Burda Style For people who sew

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
My name is Anicia (like Alisha but with an ‘n’) Barefoot and in the little town of San Luis Obispo, California.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
The first thing that I can remember making was a simple pillow. My mother showed me how to work her very old machine and I would make these strange little pillows. I think the satisfaction that I got from making something that I could use influenced me a lot and thus I really came to enjoy sewing.

Once I got married I wanted to make blankets and other useful things so perhaps that is really when it became a solid hobby of mine. Making purses came about when I wasn’t satisfied with what I was seeing in the stores around here…so I decided to make some of my own for friends and family and eventually put some in my Etsy shop.

3. What role does sewing play in your life?
The role that sewing itself plays in my life is usually one of release. I feel like I have to sew things, cut things, glue things, paint things—create! If I didn’t have sewing and crafting I would be a lost soul for sure, unable to figure out how to express myself. It sounds a bit on the dramatic side, but creating things helps keep me grounded as a person.

4. What is your favorite and what is your least favorite thing about sewing?
One of my favorite things about sewing is using amazingly beautiful fabric. Fabric is such an over-the-top obsession of mine; its awesome and strange at the exact same time. My least favorite about sewing is that I can’t take my machine very many places. In a perfect world I would be able to wake up and use my machine from in bed!

5. If you could make something for anyone who would it be and what would you make?
If I could make something for anyone, who would it be? And what would I make? Well, there are a lot of options here! Well, off the top of my head I think I’d like to make a nice pair of jeans for my husband Drew. He is very particular about his jeans (we both are, actually) and I find myself hemming them or “taking them in” often! So, some nice dark denim jeans for Drew, haha! (Drew, by the way, makes amazing wedding videos with his friend Ben that you ladies would probably love—check out their blog)

6. What are you looking for on our site? What do you think should be improved and what do you really like?
BurdaStyle is such a great site and so inspiring on many levels. I think it would be great if the site was able to expand more, maybe with interlinking between the site and different social networking sites such as facebook. The more people know about the site, the more great sewing you’ll be able to see that users upload.

7. What is your motto?
My motto when it comes to creating and sewing in general is: don’t knock it til you try it.
I have to try things out, even if they look really difficult, to at least know I gave it shot. Sometimes it doesn’t pan out, and other times it turns out better than I thought, but I always have to at least try.

For more on Abarefoot check out her blog and stop by her Etsy store. Wonder what inspires her? Take a gander at her top ten favorite creations on BurdaStyle.