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I am happy you guys enjoyed some of the foodie love I offered yesterday (and to answer a Q, that table linen is 4 yards of gorgeous fabric that I found in NYC last fall... cannot remember the name of the store, but it was a shop in the garment district that is nothing but linen). I was thinking today about my go-togethers. I have favorite movie genres that I pair with various types of handwork that depend on the focus needed for each.  I should make a chart sometime (it's right there in my head, I just need to write it out). Jeff and I have exhausted almost every single British period piece available in the Netflix instant streaming offerings.  We were so sad to come to the end of all of the Catherine Cookson novel adaptations (where even the low-budget ones are 10x better than most anything on the television).  All the drama.  So entertaining.  The typical British kind.  Wealth.  Poverty. Getting knocked up out of wedlock, etc.  (Why do we rela...

* hihowdyho *I'm sorry this post title sounds like a surgery documentary that I would cover my eyes through. *That Anna (the other one) is too nice. What started as her making fun of me to my face (which is what helps her keep her job) ended with her saying very nice things on my blog. *She was promptly scolded for that. *Kidding. I wuvher. *If you were to photograph the inside of my brain right now, I am certain it would look exactly like the above. *That is my book cover. *Kidding again. *Last night I walked by Isabela hunched over the dining room table trying to draw something with her left hand and I overheard her mumbling I wish I was both-handed . * Good thinking , I told her. Then I spent five minutes staring at the ceiling and wondering if I were both-handed would I also then have enough coordination to be able to type with one hand and sew with the other? Which would do which? Hm. *I am so looking forward to getting on the other side of my book deadlines for many reas...

Hi Folks! Anna here. And by Anna, I mean Anna Michelle, not Anna Maria. That's right, today while Anna Maria Horner is in crazy-person-writing-a-book-on-a-deadline mode you get to sit through the ramblings of her intern Anna Michelle Johnson. Some of you may have read our interview from this past summer, and know that I started habitually reading this very blog several years ago - which means that I was completely, totally and absolutely over the moon when I had the opportunity to become an intern. I had a general idea of what a day in the life at designer's studio would look like, and the thought of working alongside someone as known and recognized as Anna Maria was literally a dream come true for me. So naturally I felt every initial fear and insecurity that would expectedly come from a young girl meeting and working with her role model. Luckily for me, those feelings were all completely unnecessary, and quickly overcome. Unlike my expectations, AMH has made it evident from ...

Above is a detail (really small in comparison to the whole thing) of one of the wool tapestry blankets that was made by my Yiayia (my Greek grandma). I haven't had enough muscle around here yet to get it up for a full shot, it is incredibly heavy (and of course extremely warm). At the same time mom told me more about Great Grandma's quilt blocks , I asked if dad could tell me what he remembers about his mother working on these blankets. Of course typing that himself would have thrown off his entire equilibrium so my mom typed it for him. In fact if I got an email from my dad which was also typed by my dad it would throw off my whole equilibrium. I would never have an equilibrium again. If I ever even started with an equilibrium. Ahem. Here's what she errh he errrh she says: "As for Yiayia's loomed blankets: You may remember seeing the loom in that back storage building behind the original house. Dad says that in the years she was using it that it pretty mu...

I've been writing this blog post in my mind for a few months now. This fall will see the publication of my 3rd book title, Anna Maria's Needleworks Notebook . I've casually mentioned it here and there, mostly in other interviews, in some talks I've given, in some conversations and so forth, but its time to talk about it a bit more officially, I imagine,- especially in the string of what I'm looking forward to this year. Because I am really, really, really thrilled with this upcoming book. It is so different than the other two, I think entirely in a good way. Just like hand work is different than sewing machine work- that sort of difference. This book has come about very slowly, I sort of had half the projects designed before I even knew how I wanted to present them. The idea of a book about 18 months ago, just made me sleepy. Not bored, I was just all too aware of that process and how you live it eat it breathe it until its complete. And I guess I just didn...

("sinister swarm" print detail in progress) Hoooa No. Man. Thanks for all the moth info . I think. Ick. No really, I'm glad to take a sampling of all the common denominators in those comments and figure out our plan of attack (defense?). In other maybe not so unrelated-to-icky-moth news, I am here to talk more about boys. The boys I currently have in the house- 39, 13, 11 and 2 - keep me exposed to everything from heart-achingly wonderful to utterly disgusting. You can make your own assumptions about that limited information. I knew enough about boys when I was first pregnant with Roman to know better than to actually want another one. After all I was (and still am) married to one and I was (and still am) raising two others (errhhh- am I raising all of them....?) But I did really, really hope that he was a boy before I knew. I dreamed that he was. I felt like I had figured boys out and was finally over the fact that I can't put dresses on them. It was like...

What Shelly Figueroa and Karen LePage got so right with Sewing For Boys is the keen combination of simple but slightly rough around the edges that is so completely perfect when sewing for the young lads in your life. I think you know by now that I don't share anything here that I don't truly adore, and I get shown many, many books. I share only those that I would be purchasing myself anyway, and this one is definitely in that category. I have already set aside cut lengths of my new (soon to be released) Loulou Flannels to make the Goodnight, Sweetheart PJs, plus some bias binding for the adorable piping detail. A long way to go to put a rowdy boy to bed? Not at all. The patterns are so straight forward, doting just enough on the details that make it worth home sewing to begin with. Roman has just outgrown most of the patterns in Handmade Beginnings, so I am happy to have this sweet and inspiring resource as staples for him. Who wants a copy? You will love it, leave me...

I only recently reacquainted myself with the feeling of what its like to have only my work before me. No interruptions. No distractions. Just work. Enjoyable as most of my work is, I have always been one to work best under pressure or to be most prolific when incredibly (unreasonably) busy- not as though I've had the chance at anything else, really. This week has been strange. New. A little uncomfortable. Today's brightest light was the sunlight twinkling in Roman's eyes as he giggled out a proud smile after successfully yanking his shoe over his bulbous little heel. Over his new school socks (because no other pairs are actually pairs at all, just two socks). Today's deepest, darkest, tiniest, and perhaps irrational fear is that maybe for some years now I have forgotten how to just be single, whole, complete and only me. Or worse, that maybe, that's not as interesting as it use to be. It was a surprising amount of comfort when I stacked some things up fo...

I tended to two gardens this weekend. Only a tiny bit more of this, indoor, patchworky one (oh, but the joy found there). Much, much more time spent on the outdoor gardens. And not the charming kind of tending either, more the chainsaw, electric trimmer, 2000 sq ft of black plastic kind of tending. We've needed to trim back trees and wayward undergrowth from trees for a while, as well as hedges, limbs and all that. I also decided that I was finally going to do what I've been wanting to do forever with our front beds and that is increase them by about ten times. I currently only have narrow borders about 3 or 4 feet wide along the front walk and house perimeter, and I find that perennials just overtake one another, and quickly get shaded by the flowering trees, etc. I just need more space. Everything needs digging up, dividing, and replanting in a more thought out arrangement. So the process has me trying to kill about 1500 sq ft of grass without using chemicals. Withou...

I was fortunate enough to meet the lovely Alissa Haight Carlton at Quilt Market only weeks ago, and the feeling you get from her is just the feeling that I get from her new book, Block Party , which was written together with Kristen Lejnieks . And that feeling is one of approachability and warmth. After talking to her for a only a bit, I wanted to sit next to her and sew. The book, after reading a few pages, makes you feel just the same way. You just feel invited. Not in the fancy invitation that comes in the mail and requires a new dress kind of invitation, but a hey, come over here and join us kind of invitation. The best kind. The book covers 12 women who formed a modern quilting bee so that each would contribute a block to one person's quilt concept each month. All the blocks would be sent to that one person, and she would get to assemble the quilt and keep it. By the end of the year all twelve of them had done the same, each keeping a piece of history and the work o...

The Quick Change Trousers is undoubtedly one of the most popular patterns to make from my Handmade Beginnings book. I think its obvious why: they are sweet, simple, reversible, easy to make and easy to wear. It almost deserves a flickr group all its own, because there are so many adorable examples on the book's flickr page (along with so many other great sew-ups)! And in my book, (not sure if that pun was intended) any great, straight forward pattern calls for some fun adaptations. In fact all patterns call for this to me. Having a pattern is great, but it is always just one way to do it. So today I thought I would share another, really simple way to do up these trousers. Making the shorter variety of the trousers is an obvious adaptation that really requires no explanation or change to the pattern other than amending the length. Great. Yay. Got it. But Roman's wiggleyness, and activity level these days really makes me on the constant lookout for one piece clothing, s...

But while she was here we crocheted. A lot. I think I've mentioned this. What I haven't mentioned is that the happiness that it gives me is something hard to describe. Its simple and its complex maybe, too. Its this: it is a feeling of laziness, happiness, fulfillment and duty all in one. It gives my lungs goose bumps and I feel like nothing will ever sadden me ever again, because we've sat busy, together, working away and enjoying. (Please make fun of me now, roll your eyes, or click to a worthy blog or get back to work or something. I understand.) On the same shopping trip where I bought knee socks and pajama pants she made the more ambitious purchases of mint green nail polish and poppy red lipstick, which indicated that she was the more likely of the two us to get off the couch at some point and do something with people who do things. This scarf that she made is just the continuous pattern of whats referred to in my go-to-crochet-book as the strawberry stitc...

And they know everything because they live on Eleni's thumbs. About my birthday party: This Saturday July 31st, from 2:30-4:30, Textile Fabrics is hosting a book signing for my new book, Handmade Beginnings . When working with them to schedule the event, I scanned July, day after day, weekend after weekend, and realized that of course , there was nothing scheduled on the 31st. Why would there be? It's only my BIRTHDAY. (internal sigh.) But HEY. That's perfect. What better way to feel like a birthday girl than spend the day telling lots of people its my birthday. Now I know that you might already have your own plans of how you spend Anna Maria Horner Day, but if you could spare a few minutes, do come say hello. Let me sign your book. Let me give you cake. Let me kiss your babies. Let me sign your babies. Let me let you sing Happy Birthday to me. I am not excited. This is just part of my job. I do not like cake, but don't want my friends at Textile to fe...

But I am the only one who can understand his limited vocabulary so I'll say them for him. Roman and I have a date we'd like to announce! We'll be signing books in the Twin Cities next Saturday and if you're anywhere within a 500 mile radius you are expected to be in attendance, no exceptions! Here's the details: Handmade Beginnings Book Signing at Treadle Yard Goods Saturday, May 22nd from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm 1338 Grand Ave St Paul, MN 55101 , (651) 698-9690 And since Roman will be my date for the evening, (along with his dashing father) he might even let you tickle his little chubby toes. Roman that is. Which is very generous when you consider that he's also allowed me to publish his crib quilt pattern. He has his own copy of the book that I let him rough around a little bit, but I try to intercept before a page gets torn. Its quite sweet to watch him stop on pages of items and people that he recognizes. My little bundle of book inspiration. Sigh. Now I ...

So somehow I failed to mention that yesterday was the official publication date of my book. We had been, as you know, slightly occupied over the weekend, it goes without say. When Roman and I posed for this author photo last summer at Nashville's famed Dragon Park as it turns out we were battling the weather then a bit too, which fluctuated between a sprinkling and a steady rain. Occasionally we had to duck under an umbrella and deal with raindrops appearing in some of the shots. And Roman kept a very quizzical look on his face as he experienced one of his first encounters with raindrops on his head. (Yes I tried the hood. It had results similar to this only more 3-month-old-like.) I have had the best time reading through all your entry comments for a chance to win the book! You guys seriously crack me up. Before I tell you the winners, let me first say there are tons more chances to win a copy of Handmade Beginnings as it blog-tours for the rest of the month making st...

I can't even begin to imagine just exactly how many photos we took for the book. Angela was and is such an amazing photographer to work with. I was always verbalizing the h--- out of every shoot we did, what I was hoping for, how I thought we should do it, the cropping I was envisioning, and she was always just like: okay . And I was always like: is she listening? The fact is, she completely did not need direction, instinctually did everything right, and I hugged her every time I felt like it which was often. Poor girl. Point being, there are so many funny, sweet, beautiful, perfect photos that never got a chance to be in the book. There always are. Either the cropping won't work out for the page size or the project isn't shown from a view that conveys the construction well enough or there just isn't enough room in the book or the baby is just too stinking cute and it would make everyone pass out. Or it could be the photo of me above that really just shouldn...

I finally get to say my new book is here!!! I am so, so happy with this sentence, you have no idea. The above photo was taken just about 2 weeks after Roman was born. I was unbelievably tired that day, barely able to keep up with the photo shoot that went on for a few hours all around our yard with all the kids going in all directions, and the new one, both of us actually still so fragile. Days later I found the smallest of moments to sit and gaze upon the photos we got. And this one. I cried. I couldn't take it. All those little souls still entranced in the newness of their little brother. Either that or I was threatening them from behind the lens....erhh both. Anyway, its nice to sit back and enjoy the book now too. To celebrate today, I wanted to not write another book about my book but to share the introduction with you. Then, of course I'll be sharing a lot more soon. The book is now shipping from my studio , amazon , and all other points around the globe! F...

For the third time I asked " Are you sure I can't get you anything?... I'm Greek, I have to keep asking.". Natalie smiled and said "I'm Southern, and I do the same!" The way that she called herself Southern made me think of the South as a nation more than a region. She had accepted the invitation to come to my home as easily as I had offered. Florence, Alabama is less that 2 hours away from Nashville and she was clearly looking as forward to the journey as she was the visit. I daresay without insulting myself that she may have been looking even more forward to the drive than she was the visit. Which speaks volumes about this beautiful designer. The journey is everything. The process as important as where you arrive to in the end. And the end? One of the most enchanting places I've been. The end product that I refer to is the amazing collection of clothing, homegoods , accessories of which Natalie is chief designer. Its not everyone wh...

:: my sweet boy is slumbering under the "sixth time's the charm" quilt that I made for him (and the book ) a few months before we ever saw his sweet new face. I am glad. And you might have guessed this already, but I'm going to tell you why I'm glad. I have found myself somewhere between writing a book and not writing a book. And even though the writingabook part finished up a while ago I am just now settling in to the relief of notwritingabook. I take a lot of joy in designing and putting together ideas in a book format, but I am feeling very glad right now that I am at a place where I can just await the fruits of my labor and enjoy the items that I made during the whole process of it. When I was very pregnant, I spent hours piecing this quilt and hours writing the instructions and then we photographed a 3-week-old Roman on the quilt between the very frequent newborn nursings. And that was way back when nursing still hurt so badly that my eyes would well up ...