HMQG Giveaway - Anna Maria Horner

We are honored and ecstatic to announce our next giveaway featuring the fabric of Anna Maria Horner! Anna Maria is generously giving away a fat quarter bundle of her latest, and my personal (Becca) favorite, collection Field Study. Bold, rich, flavorful, saturated, and meaningful are words that come to mind when describing Anna Maria Horner's fabrics. And Field Study definitely captures that spirit. Take a look at each stunning color way: 

Image courtesy of Anna Maria Horner

Image courtesy of Anna Maria Horner

Image courtesy by Anna Maria Horner 

At QuiltCon, I had the honor of attending Anna Maria's lecture "Making Me" during which she explained how she came to be a fabric designer and what inspires her designs. Two themes were plainly clear. First, Anna Maria values a hand made object. She values the time and effort one undertakes when making a quilt, a dress, a painting, etc. And though at one time she created other surface designs for things such as party napkins,  Anna Maria seemed honored that her designs were being used to make objects meant to be treasured heirlooms. 

Second, family is important to Anna Maria and largely inspires her work.  Growing up Anna Maria's family immersed their children in a creative ventures. He father filled their home with his paintings, her mother was a expert sewist, beds were draped with hand-loomed blankets made by their Yiayia in Greece. These were meaningful craftings in that the act of making fulfilled both the need to create and the need to nurture and love those cherished most.  Her parents had the foresight to teach their children their crafts and Anna Maria continues their rich tradition of making.  

A picture of Anna Maria's Yiayia's loomed blanket
Image courtesy of Anna Maria Horner

Coupled with the making is the designing. Anna Maria continues to incorporate inspiration from her family and everyday life into her designs and in her own quilts.  The buck which features prominently in a print from her "Little Folks" collection came directly from her Yiayia's hand loomed blanket. In her quilt designs, Anna Maria, a mom to six with a sweet baby girl on the way, incorporates the character and personality of the recipient. Recently on her blog, Anna Maria has shared a few quilts she composed (she also a talented painter) for some of her children and how she designed each quilt to suit the child. Also, Anna Maria loves to hand quilt her quilts because it allows her to quilt alongside her family. So, many of her quilts are beautifully hand quilted. (Find her tutorial for how to hand quilt here.) 

In Anna Maria's latest book, Anna Maria's Needlework Notebook, she writes more extensively about her experiences growing up in a family of creative types. Besides being a good read, this book is filled with a yummy variety needlework-type designs and patterns. I made this clutch from the pattern "Star Crossed Love Clutch" featured in her book. 

Star Crossed Love Clutch, pattern from AMH's latest book,
Anna Maria's Needleworks Notebook

I loved making this clutch! The needlework was completed while I visited with family or snuggled on the couch with a treat after a long day (It would be much more sophisticated if I liked tea....).  I can still hear the sound of the needle drawing the thread through the cloth. While I used the same colors as Anna Maria used in her project, I customized the back and insides how I wanted. The clutch is now my favorite date-night purse. 

Here I am with AMH, Christa, and Deirdre (and the pouch too). 

Becca, AMH, Christa, and Deirdre

I think, as a busy mom myself, Anna Maria's work feels special in large part because Anna Maria meaningfully connects her work to her life and family. She encourages the maker to create something meaningful. And in fact, I feel encouraged to dig out my treasured heirlooms made by my grandmother and see what inspiration I find. 

What about you? Has Anna Maria's work challenged you? Comment here to be entered to win a Fat Quarter Bundle of Field Study by March 25!