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CraftSanity Episode 85: Med Student and Crafter, Cara Angelotta Shares the Story of ‘Sew Bettie’
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She’s a crafty med student at Northwestern University who loves to sew. He’s a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, oil painter and designer. And Miss Bettie Lou Sweet Waters is their sleepy dog. Together they are the force behind Sew Bettie, the growing craft business they launched in the summer of 2007 in Chicago.
Inspired by Bettie, Cara Angelotta and Mark Cesarik have teamed up to bring the world a new line of limited edition fabric designs, sewing patterns and craft project tutorials.
Tune in this week for a chat with Cara and find out how she juggles med school with her after-hours life as a craft business c0-owner. She also shares some business tips and gives us the scoop on all that great limited-edition fabric Mark is designing for their shop. (They print their fabric through Spoonflower.) Each design is limited to 100 yards and each order comes with an official certificate of authenticity with the edition number of the fabric.
Enter to Win a Limited Fat Quarter from Sew Bettie Fabric. Cara and Mark would like to start printing upholstery fabric. Think big, funky couches and suggest an image you’d to see them print on fabric to cover a cozy piece of furniture. Post your selection below. The randomly selected winner will get to pick a Sew Bettie print of his or her choice. The deadline to enter is Saturday, Sept. 27. Good luck!
This week’s Sponsors:
A special thanks to jewelry artist Catherine Hodge for sponsoring this episode of CraftSanity. Shop her original line of jewelry and check out her blog.
This episode is also sponsored by Posted Stitches, my monthly art challenge Web site.
Want to promote your craft business? Visit the sponsors section if you’re interested in sponsoring an upcoming CraftSanity episode.
Support the show! Buy a CraftSanity T-shirt or button. Or leave a comment about the show on iTunes.
Taking Names: Who do you want to hear from next? Send your comments, guest and show topic suggestions to jennifer@craftsanity.com
Posted: September 14th, 2008 under craft business, Podcasts.
Comments: 33
Comments
Comment from stacysews
Time: September 14, 2008, 8:41 pm
I’d love to see something Warhol-esque… Like Campbell’s soup cans on a wingback chair!
Comment from Mary Jenkins
Time: September 14, 2008, 10:13 pm
That is a great idea, Stacy! You know what image is getting to be hot lately, airplanes. You could do artsy old planes in black white and grey to look like old news paper print or even the funky yellow planes in front of blue sky. Love it!
Comment from Deb
Time: September 15, 2008, 5:11 am
Well, loving all things fiber, how about sheep and spinning wheels?
Comment from Emily
Time: September 15, 2008, 6:50 am
I love rik-rak, and would love to see some giant rik-rak prints. I can just see vertical striped giant rr on a big sofa or chair, or an ottman too. Cara and Mark do really fun work!
Comment from Carol
Time: September 15, 2008, 7:31 am
How about DRAGONFLIES-All colors, with some florescent fire flies here and there!
Comment from Renee
Time: September 15, 2008, 3:23 pm
Oh I love the rik-rak print idea, that would be awesome to see! Wish I would’ve come up with that one. I do love all things fluer-de-li. I know it’s not an original idea but I think it would be pretty in an over-stuffed chair and ottoman.
Comment from Noa
Time: September 15, 2008, 4:39 pm
Dinosaurs! Or crowns maybe? See, I have a 1 and a 3 years old at home, so I’m well into princess, dinosaurs, fire trucks, etc. But I would definitely prefer them ON the couch, not on the living room floor…
Comment from Patricia
Time: September 16, 2008, 11:41 am
Since I have a farm, I think it would have to be sheep! I have llamas, chickens, goats, sheep, dogs, ducks, sheep, and a donkey, but the sheep would have to be my first pick. They occasionally wander in through the dog door, so on the couch wouldn’t be too much of a stretch!
Comment from Tian
Time: September 16, 2008, 1:21 pm
I would love to see something Eric Carle inspired OR pictured of cats sleeping on the couch (should look kinda realistic)printed on the couch cover. I think the would freak out my cats and guests alike.
Another great show!
Comment from Megan
Time: September 16, 2008, 3:42 pm
I’m so bad at things like this because I’m probably going to suggest something that was hot 3 years ago but is totally out of style now. Anyhow, here goes:
Peacocks–bright, vibrant, rich peacocks. I love peacocks. There. I said it.
Thanks for the effort you put into the shows, Jennifer.
Comment from Chris
Time: September 17, 2008, 4:51 pm
Well, having just made some Day of the Dead charms, I think dancing skeletons would be lots of fun on a couch. But, that might be too… casual? Too… bony? Maybe something Day of the Dead but with less calcium… like big fluffy colorful glittery flowers. Already done? I think not! Not the Sew Bettie way!
Comment from Robin
Time: September 18, 2008, 12:28 am
I’d like to see an envelope print – different sizes of envelopes open or shut – and in neutral colors… kinda trompe l’oeil but subtle. Besides the couch, this fabric would be great for making “fake” envelopes.
Comment from Kelli
Time: September 18, 2008, 10:43 am
I think vintage games would be a fantastic place to start for some upholstery fabric. I love the colors and graphics.
Comment from Shannon
Time: September 18, 2008, 11:18 am
Apple upholstery! Vintage apples.
Comment from Kari Hudson
Time: September 18, 2008, 10:26 pm
balls of yarn or drumsets? yeah? Love the fabric! Great job to Abby.
Comment from Elise
Time: September 19, 2008, 8:54 am
I like the idea of Dragonflies or Bumble Bees.
Comment from Pretty Jane
Time: September 19, 2008, 5:25 pm
How about large, graphic OLIVES? With or without swizzle sticks. Not too martini, just sorta representative…
I like the envelope idea above, too!
Comment from Cassie
Time: September 19, 2008, 5:33 pm
I like the drums idea. My husband would totally go nuts over that! I personally like flowers, the 70′s kind you find on a VW bus. :)
Comment from Nadine
Time: September 20, 2008, 5:40 am
How ’bout squiggly squids? Or feathery feathers? Oh dear, now I want desperately to design fabric. I will have to be content to just sit back and see what Cara and Mark dream up next! :)
Comment from Lynn Mercurio
Time: September 20, 2008, 5:52 am
How fun. Loved the intereview and was really inspired to used my sewing machine other than stitching on cards. :)
Silhouettes are so big right now, I’d love so see some wild flower silhouettes on some wild colored background. What a great fabric that would be (in my mind’s eye anyway).
Thanks for all of your great podcasts Jennifer. I listen and love them all!
Comment from Thien-Kim
Time: September 20, 2008, 9:05 pm
I have no idea what might work for a couch, but I’ve always been a big fan of paisley! And I know with her style, it’ll be fun and hip–not stuffy! (pardon the pun)
Comment from Kathy
Time: September 21, 2008, 5:39 am
boats…old funky rowboats painted all different colors . I’d love to sit on a boat in my living room!
Comment from Sheila
Time: September 21, 2008, 9:15 am
I upholstered a rocking chair with an old Guatemalan rebozo, and from the comments I get, I can assure you that there is a market for ethnic-inspired fabrics. I think ethnic itself is good, but a young, contemporary take on an ethnic design would be fantastic!
Comment from Serenknitity
Time: September 22, 2008, 12:26 am
Lovely old teacups and saucers, with maybe a few old-style biscuits scattered about?
Loved this show, especially hearing about your dog stories. Those guys sound like characters!
Comment from Maureen
Time: September 22, 2008, 12:03 pm
I’d like to see a sleeping curled up cat …sort of like Ms Betty Lou SW…but in cat form. Tho teacups (thanks serenkitty!) would also be a fun one.
Comment from Angela Robinson
Time: September 22, 2008, 5:07 pm
The more I think of clever graphics for your fabric the more ideas keep popping up :-) My first thought was a kite with a long tail…then robots…then a road sign showing slippery conditions ahead (in New Zealand that is a car with squiggly lines for the road)…hats (cowboy, hardhat, top, baseball)… hope one of these inspires you! Angela
Comment from Tricia
Time: September 22, 2008, 7:14 pm
Hedgehogs!
Comment from maryalice
Time: September 23, 2008, 4:24 pm
I think I would love a couch that had Pez fabric.
Comment from sweetbabies00
Time: September 24, 2008, 8:48 am
I think deer and squirels and moose. I can see the big tail of the squirel and the big rack of the moose. Very graphic. Also maybe a fan. An old retro looking one. Metal, desk sized one. I love your ideas. Keep up the good work.
Comment from Laurie May Coyle
Time: September 24, 2008, 10:16 am
I love so many of these ideas — envelopes, kitties, sheep — but my vote today is Goats! Maybe just the faces with horns, or the whole thing. Pygmy goats are the cutest!
Comment from maria
Time: September 24, 2008, 9:49 pm
giraffe’s and trees.
Comment from Mandi
Time: October 19, 2008, 9:04 am
airplanes! I also wanted to say I enjoyed your co-host this week :)
Comment from Gail
Time: October 20, 2008, 5:02 pm
I guess I’m a little late to the party, but I’d love to see a shi tzu face print on upholstery fabric. They’re so adorable and dignified at the same time. I love the images of Bettie and the bull dog, and I think it would be a nice compliment to the line. Good luck! Jennifer – I recently started downloading your podcasts, and I love them all! Thanks for what you do!
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