I'm one of Amy Butler's biggest fans, so, to say I was excited to get a personal response from her earlier this year when I contacted her about using her fabrics for my Pink October project, well… that's a huge understatement! I was thrilled! Amy is very gracious, amazingly accessible and very down to earth. If you haven't yet discovered Amy's design talents, you are in for a treat!

Interview by Dianne of Mama's Pocketbook

Amy Butler is a creative artist who started out very much like many of us here at MakeMinePink.com. She started out making small passport sized bags in the late 80's and sold them to small boutique shops around the country. In 1992, she says she and her husband, David, “started our little Art of the Midwest studio with two cats and about $1,200.” Amy wanted to recapture the fun and excitement she had making those little bags, so she started her sewing pattern business, and it has blossomed into a multi-line creative design business that includes designing fabrics, creating books, paper craft designs, and a new line of fabric bags. Let's meet Amy and learn all about her and her company, Amy Butler Designs!

Amy, I know you are not an overnight success, as you have been working at your art for some 17+ years now, but tell us a little about the phenomenal growth Amy Butler Designs has experienced in just these past few years?

It's been amazing, really. When I started in the sewing industry six years ago it just felt right. I knew I was in the right place, and I knew in some sense that everything would work out. I've always felt that way, even from the very beginning when Dave and I first started Art of the Midwest.

I think I've managed to keep my mind and heart open just enough to take a few chances and know that whatever experience I have, it will be worthwhile. I feel like the “planets have aligned” that's the way we all feel when we know we are where we need to be. It takes a lot of effort, yet it feels effortless.

I had no idea or inclination that my business would grow the way it has, and, in my mind's eye, it's not getting bigger just “expanding” from a personal place. That helps me keep things in perspective. The ease of the process keeps flowing, each new opportunity opens the door to another. The key is paying attention to the right fits and really being conscious of where I expand and think about how it can be done in such a way that supports everyone involved. I feel like it will just keep snow-balling. I don't feel any different than when I started with my first patterns — I'm just learning about asking for help and trusting my instincts to know when the time is right to grow into something new. I'm so happy with how things have progressed and very proud and grateful for the enormous amount of support and help I receive from Dave and all the folks I work with. Amy Butler Design could not be where it is today without them.

Many of our readers are artists, seamstresses, decorators, and entrepreneurs who would love to have some insight into how you have masterminded the progression of your amazing design hits? How far ahead did you plan things out? Or did one thing just naturally lead to another?

Oh geez, I'm flattered by the notion of mastermind, but my husband would be the first to tell you a different story! He likes to tease me whenever he can! My designs and releases are “naturally occurring” on many levels. With Rowan, my fabric company, we like to release new lines at least twice a year. One launch in Spring and another in Fall. The releases are also driven by our big wholesale trade show, the Quilt Market, where we premiere the lines. I have to work about 4–6 months ahead of a release to allow time for me to create my artwork and turn it in to the mill in Korea in time to have corrections and final printing complete by launch date. I also try to get my artwork in so I have time to receive my advance yardage to make samples for photography for my web site and new patterns as well as samples for display at Quilt Market and Trunk shows.

The promotion piece is a big one, and Dave and I love shooting the photos and dreaming up great ways to present the collections and get people excited. With my sewing patterns, I'm kind of driven by Quilt Market launches too. I always like to have at least two new patterns at both shows, but these days we are in a sweet groove and we have been able to produce launches with 4–6 patterns.

It takes us about 3 months to produce new patterns depending on what else I have going on in the studio. These past few months, I've been working on other licensing releases as well as two new books! It's been a hoppin' year!

Planning is very important, always. I make master calendars that are planned 18 months in advance and constantly updated. This way, we can see what's coming down the pike and be flexible with new opportunities that arise. My goal, always, is to strike a balance with creative workload and personal down time. In order to plan properly and to be able to make sound decisions on whether or not to take on a new opportunity, I have to know what's already on my plate and have a sense of what's truly possible. Saying “no” is always hard but very healthy. Dave and I take our time making decisions consciously, making sure we align ourselves with projects that are solid fits and that we can manage at a reasonable pace. I work with Diane and Jake in my studio and many other ladies in my community who help me develop my sewing patterns, books and samples. They are so important, and I have to make sure that we all strike a great balance. I feel very accountable to them as I do to Dave and myself. It's an important responsibility to manage.

Design opportunities and releases do naturally lead one to another as well. That's been true through my whole creative experience. The next big piece is having a willingness to try and be ok with making mistakes and knowing that everything falls into place, as it should. Dave and I have become comfortable with taking risks and that's important to factor in. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and try things on for size. We've had plenty of “tries” that didn't work, but we learned a lot from the experience, and that often leads to great opportunities. It's really a big experiment.

How does it feel to see your patterns and especially your fabrics used so creatively and profusely in everything from children's wear, to fashion accessories, to bedding, to mixed media art, to home décor and beyond?

Oh my gosh, it's really incredible! It makes me feel very connected to people. I feel like I get to know them through our shared experience. I'm blown away by what everyone makes and completely flattered that my designs are inspiring them to create.

I think it's so cool that folks interpret my prints and see them applied in such a variety of ways, crossing into so many categories. I love creating designs and to see that energy passed on and on is so fulfilling.

You've now expanded into the scrapbooking and paper arts arena as well. How did that happen?

Yes! It's been such a great experience. Kay Stanley from K & CO approached me a couple of years ago, and I slowly explored the possibility of working with them. I've wanted to get into paper craft for quite some time. I have to admit, I have a “paper” fetish!

Initially, my plate was too full to start right away, but sweet Kay waited for me to get my timing figured out, and we started working on the collection last spring. We started in April, and the line launched in January at the CHA Show. That's a pretty quick turn around! I worked alongside Megan Calcara who is a designer for K & CO. Megan and Dave and I developed the two groups. K & Co is an amazing group of people! It's a total joy working with them. We are preparing a new collection now for a Spring release.

You have your new line of Nigella Home Decor Fabrics and your newest line of Rowan “Sweet Life” bags have just hit the market. Tell us about them!

My Nigella fabric collection officially launched this Spring, and it's been doing very well! It's an expansion into a new category with Rowan, and we are trying it on for size to try to meet some of the needs of the independent quilt shops and fabric stores.

My prints translate well into many different uses, and I'm always using my fabrics in my home, whether home decor or quilting. I had a lot of fun creating projects and samples with Nigella from clothing to quilts. The mid-weight quality of the material is very versatile, and the Sateen finish is totally yummy! The designs have a modern, neo-Victorian vibe, and many of the prints are inspired by some of my favorite flora and fauna in my garden. Nigella is the Latin name for a traditional, Victorian annual flower called “Love in a Mist.” I planted mine in my garden four years ago, and it keeps self-seeding every Spring!

I've been working on several new sewing patterns and “free” patterns using Nigella to give folks loads of projects to experiment with.

I love my Sweet Life Bags; they were so much fun to work on! I designed them for Rowan and they were initially created as knitting bags. I spent a lot of time interviewing my fellow knitters and crafters asking them what would they want in their “dream knitting bag.”

So, I got great ideas and feedback that I incorporated in the bags… lots of compartments for organizing tools and supplies, room for life's necessities and they had to be stylish! The timing worked out perfectly as we were able to manufacture the bags with Nigella.

The bags quickly “evolved” when I received the first samples. Joyce, from Rowan, and I knew right away that these bags are great for everything! We knew they would be right at home in our quilt shops as well. Dave and I worked on the photography and marketing images as well as the product story and felt that the name Sweet Life Bags was fitting because of the multiple uses for the bags. They are great for sewing, knitting, quilting… really every craft. They also make great fashion bags, diaper bags and travel bags.

We premiered them at Quilt Market this Spring and at the big yarn show, TNNA, in June, and they have been very well received in both industries. That's just one of those cool things that happen and evolve as things develop. The bags are in the final stages of production and they should be in the states sometime in December. I can't wait to use them!

Clearly nature influences your designs, but how do you develop such brilliant and fresh color combinations?

I'm thinking about color all the time. It's one of those things I never turn off in my brain. I'm always taking photos of flowers, and on travels, trying to capture color combinations. Dave and I collect found, natural objects that we display, and I constantly look to my garden for inspiration. This summer, my big color story in the garden was all about pink and orange dahlias, zinnias and cannas. I also planted tons of gorgeous tropical leaves with variegation and delicious hues of green. My brand new (January release) collection is called Midwest Modern, and one of my palettes is… predominantly pink and orange!

I also look to my favorite collections of artifacts, ephemera and textiles that I surround myself with in my studio. I have bowls and bowls full of beads, trims, and buttons with great color combinations. I have them in constant rotation, in and out of my “displays” that I create to make me happy. I also enjoy reading fashion and home magazines and I pull tears for color stories that I collage with in combo with my other favorite objects. What's fun about color is that it's so subjective and personal. To have the opportunity to explore combinations that I'm in love with is the biggest kick. I'm so happy that folks enjoy my color palettes!

You're a hot commodity in the blogosphere too Amy. We see contests and swaps going on all over the place using your fabrics and patterns and paper designs. Do you ever have the time to browse the blogs and see what people are creating with your materials?

Hot commodity…? Now that sounds like fun! I do spend some time visiting blogs and I love it! I've met many of the blog authors through email, sharing projects and information. I get invitations to check out pattern reviews and passionate projects all the time. It's humbling to see everyone's creations and so inspiring! I get totally jazzed. Knowing how much people like working with my fabrics and patterns is the best part of what I do. I also love inviting people to send me photos of their projects because, eventually (high on my goal list), I want to add a message board to my site and offer a “seamstress gallery of projects” so everyone can enjoy each other's handwork. I think blogs are genius… such a great tool for bringing us all together and making our creative circle bigger but making the world feel smaller. That's a good connection!

Your fabrics are featured in almost every magazine I've read this summer (and I read them all!). Obviously, they appeal to all ages and work with all manner of decor styles. Still, I have to ask, are you a marketing genius?

I have had some great press opportunities that have come my way through word of mouth mostly. I do my best to react in a timely manner so I can help the editors with content. We stay prepared and ready to respond to press opportunities by having great materials on hand such as photos, samples, press kits, and brochures. I've been very fortunate in attracting such a wide variety of press.

I don't think I'm a marketing genius, but I do love to market! Dave and I both enjoy creating our identity. It's an extremely important piece of the studio. I think there's a lot of appeal in how we present ourselves and editors get excited and are enthusiastic about showing my projects and materials.

How you present yourself and your products makes a huge difference in how your products are perceived. You want people to “get it” and feel it immediately. We try our best to be consistent and professional in every way. We had done this for clients for so many years, and, now, to do it for ourselves is so much fun. I am such a lucky girl to get to work with Dave. He is an incredible designer and photographer. We both have different skills and resources that we bring to the studio and somehow we end up doing a good job complimenting each other.

We could all use some sage advice on getting it all done. I understand you have a fairly small, yet awesome operating team, but what's your personal secret on how to accomplish so much and keep up all that you have going on?

Post-it notes! I'm not kidding. You should see my calendar — it's so funny. I have some tech-savvy friends who love their Blackberrys but I'm an old-school, hands-on, “gotta see it in writing on bright colored paper”-kinda gal. There's great satisfaction in crumbling up a “to do” on a post-it. It's a visceral experience. The notes also represent flexibility — you don't get it done that day, just move the note over to the next!

There's only so much we can do in a day, and all we can do is our best. Life happens and it cannot be controlled. Being flexible and open to options makes the whole process so much more do-able and enjoyable. The post-its also keep me in the moment more, in the tasks of the day. I've gone through many a tumultuous time thinking too far ahead and worrying; it's not worth it. Everything works when you have a lighter perspective, and it's amazing what you can get done when you free your mind. I'm a big planner in terms of writing it down on the calendar so I don't overbook myself, and I keep things running as smoothly as possible.

Dave and I are very stealthy — we work well together, and we can accomplish quite a bit. Keeping things simple and small make it do-able. We do a lot ourselves because we enjoy it and the studio is personal… going “big business” doesn't feel right. I choose to do things based on this understanding of how I want my studio to evolve. It's the reality check, the point of reference. I use this as a guideline to help me decide whether an opportunity fits and if it's possible to accomplish.

Knowing what you are about, what's important to you and respecting your resources and priorities helps you make solid decisions. This will keep you focused on what's important and what you should make into a post-it note!

Even more importantly, I do ask for help and I've been fortunate in finding folks to work alongside to help me with all of the various projects I have going on.

You mention working with your husband David, who is an amazing artist and photographer. How do you balance your work life and your personal private time? How do you keep grounded — kick back and relax?

Thank you! Dave is amazing. We work hard at honoring “down time”. We've had our studio for many years, and we've learned to turn off the business after five or six when we end our day. The house rule is ”no studio talk after five”. It's really hard sometimes because we're so excited about what we're doing but we've realized we have to refuel and relax so our creative and spiritual sides can flourish. Our relationship to ourselves and our friends and family is more important than the business, always, and it's a priority for us to keep that in perspective. We always want to have enough available for each other and the people in our lives.

We added “Free Fridays” last year to our work schedule so we all have a Friday off each month to add in some long weekends. Jake is our only full time employee and he never works overtime, we think quality of life is more important than getting it all done. It all gets done anyway. You realize you work more effectively when you are well rounded and rested. We also work with our three cats and everything stops when Birdie needs her back scratched!

Last month we moved Amy Butler Design out of our house and into an 1850's house down the street. It's been wonderful — a much needed move! We were outgrowing the lower level and now we can spread out and have an organized workspace. We all love it. And now, Dave and I keep his business in the house, and I also keep a second creative studio at home so I can slip away and focus on design work. I didn't realize how much Dave and I needed the space to think. I work between the new studio and home, part days usually, unless I'm working on art for a new collection or designing a new pattern.

Dave and I love to garden and workout. We are very outdoorsy, physical people. He's a big mountain biker and I weight train, kickbox and practice yoga. We also honor guy time and gal time. He's really good about taking guy trips and adventure races. I love that we both enjoy gardening so much. We do something “physical” every day. I usually work out in the mornings before I start in the studio, and I try to spend a few minutes meditating.

Do you still get the chance to browse at the flea markets and shops? Do you have any favorite Fall Festivals/Craft Fairs you love to attend?

Yes! It's one of the best creative outlets for Dave and I. We're always on the look out for special finds. We don't buy too much, just what we need or “can't live without”. It's so inspiring and relaxing. We junk a lot with our parents. It's one of our favorite field trips with them. We like the Springfield Antique show in Ohio and the Brimfield Antiques show in Massachusetts.

What kind of advice do you have to offer budding new artists who would like to follow in your footsteps?

Take one step at a time. Making a creative life is evolutionary and every experience you have is valuable and will lead you to where you need to go next. Pay attention to opportunities, follow your heart and focus on doing what you love to do.

What exciting design adventure will you embark on next Amy? Will we be seeing you soon on TV? Martha? Oprah? …or maybe creating your own show?!

Oh my… there are many exciting developments in the works! You'll be seeing my designs entering the home decor industry in several categories next year. Once things get closer to launch, I'll be sure to give you the scoop! My latest launch is my Amy Butler's Midwest Modern book with Stuart Tabori and Chang. Dave and I created the entire book together last year. David shot all of the photography and designed each spread so it has a completely personal, unique feel. It is an inspirational adventure, one we are both very proud of. Mid-Mod launches in a couple of weeks, so be on the look out!

Martha? Well… yes, I believe so! I'm waiting to hear more from their producers as we develop content for my appearance. Keep your fingers crossed. I think Martha is amazing!

My own show? Not quite yet. It's hard to fathom, but it might be fun. Hmmmm.

Resources

Amy Butler Designs
Rowan Fibers/Westminster Fabrics
Free Spirit Fabrics
K & CO

Photos courtesy of David Butler

You can find retailers for Amy Butler Design products on her website, and right here on MakeMinePink.com at Mama's Pocketbook.