February 2026 Photo Contest

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!

For the outer fabric I used Harris Tweed 🧵✨, and some old round faux leather handles with swivel hooks matched it beautifully. I did add four small triangles for their extra reinforcement.

I quilted the tweed on the lines of the Herring bone lines which gives a discrete look. For the lining I choose Kaffe Fassett Cloisonné 🌸, and I used shot cotton for the binding. I accidentally switched the inside pockets around 🙈. Instead of the “gathered” inside pocket, I made two slip pockets, which actually worked out quite well. I also screwed hun metal feet on to the bottom 👣. I’m still considering whether to add a shoulder strap 🤔. It might follow with some matching accessoires as a SEW easy wallet and a Focal Point. All very useful....  

WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Megan had this to say, "This bag is so cute! I love how all the fabrics and colors came together!"

WHAT THEY WON: $50 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com

WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM ONLINE: 

Website: https://realmenknitpink.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realmenknitpink/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@realmenknitpink

I bought a metre bundle of Tula Nightshade and waited for the right project, then along came Elissa who I had been following through her association with both Annie and Tula. The Bella Coat - PERFECT!! Early 2026 I contacted my fave LQS lady Genevieve and within a day I received all three patterns and there the fun began...................time to make the sneakers, and another bag to match!! Oh and another Bella Coat.........

WHAT WE LOVED: Elissa had this to say, "NAILED IT!!

Balanced, beautiful, and over-the-top in the very best way - Deborah's Bella Quilt Coat draws me into the secondary patterns created by the foundation paper piecing, the epic fussy cutting and applique, and the fabrics working together all tell a beautiful story of wearable art.

I had the pleasure to watch Deborah's jacket come to life in my "Quilting Elissa Patterns ~ Makers Group" (find us on Facebook), and with every twist and turn Deborah had me on the edge of my seat to see what creative detail she would add next. The cherry on top is the lining fabric - it blends every fabulous detail and fabric choice on the outside of the coat with the inside.

Needless to say ... the juice was definitely worth the squeeze! Congratulations Deborah; I truly can't wait to see what you will create next!"

WHAT THEY WON:  $50 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com

This was my first time using the pattern and of course I couldn't just do one! I made 5 large and one medium.

Also a bonus ninja turtle one for my non-girly sister lol

WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Casey had this to say, "These look amazing! I love the different fabric choices, especially the ninja turtles one!"

WHAT THEY WON: $15 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com

WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Darren had this to say, "I think it's very cool that her daughter dyed the fabric and then she sewed it for her to use as a backpack."

I stitched the base fabric onto Soft & Stable at the edges, then appliqued shiny fabric, sequin fabric, and various trims onto the base. 

Then I attached the back fabric to the Soft & Stable by sewing at the edges. I'm not a quilter but I figured out how to do free motion quilting so I used this on the back of the wings. I sewed the wings right sides together and turned them right side out. I used Soft & Stable for the butterfly body and did free motion quilting there also. I sewed the body back and front together (right sides together), just at the top and bottom with the antennae inserted at the top; I turned the body right sides out then inserted the wings into the body and topstitched the seam to encase them. 

I made the antennae using cording and attached elastic for the straps. I sewed tiny pom-poms for the eyes. They were so fun to make, the Soft and Stable worked perfectly, and the girls love them!

WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Jacque had this to say, " The butterflies are adorable. I bet her great granddaughters love them. They turned out wonderful."

WHAT THEY WON: $15 coupon to use on ByAnnie.com

That machine was my invitation to step out of the hoop and into full bag construction.

ByAnnie patterns had long been on my “someday” list. So I did what any ambitious beginner does — I dove straight into the deep end with **City Bag – Downtown**.

There was… more seam-ripping than seam-sewing.

But somewhere between ripping out seams and rewatching tutorials, something clicked. I started to “plug in” to the Annie Method. My first bag wasn’t flawless — but to the non-critical eye, it was absolutely gift-worthy. And that was enough.

"So… We Aren’t on Your Bag List?”

After gifting one of my custom embroidered bags to my mom for Christmas, my sister and niece quickly chimed in:

“So? We aren’t on your bag list?”

Challenge accepted.

I told them to visit ByAnnie.com and pick anything they wanted.

My sister chose **On the Go 2.0**.

That bag marked my “What have I gotten myself into?” phase.

I quickly realized my sewing skills needed a serious power session. Straight top-stitching. Binding without muttering. Precision piecing. These were no longer optional.

But I did discover one place I could confidently bring my experience to the table — quilting in the hoop and with the GIANT hoop on my new machine, I could do magic!

When Digitizing Meets the Annie Method

Understanding the Annie process opened a new door and beginner confidence.

Instead of quilting panels conventionally, I recreated the handbag components in software and digitized quilted panels designed to stitch in the hoop — complete with pre-stitched cut outlines aligned exactly to the pattern shapes.

Once cut along those stitched lines, the pieces had a cleaner, more refined finish. It felt like blending my digital brain with my growing construction skills.

I didn’t submit that version… but I provided you photos of the bag embroidered in the hoop plus the final bag. (ugh .. not very proud of it .. but she loved it)

Enter: Bold Niece Energy : My niece wanted bold.

So I went straight to **Kaffe Fassett** and **Tula Pink**.

Yes, I mixed lines.

Yes, purists may gasp.

But the fabrics? Absolute power couple.

Then I found crazy striped zippers — and that sealed the deal.

With growing confidence (possibly overconfidence), I jumped into **Side Hustle 2.0**. I digitized pattern pieces again, created custom quilt layouts, and leaned into a fun quilting motif.

And then I caught myself.

Was I getting a little too comfortable?

Time for a prototype. (The Bernina Side Hussle photo)

The Prototype That Changed Everything

I raided the fabric hoard and made a test version — focusing intentionally on my weak spots.

* Less ripping.

* Straighter stitching.

* Cleaner binding with fewer quarters in the 'naughty word" jar

The result? A gift-worthy bag I proudly presented to Sara Cassen, owner of The Quilting Bee in Spokane Valley, WA. Made with Bernina Prints, she plans to carry it at their upcoming annual conference.

That moment shifted something. I wasn’t just surviving patterns anymore. I was refining them.

The Kaffe–Tula Side Hustle

Then came the real build. The bold Kaffe–Tula version of the Side Hustle 2.0.

It’s not perfect — I’m still very much a student among incredibly skilled sewing artists — but it’s a bag I’m proud to show the ByAnnie team.

The most notable evolution? The strap.

The prototype strap felt short — especially for a man — even at full extension. So I adjusted.

And when I saw how fun the lining panel looked on the front placket, I leaned into it. Annie’s 1.5" webbing with that playful dot detail completed the look.

That final version gave me something more important than a finished bag.

It gave me confidence.

What I’ve Learned

• The Annie Method works — if you trust it.

• Precision matters.

• Digitizing and construction can complement each other beautifully.

• Seam ripping is not failure — it’s tuition.

• Bold fabric choices are worth the risk.

And maybe most importantly:

I’m not “just” a digitizer anymore.

What’s Next?

My Annie journey is just beginning. Next stop: an in-person ByAnnie class at The Quilting Bee.

Will I still have a higher rip-and-repeat count than most of the class?

Probably.

But I also know this:

If you follow the Annie Method — and allow a little creative twist of your own — the results can be amazing.

And I’m just getting started.

WHAT WE LOVED: Our team member Shara had this to say, "Shows transformation from beginner to confident bag maker."

WHAT THEY WON: $50 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.

Interested in submitting to our photo contest? LEARN MORE HERE.

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