Meet a Maker: Judie Barnhill

Name: Judie Barnhill

Year joined: 2023, I think?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069594893609

Instagram: @fanaticfabz

What do you make?

I am a life long crafter and have tried many different things from embroidery, knitting, crocheting, and and custom gifts with my silhouette to sewing and making wood trunks.  These days I am focused on sewing specifically bag making.  I make everything from wallets and pouches to backpacks and sling bags and complex travel bags.

Is making a hobby, a business, or a little of both?

Making is definitely a bit of both….to do sell my makes during the Western Ave open studios and plan to start a website as soon as I get everything photographed.

What inspired you to get into making?

My mom, dad and older sister Bonnie were my greatest inspiration in my early in my life.  My dad taught me to use tools and I eventually helped him build a new room in our basement.  My mom was the knitting and crocheting expert and taught my entire brownie troop to enjoy yarn crafts.  My sister was a true artist and loved all kinds of crafts and she taught me to love it as well….along with sewing.  These days my daughter who is also an artist is a big inspiration for me.  She works in the fashion industry and provides fantastic feedback when I am looking at new designs and particularly when I am working on my fandom makes.  She has great ideas about what people will like.

What brought you to Lowell Makes?

My husband was a member and I met Christy who was the Shop Captain for FAMM at the time.  She showed me the Melco embroidery machine and my recruitment was complete.

What’s your favorite thing about being a member?

I love talking to other makers and seeing what they are working on….it provides lots of inspiration for future projects.  We have so many incredibly talented makers and seeing the things they create are always amazing to me.

Has being a Lowell Makes member changed your process? If so, how?

Not necessarily changed it but added possibilities to my bag designs.  I have used the embroidery machine to make amazing panels that I have then made into bags.

What are you working on right now?

I am working on a series of smaller makes for Christmas season fairs. I will also be working on a couple of more complex and Fandom bags. I also have a couple of bags in my head that I really want to make so I need to create the patterns for them. The process of creating and testing a pattern can take months.

What do you hope to make, learn, or accomplish next?

I am excited to take the glass fusion class in November.  I have wanted to take jewelry classes since the shop was announced.  I hope to make custom zipper pulls and bag “jewelry”