We are so excited to announce the winners of March'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.
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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: Monica H @monhemphill
Pattern: Bowl Me Over
THEIR STORY: I wanted to make a handbag for everyday use and fell in love with the Bowl Me Over pattern. I love Tula Pink's Moon Garden fabric and after finding the bee zipper pulls and clasp for front I had to use this fabric. I then thought I’d try using vinyl or suede vinyl fabric - well the lesson in using that is you can’t unpick if your machine decides to skip stitches ! I added another piece on the zipper strip as I had a hole in it - it’s now a design feature. Photos taken in Torquay - Australia 🇦🇺
WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Casey had this to say, "The pictures look great! I love the fabric and the bee clasp is a great touch."
WHAT THEY WON: $50 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
Storyteller Award
WINNER: Ruth C
Pattern: Just In Case
THEIR STORY:
When I bought my last sewing machine, I had an option to bundle it with an embroidery module. I never embroidered a day in my life! But, I said, "Yes, I will take it." I decided that this was going to be a challenge and an adventure for me to learn something new.
In this last year, I discovered that the hoops you get with your machine are not nearly as big as you need them to be! And, as I grew more confident in my challenge to learn to embroider, I also grew a collection of thread, embroidery designs and LARGER HOOPS!
.That leads me to the FEBRUARY/MARCH CHALLENGE TO ADAPT/CUSTOMIZE a by Annie Pattern to fit my need.
I adapted the Just In Case pattern to hold/store the bigger hoops I bought.
I wanted to include something embroidered as a reminder of my adventure in learning something new and being proud of it! So, I placed my embroidered dragons on a zippered slip pocket to the front of the bag.
I added 2 straps so I could carry my hoop bag to class. And, I even made the bag huge enough to accommodate the largest hoop that they make... JUST IN CASE I decided I needed that last humungous hoop. :)
On the inside of the bag, I used vinyl and a neutral lining fabric, so I could see quite quickly the hoops I had stored there. I added 2 hook & loop tabs to hold the midi-sized hoops upright on one side to keep them from falling on top of each other. The other side allows for the maxi hoop to lay on its side. The fabric bottom borders on both sides provide some expansion and some give to accommodate the twist-lock closure (hoop screw) or the clamp bracket.
I am extremely grateful for by Annie patterns. I have learned so much great technique and have grown in my skill level that I would never have achieved otherwise. So, thank you, Miss Annie.
I have to say that the JUST IN CASE pattern is my absolute favorite pattern by Annie. I love how easily I can use it to make a bag for my Kindle, a bag to carry my travel documents, a bag for my journal...
And now I get to add embroidery to it!
I am so grateful for opening up this month's challenge to share what we were able to adapt and customize, that you have encouraged us to make your pattern our own.
May we never stop going on adventures to grow beyond where we are today.
WHAT THEY WON: $50 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
Quilt Shop Highlight
WINNER: Cindy's Nifty Stitches
THEIR STORY:
We are a brand new mobile quilt shop (we had our first vendor show in March 2024) called Cindy’s Nifty Stitches and we love to showcase fun and modern fabrics! By Annie patterns are all so well written and if any questions arise- the video tutorials are SPOT ON. We sell the kits with all the hardware needed and people love buying them. We have so much fun pairing fabrics and bindings to showcase the structure and design of each bag.
WHERE IS THEIR SHOP: Hannibal, Missouri
WHAT THEY WON: $50 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM ONLINE:
Instagram: @cindysniftystitches
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heibelcindy69/
Honorable Mention
WINNER: Abby H
PATTERN: Just Desserts
THEIR STORY:
While at my machine, I discard threads and fabric leaders into a shallow fabric tray. Too shallow, actually, as thread constantly floats out. I also have a tendency to move my pin cushion to the cutting table, forgetting to return it to my sewing table. This means that pins removed from fabric as I'm sewing don't get corralled appropriately, but roll around on the table, or get stuck into any nearby fabric, including my clothes.
I've seen thread caddies, held on a table by a weight or weighted pin cushion and wondered where to find a pattern for one. Then it occurred to me...I already had downloaded the Just Desserts pattern, although I had never made one.
(Annie always recommends making the pattern first, as written, before modifying and she is so right. One day I might even take that advice. Let's just say adding a strap involved at least three attempts to sew the lid.)
The sew is made according to the pattern with the following modifications: I added a second lid top assembly. One, intended for the bottom of the pin cushion, is made according to the pattern directions; the second iis just a layer of fabric. There is also a strap connecting the lid to the body. This is, coincidentally, a remnant from a Bowl Me Over modification -- fabric encased strapping -- but a perfect color match.
I assembled the lid per the directions, using the fabric top. Then I sewed a strap onto the conventional (SnS) top. I connected that top to the lid side, sewing half way around the circle, leaving a large opening. The strap must be sewn on the inside, so when the lid assembly is turned nightside out, it's on the outside, too.
Using scraps and the same circle template, I made a doubled-wall bag for emery sand, which I inserted directly below the lid, then I stuffed the lid with poly fil. Before ladder stitching it closed, I inserted a circle of plastic.
I was prepared to insert beans, but ultimately decided the emery sand provided enough weight. Time will tell whether I sew some velcro (or double sided table) to the bottom of the strap to keep it from moving on the table.
WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Nolan said this "I like the fabric and it is a very useful looking pattern."
WHAT THEY WON:
$15 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
Honorable Mention
WINNER: Nicole W
PATTERN: Tools of the Trade
THEIR STORY:
I’ve had sooooo much fun creating this Case and I’m so pleased how it turned out 🖤💜🖤 first time making this Bag/Case and like every other pattern from Annie @patternsbyannie it’s wonderful 💗 I modified the Case by adding a Flap with zipper pockets and adding another sleeve with more pockets for more storage space 🥰 I’ve used a older OOP fabric collection from @tulapink and to this day it’s my favorite fabric collection 🥰
WHAT WE LOVED: Annie had this to say, "Nicole did a beautiful job on her Tools of the Trade. I love the adaptations that she made to the inner pockets and the FPP border and ribbon she used for embellishment on the outside. Beautiful work!"
WHAT THEY WON: $15 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com
Honorable Mention
WINNER: Valerie C
PATTERN: A Place for Everything
THEIR STORY: My interest in By Annie patterns was piqued when I saw a friend’s A Place For Everything. I immediately bought the pattern and proceeded to make all of the free By Annie patterns in order to hone my bag making skills.
As I completed the Easy Does It, Call Me Phone bag, Petit Four baskets, Piecekeeper projects I would bring them to guild meetings for Show & Tell and other quilters asked me to teach workshops, which I did.
Eventually I built the confidence to make APFE. I used a special FQ bundle I had put aside for APFE and added a Kaffe Fassett fabric. I incorporated 12 different fabrics, freely chose various colours of By Annie zippers, mesh and foldover elastics to create a cheerful bag.
I am very thankful for the By Annie Bag Makers FB page which I carefully studied to get tips, hints and inspiration to add customizations to this bag. What a generous group which freely shares ideas and advice!
In order to ensure my bag would truly be one-of-a-kind, I cross stitched 2 designs (pattern by Valerie Pfieffer) and further customized the designs by adding words from an Emily Dickinson poem which I am fond of. These cross stitched pieces were incorporated into the bag front and bag back.
Some of the other customizations I added to my version of APFE are: a pouch to showcase some colourful Bohin scissors which coordinate beautifully with my colour palette, a felt needle minder sewn to the inside of bag back, custom storage in the inside of the bag front - inspired by the Running With Scissors pattern and bindings on the top and bottom of all the zippers to add many punches of colour.
I made sure to take photos and notes along the way as my quilting friends in Abu Dhabi will want me to lead a sew-along so they too can make APFE! It took awhile to complete, but worth every minute of my efforts.
WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Jacque had this to say, "That fabric is very cute! I love all of the colors."
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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March 2024 Photo Contest Winners