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Maker Faire Austin 2007
Crazy Quilt Handbags & Accessories
The 19th-century crazy quilt technique has been time-warped with some modern twists--machine stitching & stopstitching, lots of embellishment, and bright, fun fabrics.
Web site: http://www,manicthreads.com
Tags: textiles, sewing, crazy+quilting, handbags
About the Maker(s)
Shelley Norwood
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After living in the Midwest for 20 years I decided to make a major change in my life. In 1995 I quit my job and moved to Austin with $1,000 and a small trailer in tow, looking forward to the warm outdoors & the diverse art, music & culture of the city.
I've always been creative and loved to sew, but kept the 9-5 desk-job-with-benefits. A few years after an illness left me on disability and mostly home-bound, my creative side kicked in. I experimented with everything; jewelry, polymer clay, scrap booking, card-making, painting & sewing. But it was sewing that I loved the most and stuck with.
My main inspiration was, and still is, my great-grandmother's Crazy Quilt that hangs on my living room wall. I still find myself staring at the hundreds of different fabric pieces, each sewn and embroidered by hand. I started sewing scraps of fabric together on my sewing machine to imitate the Crazy Quilt look. I found I could easily create my own Crazy Quilt with fabric scraps from my life...old clothes, wedding lace, a piece of the prom dress that ripped when my chair leg got caught on it, an old kitchen towel.
I fell so in love with sewing that I started expanding what I made with the crazy quilt swatches...handbags, zipper pouches, stuffed dolls, clothes...and learned how to make these things with regular fabric too!
Just this year I decided to make this my new career- and opened a store named Manic Threads on Etsy to start selling my work. My goal is to expand into craft shows & retail boutiques and make this a successful home business- but keep it in the spirit of indie & handmade. It's the 'process' of making something that I love- the end result is just icing.
I hope when you see my designs that you learn something, and that you smile or laugh, and are inspired to make something of your own- try it- it could change your life!
manicthreads.etsy.com
Nelson Norwood
Nelson is my husband and a fabulous Rock 'n Blues Musician (singer-songwriter, guitar, piano...all self-taught since childhood). Nelson started his own record label, Guapa Records, and recorded his first CD, 'Long, Loud N Sweaty', with Stevie Ray Vaughan's band, Double Trouble, and recently recorded with Ian McLagan, former Rolling Stones & Faces' keyboardist. Nelson is also Manic Threads' biggest fan!
Maker Faire is sponsored by:
