We are so excited to announce the winners of February's Photo Contest! To learn more about what it takes to win, be sure to check out our blog on the contest details.
If you’d like to submit to the next monthly photo contest, VISIT THIS PAGE to submit your photos.
Want to see the rules and submission guidelines? VISIT THIS PAGE.
If you want to see all photo submissions, visit our Customer Photo Gallery. You can also search through all of the Winning Submissions here.
Let’s see the winners!
ByAnnie Top Voted
WINNER: April B
PATTERN: Out and About Ditty Bags
THEIR STORY: “My daughter and her husband recently moved to France!! Its has always been a dream of mine to see Paris!! My hubbie and I are headed to France in April for our first visit!! I needed a backpack/purse for the trip and chose the Out and About backpack pattern.
I loved the size of it because I wanted to use it as my handbag too, but knew I wanted to change a few things to make it more me and multifunctional. My first modification was using webbing (naked) for the straps.
I wanted to use this bag as a crossbody bag/shoulder bag as well as a backpack, so I made a convertible tab with a d-ring at the top and tabs with triangle-rings on both sides to achieve this. I can clip on one strap for a crossbody or 2 straps for the back pack!!!! The 2nd strap is easily stored in the many pockets in the interior so I can change my mind on the fly!!
Next, I need some small travel bags for toiletries and such. The Ditty Bag pattern looked quick and easy to make! Using leftover scraps from my bag, I made the small and medium bags Ditty Bags. For the small bag, I used leftover quilted strips to create enough quilted fabric by joining them using the QAYG method. The medium bag was constructed as per pattern. Once complete I then noticed that the small one fit perfectly inside the outer compartment and medium fit inside the main bag!!!! Eureka!!! I love to compartmentalize so I added 2 tabs with D-rings and snaps to the inner bag backs so I could snap the bags on or off as needed.
Now all of my stuff that will go inside the bag has a place to go that will be secure when opening the bag and I can still utilize all of the wonderful pockets inside the bag!!! A total win win for me, it's the perfect Travel Trio!!!! Thank you Annie for such amazing patterns!!!!!!"
WHAT WE LOVED: Annie had this to say, "April's photos are well done and very colorful and her adaptations are great."
WHAT THEY WON: $50 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
Storyteller Award
WINNER: Patten L @PattenPlaceCrafts
PATTERN: Round Trip Duffle
THEIR STORY: "I recently retired and my husband and I are doing a LOT of travelling. I wanted a bag that I could easily carry on the plane but could attach to HIS rolling bag (so he could carry it!) when we didn't want to check our bags.
After finding this pattern at my local store (Treelotta, where I was able to get ALL my hardware as they have a large selection), I decided to go through my stash of fabrics and see what caught my eye. I love quilts and patchwork and when I pulled the two exterior fabrics from my stash I just KNEW this would be it.
All the fabrics I used were from my stash (except for the polka dot interior fabric) as I pick up fabrics that catch my eye when we travel - never knowing what I will use them for. I had to buy the polka dot as I wanted something light in color and didn't have enough in my stash that would work!
I'm going to Disneyland with my daughter and grandson in 10 days and wanted to get it done before then and made it in plenty of time.
I'm flying from Colorado and they are coming from Tennessee. My plane arrives about 30 minutes before theirs so I'll be able to put it on their rolling bag when I meet them!
Oh....in my excitement of getting close to finishing the binding on the interior, I FORGOT I had the stiletto in my hand and somehow scratched myself on the chin! I've had sewing injuries in the past from needles to my fingers and such but NEVER have I injured my face while sewing!"
WHAT THEY WON: $50 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
Quilt Shop Highlight
WINNER: Palm Beach Quilting
THEIR STORY: "I was lucky enough to be invited as a trader to the Tilda Jubilee event in Melbourne Australia. I was asked what would I like to showcase. As soon as I saw the Jubilee range of fabrics, I immediately saw some of Annie’s bags made in them.
I choose a range of bags in various sizes. Round Trip Duffle is a great size and, as it’s the middle size of the duffle bags, I thought that would be a great size to have on display. I have always wanted to make Take a Stand and Running with Scissors. I did the Slow Along with Randi for the Running with Scissors and found this so helpful with lots of tips and tricks. You always learn something new. I absolutely love the Clam Up and the Catch All Caddy are such great versatile projects and Stash and Dash has been on my bucket list. I needed to make the new Ditty Bags 2.0. Out To Lunch 2.0 is a new bag so I wanted to see this one made up and I love the size of it and my all-time favourite, the Ultimate Travel bag. I can’t wait to make more with all the off cuts but time escaped me I just love how they all look in my Tilda family of bags!"
WHERE IS THEIR SHOP: Carrum Downs, Victoria, Australia
WHAT THEY WON: $50 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM ONLINE:
Instagram: @palmbeachquilting
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Palm-Beach-Quilting
Web: https://www.palmbeachquilting.com.au/
Honorable Mention
WINNER: Kyra L
PATTERN: Payday
THEIR STORY: "I was looking for a perfect evening bag. Payday is a wonderful pattern: right size, fits everything I need for my special occasions. I love it and I got a lot of compliments."
WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member River had this to say, "I like how the bag she made is different than usual. It looks like she bought it at a nice store. And I like how she set up the photo to show how it's the perfect evening bag."
WHAT THEY WON: $15 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
Honorable Mention
WINNER: Michelle K
PATTERN: Stash and Dash
THEIR STORY: "My sister travels a lot and mentioned she really needed a jewelry pouch. I chose to adapt the Stash and Dash. I’ve made many ByAnnie patterns since starting to sew bags in June 2021 with my first Easy Does it and Piecekeeper. I’m a visual learner so love the videos Annie creates.
The Stash and Dash was a challenge as a) there is no video and b) this was my first time adapting a pattern. I really had to think through which parts would need to be added in sequence to make sure I didn’t sew over my internal parts.
I used ByAnnie's fold-over elastic, mesh, Soft and Stable and rectangle ring. I made the earring holders with faux leather and jelly vinyl from my local quilt shop, Lovely Jubbly. I also put in metal snaps, which was a first. I made an internal padded protector aka from Running with Scissors to put between the necklaces and earrings. I added some ribbon to it for my sister to be able to slip her daughter's hair clips on.
I loved making this. I had the confidence to do it from making the free patterns and from the experience of making multiple other ByAnnie bags."
WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Casey had this to say, "I love the fabric! The ladybugs are super cute."
WHAT THEY WON: $15 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
Honorable Mention
WINNER: Kathi L
PATTERN: I'll Drink to That
THEIR STORY: “Due to pulmonary disease, I have to use supplemental oxygen. The naked tanks are ugly and uncomfortable to carry, so I searched Annie's site for a pattern that I thought might work. It looked like the pattern, "I'll Drink to That" would hold one large or two small tanks IF I made it just a tiny bit taller. I confirmed with Annie's Customer Support team that it should work as I described to them.
Now that it is finished, it holds a large tank nicely, and, as a bonus, it holds THREE small tanks, not just two. This altered I'll Drink to That is so much easier and prettier to carry than those ugly naked tanks! I think the tanks appreciate the nice "clothing" AND the nice, padded divider when I carry more than one tank. The tanks don't clank!
I learned that when you alter the pattern - even just adding two inches to the height- you have to figure out all of the pieces that will be affected and whether they need to be altered. You have to be especially careful when some directions measure down from the top and others measure up from the bottom. You have to ask yourself "Does my adjustment affect this instruction?"
Having made this minor adjustment, I have a much greater appreciation for how much work must go into creating a pattern, starting from scratch and going all the way to the final product."
WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Jacque had this to say, "The modified I'll Drink to That works perfectly for her bottles of oxygen. What a nice way to "dress" them up."
WHAT THEY WON: $15 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
A special "thank you" to everyone who submitted to this photo contest. We had a wonderful time viewing submissions and reading your stories. We look forward to sharing as many of them as possible on our social media.
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February 2024 Photo Contest