bio about yourself can feel just so daunting and so hard because we have a hard time talking about it ourselves. But when you work for yourself and your, your creativity is your brand, you're really being brave and vulnerable in ways that most people can't even understand if they're not doing it themselves. So, yeah, it, it is terrifying to run your own business that's based around yourself. It's different to have a business that you know is completely not brand related to who you are as a person. But when you're being creative, it really is. You know, you're the designer, you're creating all these things and you're hoping people like it, you're hoping people want to join your membership, you're hoping people want to make your patterns and hoping people want to watch your videos. And every time you do it, it's like you second guess yourself sometimes. But I will say it gets easier the more you do it. But there's always still that like, ooh, this is a little different, or I'm going out on a limb over here, or is this too similar to something I've done before? Or just put it out there, just put it out there. I do want to know, like, why do you think, like, those practical sewing projects that you were kind of talking about before resonate so strongly with people, you know, when you were making these smaller projects or quick projects or even adding so many elements to a project. Why do you think those have done so well for you personally with your community?

B

Well, I think that people, I mean, people in our industry, right, they love the look of quilty, you know, quilts and, and all of that stuff. But there's, there are a lot of quilts that are intimidating from the get go. Or I mean, for me, when I started designing again, I had a million kids and not enough money and so that was what I could afford. Like, I wanted to make patchwork kinds of projects, but I couldn't afford to buy enough fabric to make even a big throw sized blanket, you know, quilt. I, I had enough for A pillow and. Or I could, you know, I could go afford three or four fat quarters. And that was about all I had. And so that's. That those were the parameters that I was just working within was. And I, and I only had so much time. I mean, there was a season where my sewing, all of my sewing stuff had to fit on one shelf in our pantry. So I slid my sewing machine there and I had a couple of boxes of some fabric and stuff and I would pull it out and sew at the kitchen table. And when I was like pinning the next step or moving on to the next step, I would have to unplug the foot pedal from my sewing machine because I had little toddlers under the table and they would push on the presser foot and the machine would start going and I wasn't paying attention. So I would have to unplug the pedal so that I could, you know, do the next step and then I would have to plug it back in. And so I didn't have hours and hours and months and months to spend on a thing. I, I had finite periods of time. And I think that people, you know, so many of my, my audience and stuff, they're, they're new to retirement or they're empty nesters and they thought, they thought, oh my gosh, I'm gonna have all of this time. And then they' Life just creeps in, you know. And so the projects I designed let you kind of have that satisfaction of that I did it moment and it's finished and I love it, that holding it up and just. I can't believe I made this without spending months and months on a thing. You know, it's, it's a, it's a couple of weekends or it's a, you know, one big Saturday sewing burst and it's totally done. And so I think that's why people resonate, because it's nice to have things that are finished more quickly. And like you said, the palette cleansers, there is nothing wrong with the big quilts. And I mean, obviously they're so much fun. And I'm starting now that my kids are older and the time and starting to head a little bit more into that. But my heart will always live with the small, quilty projects because they're just, they're so much fun. And I'm one. So that grandma that called me, Ama Rooney, she had all of the seasonal stuff, like, you know, her main bathroom in her house every holiday, had the toilet cover and the little rug around, you know, all seasonal and little hand towel that you didn't use because it was decorative and the little soaps that matched the season. She just loved the seasons. And my mom carried on that tradition with us, and I try to do that with my kids where I just, just. It's just fun to mark the change of a season and to just celebrate the moment of life that you're in. And so those also, you know, because they're seasonal and stuff, I'm like, I don't, I don't want to have to store five big patriotic quilts, but I have a little table topper and I have a fun little banner and I can have it in a reasonable size tote, but still, like, bring out all this handmade, quilty goodness that just lives in the moment and celebrates that season without, you know, having to decorate, you know, dedicate.

A

Yeah.

B

Huge swaths of storage space to all of that stuff. So.

A

Yeah. And then you get to remember all the things you've made years past as you build your collection for those seasons. Right. Like, you don't make it all in one season. You make something every. Every season you bring in something new. And then like, before you know it, you've got a collection of Valentine's or a collection of summer things or whatever it may be. And I, I agree. My mom's does a whole dining room table for every holiday every season. It's always. Every time I go to their house, I feel like there's something new on it. We were at the store the other day and she's like, I need to pick up something for my table. And she's always adding little things and she makes her runners for it and, you know, she makes a lot, but she'll add little things here and there. And so I get it. I grew up with that too. So a lot of my crafts, and I don't want to just say quilting because it's all types of crafts I display throughout my house and they come out at different times. And I do have bins of different. And I kind of rotate through it and we store it the best we can. But it's fun to pull those things out at the different seasons and see. See it, you know, on display and remember. Oh yeah, I did make that. I forgot about that one. And you know, it's just a nice way to add some color to your space and a fun way to fill, make your home feel refreshed. So let's talk about a little for those who don't know the types of projects that people can find when they Come to your website or come to your channels that they might see, that they might want to learn from you. Like, what, what are all the different types of projects that you encompass when you design and create?

B

So I do everything from, like, felt applique, little mini pillows where you're doing little bits of embroidery and stuff, all the way up to table toppers. And last year I just released my first full size quilt pattern with strawberries on it. So cute. So, but mostly where I live is in the, like, pillow cover to table topper range and lots of seasonal fun things. And then I do everything from bra edge applique to traditional patchwork. And then I have, like, my membership where we focus each month is a different small scale project, but we do different techniques. So I do bag making or turned edge applique or collage applique or, you know, my deluxe needle book or, you know, so all different kinds, trying to help build. And the other thing that I like about the scale of the projects that I design is that you can taste it. Like a little snippet of like the turned edge applique project that I had last year was just a little apple appliqued into the center. And then we did a little patchwork border on it and turned it into a pillow. But you only had to applique the. The one apple with a little leaf, you know, so it was like, if you hate turned edge applique, you could be done or you could do raw edge applique instead or whatever. But it just let you try it. Like, maybe. Maybe I'll love turned edge applique. Maybe I will absolutely loathe this sample.

A

A little taste.

B

Yeah, but it's just like a little, A little, little snippet of it and then. But you still end up with a finished project. That didn't take a ton of time. It didn't take enough. A lot of fabric. So if you hate it, you could chuck it and not feel too guilty. If you love it, you might go on to choose a different project that then has a lot, you know, of applique. Like, you could go all the way to a Lori Holt kind of a quilt where there's, you know, the whole thing is applique and amazing.

A

So, yes, been there, done that.

B

Yeah. You know, but that's a big commitment. And.

A

But we don't start with that. Yeah, no, yeah, you got to start small.

B

And then you bought all this fabric and you're like, oh, that was.

A

Yeah, yeah, not much. Well, and I love that you start, you focus on technique. Because even if someone made that pillow and they were like, well, it's not really my style, but I made the pillow. But I know a teacher that would love this apple pillow so I can gift it. But now I also know the technique so I can apply this to future projects. Or maybe the next time I make this, I don't want to turn it into a pillow. I want to put it it on the side of a tote bag or in the middle of a quilt block or, you know, whatever it may be. But I love when educators and designers teach with technique as a focus, because that's that even if it's not the fabric you like, it's still learning a technique that you can apply elsewhere to things that you. You like. And sometimes having those good foundational techniques and skills is how we can really, like you were saying earlier, experiment with a pattern so that we want to make it multiple times because we're add other things we've learned from other projects into it and making it our own. And I think that's where when I talked before about building confidence in sewing is learning these little techniques, Whether we do it a lot or just that one time, we're building confidence in our skills, because even if it's something you don't ever want to do again, you've learned something that you can probably apply to a future problem you run into with a future project, and it'll help you out. So I think that's really helpful, and I just commend you for focusing on technique in your designs and in your membership as well. So talk to us a little bit more about the membership, because we mentioned it a couple times. So for those who don't know, you said it's a monthly membership.

B

Yeah, so it's a monthly membership. And the reason that I created the membership was I didn't want it to be a place that was just another spot where you collected patterns. I wanted it to be a place where you could set some boundaries on your time. Because, like I said, you know, I mean, even. Even when your kids are out of the house, even when, you know, life just creeps in to the edges, you know, And. And so I wanted to be. Create a place where you could, like, I'm buying this time for me. And so we have a project every month that's exclusive to the membership for a year. And we'll do a live class where I teach all the techniques that you need for that. And we've started doing, like, some months. We'll even do the live Class with a couple hours of sewing afterwards so that we can work on that project together right in the moment and, you know, kind of keep it all in one thing. And then most of the time, there's a bonus project which is usually kind of a riff on the project that we're doing. So last month we did foundation paper piecing blocks. And so the, you know, the. The main class was foundation paper piecing basics and stuff like that. But then the bonus was we're going to turn it into a tote bag. And so then we talked all about those different things and stuff. And then we have a sew day, which is we just get on Zoom for three hours once a month and I'm there to answer questions. And you can work on the monthly project. You could work on any other project that you want, but we just chat and it's. We see into each other's sewing rooms. It's like a super fun sew day, but you don't have to haul all your stuff.

A

Yeah, that's nice.

B

Do it from the comfort of your own space. And we do giveaways in the sew day. It's my favorite day, in fact. In fact, it's tomorrow for this month and I just. It's my favorite day of the whole month. It's just so much fun to get together. But the other thing that I wanted the membership to be was a skill builder, A place where you could come and you could dabble, you could try different things. So we have, coming up, we have next month, we're doing a big tote carry all tote that uses, you know, talk about using foam and interfacings and bag making and stuff. Stuff. We're gonna do English paper piecing this summer. I July, kind of a hand sewing project. Something that's portable and you could take outside when it's lovely in the evenings or whatever. And then we're gonna do Curves later this fall. And so there's just. It's fun to, you know, and. And it's been fun to watch the progress of the women who are in there. To go from, I didn't know if I really like quilting and to like, I could do this, like, and taking on other projects outside of the membership where they're like, oh, now I could totally do this because I had that exposure to it. And now I know I can move on, you know, to the next scale or, you know, go a little deeper into something that they really enjoyed. So that's been really fun.

A

Yeah. Do you think sewing can help Create a sense of comfort and peace in people's homes when they've made the projects that you have designed. I know you have them all over your house, but, like, do you feel like sewing really helps people find peace and comfort in their space?

B

Yeah. Well, and I think that beyond just like, I mean, there's always that satisfaction, right. Of the thanks I made it kind of a thing. Like, there's just nothing better. Thanks. I made that. You know, I picked the fabric, sir. I did the work, and I took something from here to completion, which. That in and of itself is something that mental health wise, is just so beneficial. But, but just the. For me, it's the meditative process of sewing that when you get in that flow of whether you're chain piecing or you're cutting something, or you're just so focused on this thing, just. It just grounds you into the present. And there's just something so powerful in being able to have this touchstone of a thing that just connects you to right now. And then, you know, you get pulled back into real life and then I can come back to this and then. And I do think that so much of the things that we experience get stitched into those projects and having those as a living, you know, reminder around you of the moment that you were in or the joy that you bring. You know, it's. There's just something really powerful about creativity and that bringing forth something that didn't exist before and that allowing that to keep you grounded into, you know, and for me, like I said, it's. It's just how I connect to myself as Amy, you know.

A

Yeah. So when you are teaching, whether it's online, in your membership, or even in person or anything like that, how do you approach someone who's feeling very overwhelmed by what they're learning or what they're being asked to create in that setting?

B

I mean, my biggest. My biggest thing that I say every time is that this is supposed to be fun. And so anything that is making it unfun, let it go. Like, our points don't need to match up. Cut off the tops of all your stars say that that's how I meant them to be. They're, you know, like, it just let it breathe and have fun with it. Let it not be perfect because it doesn't have to be to be beautiful. And I. I mean, like, I kept that first little mini quilt that I did, and it was. It was a while before I wanted. I wanted to try free motion quilting it. And it's terrible. I Had no idea about tension and all of this stuff. And, like, on the front, it looks okay, but on the back, it's like the bobbin thread is pulling, and it just. I mean, it's a mess. And I just. You know, I had so much fun doing it, I didn't even care.

A

I mean, I.

B

At the time, I didn't even realize that there was a problem. I was. I mean, it was a few times before I finally talked to someone. I was like, is this supposed to do this? They're like, no, no, that's not how that's supposed to look.

A

But the memory is the joy that you had just doing it and trying it. Yeah, Right? Is it still like that? Did you ever pick it out?

B

No, it's still like that. I didn't change it at all.

A

Good.

B

Yeah.

A

You know what I always tell people? I say, it's not that serious.

B

Oh, yeah.

A

I always say it's not that serious when they're like, oh, this doesn't line up. I'm like, it's not that serious. It's almost like. Gives them permission to go. Yes. You see their shoulders physically drop and they, like. You can tell they've been holding their breath with. And you're like, it's not that serious. Yeah.

B

I'm always like, I'm a close Ish Quilter. Like, close fudges.

A

I fudge it.

B

Oh, yeah.

A

Lots of fudging.

B

Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, ah, that'll quilt out. No one's gonna, you know, like, you really. It's really easy to get real close to a project and. And you see every little flaw as you're sewing and all of that stuff. And I just. I remind them. I remind myself that it's. It's meant to be fun. This is meant to be a thing that brings you joy and grounds you. And so anything that takes away from that is. It's just not worth it. And, I mean, I will never. I shouldn't say never, but I have no interest in having my stuff judged or analyzed or being criticized or anything like that.

A

I do that enough myself.

B

Oh, yeah.

A

Stranger to do it.

B

Yeah. It's like my kids want me to watch, like, drama movies and stuff, and I'm like, there's enough hard in real life. I don't need pretend hard. And I kind of feel like critiquing your creative efforts is that. It's pretend hard. Nobody cares.

A

Those who love it, like, kudos to you. You were so brave. I could never.

B

Yeah. I mean, everything that's important, you Own it and live it like you go for it. But that's not what sewing and quilting is. For me. It is.

A

Is.

B

It is just joy and delight, and I want to keep it that way. So I love that.

A

Do you think social media has made sewing feel more intimidating or more accessible?

B

Wow, that's a good one. I mean, you can see how both, right, how these aspirational, like, you know, big projects and huge things, and you feel like, oh, I should. You know, well, if I can't do

A

that, then I shouldn't bother the comparison trap, you know?

B

Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure.

A

It can shut you down quickly to compare yourself to someone who's been doing this for ages.

B

Well, or just how many places are there that give you the permission to just say, I just don't even wanted that? This does not even interest me even a little bit. Like, I felt that way the first time I went to quiltcon, and I looked at all of these incredible quilts. I mean, gorgeous and stunning. And it was so freeing to be like, I love that I can see this and enjoy it and have absolutely zero concern about doing it.

A

I felt the same way when I went to quiltcon this year because I was like, oh, these are. Quilts are amazing. But I have zero interest in doing anything like that. And not. Not the showcase. Not like putting my stuff in Quilt Con is just like, the types of quilting that they're doing, the precision that they're doing. The. Like, I. And I. I love those who have that mindset, because then we get to see this beautiful artwork. But it reminds me that I'm okay right where I'm at.

B

Yeah. Yeah. And I. And I do feel like that there could be more of that. Of that just permission granted, you know? Permission granted to just be. You do your thing. Enjoy. Enjoy your thing. And if. If for you, that is taking it all the way to this level, have fun with that. Like, if that's the thing that drives you and you're. You know, it's that getting to the next level and stuff. But for me, that's. That's not what it's for. And so to me, I kind of.

A

I kind of think of it as, like, I go for a jog for my health versus I'm running in the Olympics. Right? Like, you get to choose how far you want to go. There's no right or wrong, and I am fine with a slow walk. Okay. So you share a lot about your space that you create in, because you're not in a pantry at a kitchen table anymore. You do have a dedicated space. And I know you are always talking about ways to organize, keep things accessible. I know you kind of redid your space not too long ago. I think you kind of had to. You were kind of.

B

Yeah, I moved some things around, but it's still. I mean, it's a mess. It's a com. It's a constant mess. And that's just the nature of it.

A

Yeah, but you had. You were. You had some flooding, right? Watered it.

B

Well, we had. Yeah, yeah, we had our.

A

You had to move stuff out, kind of forced you to clean. But you've shared a little bit about, like, just. Just how to stay organized, but also make sure your space is a creative space. It's okay for it to get messy. Like, how has that message been received by your audience, and how do they resonate with that when you share the behind the scenes of your space? Like, I share the behind the scenes in my studio recently, and I didn't want to because it was a hot mess. It's embarrassing. I didn't even want to look at it. But a lot of people are, like, cheering me on in my DMs, or, like, this is such a great space. And I'm like, you know what? It really is. Why am I avoiding this space? Or, well, you know what I mean? Like, it reminds you of what you got, right? What you have. But, like, when you share the behind the scenes with your audience, does. Do they kind of go, oh, it's okay if my room's a little messy? Sometimes it's because I've been creating or, you know, like, how do they. I mean, they love seeing your space.

B

It's like 95% absolute chaos. And 5% are like, I do a project and I clean it up and I put it away. And I think that comes back to the social media stuff, too. Of there's this unrealistic expectation that your craft room or your sewing space should look like this lovely, coordinated, beautifully on brand, you know, place. And I just. I look at a lot of those spaces and I'm like, that just doesn't even function. Like, it wouldn't work for me. And that's one of the things that I'm kind of coming to realize is that it takes a lot of storage and a lot of stuff because I do a lot of different things, and I. I also keep a lot of things on hand. So for a few years, we lived in Wyoming, and we were an hour and a half. I mean, we were 45 minutes away from the first Stoplight. So we were, goodness, you know, an hour and a half from anything there. There was one little section of the local Ace hardware store that had fabric and stuff, and it was called Nuts for Bowls Bolts, which I thought was the cutest name for a little garbage store inside a hardware store. But that was it. I mean, it had like, you know, 20 bolts of fabric and, and stuff. So it was. You had. I had to have everything on hand. So I. It takes a lot of storage and a lot of, you know, like, I've got zippers and all the interfacings and all the different fabrics and, you know, all of that stuff. It just is a lot of stuff to manage and, and when you're a serial crafter, as you are, like I am, you have.

A

It's.

B

It's beyond that. It's. It's embroidery floss, it's felt, it's cross stitch supplies, it's zippers, it's clay, it's beads, it's. You know, it just takes a lot of space.

A

And none of it folds up neatly onto a shelf.

B

No. And it doesn't look beautiful. It's just chaos. It's just a bunch of stuff. And so I'm, I'm getting more and more okay with just like, I want to be able to function and I. As long as I can get to the, the, the things, that's what I worry about. And there are a few things that have helped, like having my pegboard has been so fun to decorate and that kind of thing. I really do this embroidery floss thing. You can see behind me. I've had forever and I still love it. It's. I mean, I have way more embroidery floss than that, but it's still just a nice visual, you know, thing to look at and be like, okay, I can pull these colors or whatever. That's always my go to when I'm. I'm pulling colors before I go to the next, you know, buckets, where I have all the rest of my floss. And it's, it's in flux too, because sometimes I'm really heavy in one type of project. And then I get all the supplies and stuff, and then it slowly kind of shifts. And now I'm not doing as much of that thing anymore, but I'm not done with it. Like, I'm not going to get rid of all of this. But now I have to move it from its prominent place to a less prominent place so that the thing that I'm currently doing can. So it's, It's Constantly shifting and constantly, you know, evolving, Adjusting.

A

Yeah. But I think I am a big fan of using wall space. Using wall space can make things. It adds color to your space, but it also can make it accessible to reach for the things that you use often, like when you need thread and those kind of things. But yeah, I have no closet in my sewing room, so I have a lot of cubbies. And then I have a lot of the clear pull out drawers so I can see what's in each one from the front, but it's still tucked away. Like you have to get creative and clear containers are your friend.

B

Yeah.

A

When organizing and yeah. And I label everything, but yeah. So I would say my. My next question is, what's the messiest part of your sewing room right. Right now?

B

Oh, the whole thing.

A

The whole thing.

B

Every flat surface is covered with things like.

A

That's funny.

B

There you go. Real life just. And I, I'm not embarrassed by it. I'm not. This is just like, this is just the reality of it. Like, I, I was working on, I was making chapstick holders to give away at H H. And I got one.

A

Thank you.

B

And I still have this pile that I never got finished. So it sits next to my sewing. You know, I'm like, well, well, eventually we'll, we'll get to those two. So. And that's the other part that's tricky when it's your business because like, each. I have to come up with a new project for each month for the membership. And so like, I gotta start working on June's project right now, but I'm still kind of halfway working on May's project and wrapping that up. And. And then I've got this extra project going on over here and I have this half finished thing over there. And so there's. It's hard to stay on top of all of the things.

A

It's hard. It's hard when you have small sewing spaces. You find that you're like moving stuff temporarily from one place to the next if you need to use that big table to cut on. So now everything that was on that table just kind of gets moved to maybe the back table of my longarm. Right. But then I'm like, oh, I'm ready to long arm something. So I got to get everything off the long arm. I've got stuff draped over it. I've, you know, all sorts of things. So it's. You're always constantly shuffling. And I always jokingly say, like, if I just had a bigger space. But I know that that would never stop. Like, there's never. There's no such thing as having enough space. We just have to learn how to use what we have. And. And there's always, I think the point where I start to go, like, I gotta stop and I gotta reset is when I get to the point where things are ending up on the floor. Piles are on the floor. I put a machine on the floor the other day, and I was like, I can't live like this. And so I did have to stop. And I had like, that machine's now on the floor in here. But it's. This is where it lives in this room anyways. And so it's just kind of like, okay, the vacuum's gonna hit this, and I'll be so mad if this gets damaged or a dog's gonna run into it because she's blind. You know, like, someone's gonna get hurt with this on the floor. So that's what I'm like, okay, now I need to reset and I need to own my space back. I do find, like, when I came back from H and H, like, everything just got dumped onto the table in my sewing room, and it sat there for a couple days before I was like, I need to go through all these things, all these business cards, all these pamphlets, all these samples. And it just takes time, but it's worth it. And we are grateful. I mean, I'm grateful. I know you're grateful for the space that we have. And I know I tell everybody, be grateful for what you have. We've all done the kitchen table thing, and we're fortunate to have a dedicated space where we can close the door if we need to and we don't want to look at the mess. So. Okay, you ready for some fun rapid fire questions?

B

Let's do it.

A

Okay, here we go. You're. We kind of talked about this earlier, but your favorite thing to say.

B

Sew the thing. I'm sewing right now.

A

Right now. Least favorite sewing. Yeah. Least favorite sewing task. I

B

probably basting.

A

Agreed. Most used sewing notion. My rotary cutter fabric you will always buy.

B

You know, lately it's low volumes. I'm just. I love having lots of choices on hand.

A

So fabric. You avoid batiks.

B

Although I will say there are some new batiks coming out. And I'm like, I might. I might get to where I'm eating my words. But for. For a long time. It's been batik weeks, but, you know, it's.

A

That has always been a you love it, you hate it kind of fabric.

B

Well, and it always has me. My aesthetic is very bright and colorful, very crisp, very definite lines, and, you know, that kind of thing. And so batik, with its muddiness and its flowiness, and it's. It just isn't. It just doesn't speak to me the way, you know, other fabrics do. But that's, you know, know, I am. No judgment. If you love batiks, you sew with the. I mean, they are gorgeous. And the way people sew with them, they are stunning. So it is. It is a me problem. It is not a batik problem.

A

I feel that. I feel that biggest sewing mess up.

B

Oh. The very first quilt that I tried to make was a denim blanket that I sewed for my mom. And I. I had everybody in my family, so I am one of six kids. I had all of my siblings and my dad hand me all their leftover jeans, and I made this. It was like 7ft by 7ft, double layered denim quilt that was like a weighted blanket.

A

And she couldn't get out from under.

B

Oh. She would never use it. And I was like, mom, how come you never use that blank?

A

Get.

B

She said, I could never wash it. If it gets dirty, it's garbage, because there is no machine on earth that could. Could wash that thing. So that was. That was a big fail. I mean, not fail, because I made it. I took a lot of needles and a lot of. A lot of muscle to get that thing done. But, yeah, knowing what I know now, I would never have made that choice. But at the time, it was like, well, it's free fabric.

A

Yeah. Yeah. And it's sentimental.

B

Yeah.

A

Okay. What is your go to beverage when you're so in your sewing room?

B

Water.

A

Water. Water.

B

Because I'm old now, so I can't do caffeine anymore, like diet sodas, but anymore it's water.

A

All right. Music, podcast, tv, movie, or silence in your sewing room.

B

I always turn on a movie that I've seen a million times. That way I can watch it in my mind and I don't get distracted. I can't have anything that I have never seen before playing, because then I just start watching the show, so.

A

And last but not least, your current sewing obsession,

B

collage quilting, is right up there. I love. I'm having a lot of fun with that. It's just the texture and the. It's just beautiful. It's so fun. So that's. That's one. But, you know, I mean, like I said, I do a little of everything all the time, and I. I'm Obsessed with sewing. And I'm obsessed with really my year. My word for this year is delight. And I just am just. Oh, you're semantic. Nice.

A

All right, so let's switch to our you love to see it segment. This is where we get to share something that doesn't even have to be sewing related, just something that has happened recently or we experienced recently, or saw that we just love and it brought a smile to our face or joy to our life. And we want to share it with you guys. And if you have it, you love to see it, you're welcome to share it over in the social sewist Facebook group, because I think it's always important that we remind ourselves of the little things that we need to just, like you said, live in the moment and take a pause to enjoy. So, Amy, what is your. You'll love to see it?

B

Well, I've been on a health journey over the last year and a half or so, and so there's a hill behind my house and at the top is a cell tower. And so I've been timing myself from how long it takes me from my back door up to the top. And I just shaved a minute off of my time in the last month. And it's one of those things where it's kind of like with quilting and stuff, especially if you're doing a project that has like a gajillion half square triangles or something like that, and you're like, I am never gonna get there. I am making zero progress. And then you get a row done or something and you're like, oh, actually I am heading somewhere. And that is what that felt like to me was like, there are so many things in our life where it's hard to tell the progress until you stop and really like, okay, hey, yeah, there's. There is some progress there. And so anyway, that was, for me, it was just like, okay, oh, we're. We're actually going in the right direction.

A

Well, and that's, that's really amazing that you have the space to be able to go and do that and be outdoors and it's good exercise. And I've seen shared a few times and I'm just like, where is she going? Where is she doing? But like, it's really cool to that you. I wish I had something like that here, like, to just. That makes me want to go do that. But that's so cool. I would have to say H Maya, love to see it. Okay, so when we're recording this towards the end of May, it's the, everybody's like, it's when the Mount Everest, like every has opened, like to summit Mount Everest. Like, this is that time of year to do that. And I've never really paid attention to it, but somehow it has shown up in my algorithm on Instagram. And now apparently everyone who's on Mount Everest right now that's posting about it, I'm seeing their, their updates and I'm invested. And I've learned a lot. Like, I've learned a lot about how they don't just start at the bottom and go straight to the top. Like, it's like a back and forth progression kind of thing. And, and, and just there's one guy that's trying to do it without needing oxygen. I didn't even know you needed to have oxygen. Like, I'm learning so much about all of this and, but I'm watching these people do these really hard things and they all come from so many different walks of life. And it just kind of was a good reminder for me, like, I can do hard things. I should challenge myself. I'm not gonna go climb Mount Everest. I don't worry. I don't have any interest in doing that. But I feel like that kind of message is applicable to no matter who you are, where you are, what you're doing in life, if there's something you want to do, you should do it. Just give it a try. Start working like baby steps, like you were just saying, like taking those baby steps and, and, and doing better and more and more and more. And you see that progression. And you know, we were talking earlier about having the joy of like a quick win with a project. But sometimes the process can be just as enjoyable, even if it takes a while and, and to slow down and enjoy that process. So maybe this will remind some of you who are listening to maybe there's a bigger goal that you're working towards, but you got to start with the little things. So maybe those little baby steps along the way. But watching people who are these, you know, this young female and her, she looks young, maybe 20s or early 30s. She's climbing with her dad. There was a gentleman who's, who is a guide and he's done like I don't know how many climbs, like 30, something like, it's just crazy. There's people that are 80 years old up on that mountain. There's people in their early 20s up on that mountain. And they're all trying to achieve the same thing. And I just think that's really cool. Like, one thing I love about the sewing community is we can have children sewing and we can have people that are, you know, older in life and they can all be starting sewing at the same time. It doesn't matter. And I love that this community embraces all of them and wants to help all of them learn new things. And I, I just love it. So that's my. You'll love to see it is just how seeing what other people are doing, how I can sometimes relate that to what I'm doing, especially with sewing. So awesome. Well, Amy, thank you so much for being here. If you could give people a quick reminder of where they can follow you your website. And also, I don't know why my camera just zoomed in like that. Apparently I have hand gestures on. I don't even know what I'm doing. I talk with my hands. I'm sorry. I just set up my new camera in here. So if you were watching on YouTube, that was an up close and personal of my face.

B

It got real friendly real fast.

A

That was a little much. But yeah, let people know where they can follow you, what you've got. Coming up next, what you kind of mentioned with your membership, if they want to join your membership, where they can find it, where they can find your patterns, give them a little synopsis of that.

B

So I am amaruni designs everywhere. YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Instagram is where I am the most so and you'll find links to my Etsy shop. I am also Amarun Designs on Etsy and so you can find all of that stuff there. My my membership is open to enroll anytime. So again you can find the link on my Instagram. But I also am teaching. If you are local to Utah or if you really want to go to one of the most amazing quilt shows you will ever see, you should come to Garden of Quilts at Thanksgiving Point in Lehigh, Utah. I'm teaching four classes there this fall. But it is it's like acres of the most incredible gardens with quilts. Quilts just hung all throughout. It is spectacular to see. So that is the September in in Utah. So that is my next scheduled live teaching thing. But I will also be having some live online classes this fall coming up as well. So yeah, Instagram is the best place to follow me. You can sign up for my newsletter there. I have lots of fun freebies and stuff and a really fun one coming up this week for a bow pattern that I'm really excited about about so which will already be released by the time this podcast comes out. So head to yeah, head to My Instagram is probably the best place to do it, but amarinidesigns.com is where my blog is and I have links to all that stuff there as well.

A

Awesome. And I will put links to everything in the Description either on YouTube, on YouTube and wherever you're streaming, like Apple, Spotify, you can get those links in the description of the podcast. So thank you so much for hanging out out with me today. I really appreciate it. And we should do this more often and hang out coming up next week or not next week. In two weeks we're gonna have Lena back on. She's gonna be. We're gonna be discussing the second part of a another episode we did, finding your voice in the sewing industry. We, Amy and I kind of hit. Hit it on it a little bit. But finding your voice in this industry, if you are wanting to be in this industry like Amy is or myself and what that can look like and, and, and all of those things that go into it. So we'll be talking about that in a couple of weeks. We'll see you then. Be sure you're subscribed to our YouTube channel. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and join our Facebook group, the Social Seist. We'll be posting more over there and building our community so that we can continue the conversation after the podcast. Thank you so much and we'll see you next time. Happy sewing,

B

Sam.