September 2018 Monthly Photo Contest Winners
One of our favorite things at ByAnnie is getting to see all the beautiful things our customers make using our patterns and products. We love hearing your stories, opinions, and feedback and want to encourage more people to share through our monthly photo contest. Oh, and did we mention you could have a chance to win prizes for all your hard work and creativity?
Grand Prize winners receive a $50 coupon and runners up receive $10 coupons to be used at ByAnnie.com USA! Check out our rules and submission guidelines by clicking the button below!
Since the launch of our monthly photo contest, we've received hundreds of photos of absolutely amazing projects! It's been hard to narrow it down, but the winners below were chosen because the quality of their photographs really let their projects shine.
For the photo contest we are looking for clear, large-sized images. We like to see projects that are well lit and centered nicely in the frame. If possible, we also enjoy seeing multiple angles of a project, or images where we can see how the project will be used. Last, but not least, great photos should also have a clean and clutter-free background. For more tips on how to take great photos, read our blog titled How To Photograph Your Project.
We'd like to congratulate all the winners below! We hope you enjoy reading a bit about their projects. For additional pictures and full stories, be sure to check out our WINNER'S GALLERY!
Grand Prize Winner
Maker: Karen A.
Pattern: Ultimate Travel Bag
Fabric: Unknown main, the lining is by Jessica Smith, and accent fabric is a Kona solid.
Story: This is the first time I've made a bag this big! I've been wanting to do it for a long time. It was a lot of fun to make and I learned so much along the way.
Social Media: Instagram @karenastudios
Runner Up
Maker: Sharon A.
Pattern: Catch All Caddy
Fabric: My Lazy Daisy by Henry Glass, Ladybugs from Timeless Treasures, Black Polka Dot from Waverly
Story: I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited to finish a project as I was with this one. When my dad passed away a couple of years ago, the hospice center had a commemoration centered around ladybugs.
My dear, sweet momma, who is 86, has sort of collected them ever since, so I picked out the lining fabric quite some time ago and I have been looking for fabric that would complement it, and determine what I could make for her.
I love Patterns by Annie, and when I saw the Catch All Caddy, I thought it would be perfect for her to carry her projects to the two sewing groups she meets with each month. I planned to make it for her for Christmas, but I knew when I finished it, I would not be able to wait to give it to her.
I loved learning the inside pocket technique and the side carrying handle was also something I hadn’t done before. Because I wanted to highlight the ladybugs, I chose to swap the main fabric and lining for the inside pockets so more ladybugs could be seen. I also found some cute little ladybug buttons to sew around the outside.
Runner Up
Maker: Kate S.
Pattern: Get Out Of Town Duffle 2.0
Fabric: Sewing Sorrows from Michael Miller and Solid Denim-Wicked Sky from Art Gallery Fabrics
Aurifil 50 wt. cotton and monofilament threads.
Story: I loved using the mixed color zippers and pulls from By Annie! They gave this bag the extra edge it needed. I also used ByAnnie hardware, mesh and Soft & Stable! This bag was taught at my local quilt shop in a Travel Handmade class.
Social Media: Website - www.lakardia.com; Instagram @lakardia
Runner Up
Maker: Julie S.
Pattern: Ultimate Travel Bag
Fabric: Spirit of the Peoples (Small) by Pendleton Woolen Millsm and blanket weight wool jacquard (82% wool, 18% cotton)
Story: This is one of the more challenging projects I have made, though much of that challenge was of my own doing.
Given the heavy weight of the Pendleton wool and the Soft and Stable, the weight and thickness were nearly too much for my sewing machine.
I quilted it along the fabric design lines, as I wanted to highlight the Pendleton wool. I did end up doing much of the finishing work by hand due to the thickness. But in the end, I’m thrilled with the finished product and hope it stays in the family, as it seems an heirloom to me.
It’s a birthday gift for our daughter, who is in her late twenties. I learned a lot while making this project (purse zippers, hardware, stabilizer, etc.) and am looking forward to my next ByAnnie.com project which will be the Back At Ya 2.0, though I’ll be using a lighter-weight fabric.
Runner Up
Maker: Candy G. / Grandma G.
Pattern: Gadget Guard by Dog Under My Desk
Fabric: Barkcloth Half Life from Jessica Jones' In Theory line for Cloud9 Fabrics. Cirrus Solid from Cloud9.
Story: I’ve made several Gadget Guards before, all using Soft and Stable, which provides excellent cushioning for electronic devices. The pattern is wonderful, as are all DUMD patterns, with very detailed instructions and many actual photos to demonstrate the steps.
The great thing about this pattern is that it can be customized from measurements for any size device, from phones to laptops, and it turns out a beautifully snug fit. I made this Gadget Guard to hold my iPad plus the bluetooth keyboard I’d recently purchased for it.
I love the challenge of a good fussy cut, and for this project, it was rather tricky cutting the fabric just the right size so that front pleat (yes, there’s a pleat there below the zipper!) would come out lined up perfectly in the print, and also line up with the fabric piece above the front zipper. It took a lot of thinking, measuring, and planning.
I did make the pleat narrower than the pattern instructed so that it would work out right. I’m quite pleased with how it turned out, and the fit with the devices inside is perfect!
Social Media: Instagram @grandma_g415, Blog - aphotosworth.blogspot.com
Runner Up
Maker: Jennifer K.
Pattern: Every Day Every Way
Fabric: De La Luna by Tula Pink for FreeSpirit Fabrics
Story: I chose to make the Every Day Every Way bag for myself after making one for my sister-in-law. I don't need a diaper bag but with our upcoming trip to Florida (to include Legoland and Disney) I wanted to be hands free!
This bag is a great size and has a ton of strap options. I was able to find the awesome fabric at my local quilt shop too! All of the ByAnnie patterns are so organized that it's a breeze to keep the fabric pieces straight.
It does have some bulky sections so I had a bit of a struggle during final assembly. I turned the wheel by hand quite a bit during the end construction! But, my Wonder Clips and some candy corn helped power me through!
Social Media: Instagram: @craftyjak
Take part in this great community!
Thanks again to all who participated in September's Photo Contest. But, don't forget...the fun's not over! This is a MONTHLY Photo Contest, so be sure to submit photos of your projects for a chance to win! (For Rules and Submission Guidelines click HERE).
To see additional pictures and full stories from our winners, click HERE.
To see all of the other fantastic project pictures that were submitted, be sure to check out our Photo Gallery! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@patternsbyannie) for more great and inspirational projects, be sure to sign up for our newsletter, and let us know in the comments what you're working on!
