Handmade by Julia

Julia Barto
Artist Statement

Me and My Business

I live in the Metro Washington DC suburb of Germantown, MD.  I worked for the Federal government for many years.  I was not doing what I love the most, and it felt empty.  As a consequence, I sped through my days on automatic pilot. 

So in 2007, I started my own crafting business - Handmade by Julia.  I design and make fabric handbags, clocks and accessories in my basement studio.  I sell my work at area craft shows.  I enjoy it and I am grateful for it.

What Inspires Me

My work is inspired by Washington DC.  I love the stately buildings and monuments contrasted by the beautiful flowers and water fountains.  The city also features a practical city layout; avenues intersected by circles, the Capitol and White House placed on prominent hilltops, and a traditional street grid.

It is a functional city made from beautiful elements.  In the same way, I love to make functional objects from beautiful fabrics.  My work is a reflection of what I perceive as beautiful, yet it still has a practical purpose.  Handbags, made with formal exterior fabrics, and soft floral cotton interior linings.  Clocks, fashioned from ornate upholstery fabric. 

I recently visited Versailles, and was overwhelmed by the ostentatious exterior and interior decor.  It made me proud of our humble yet stately White House.  This element of Washington DC definitely influences my own personal style and my work.  Practical function coupled with sumptuous style. 

My Sewing Technique

When I am developing a piece of work, I start with function... what do I need?  A tote for the Metro?  A clock to hang in my living room?  Then I sketch a picture.  I later decide upon the dimensions, and develop a pattern.  Picking out the fabric is one of my favorite parts of the process.

Interfacings are the bones of my work.  I use three types of interfacing, 1) a stiff interfacing fused to the outer fabric to give the    bag a crisp shape, 2) a fleece interfacing fused to the inner lining for cushioning, and 3) a very stiff "timtex" material sewed in the base of the bag for structure and stability. 

I am a self taught seamstress, and I work on a basic Bernina sewing machine.  Because of the thickness of the fabrics I use, I have really had to hone my sewing techniques.  The best needle for my purposes is the thickest “jeans needle,” and I probably break one about once a week.  I like for the bag fabric pattern to be symmetrical, so it requires that I cut from the center of the fabric.  I also like to keep seams to a minimum. 

I consider each item as a work of art - featuring classic fabrics and trims, careful stitching, and high quality construction.  When I complete a bag or a clock, I title it, take a photo of it, and place the picture on my business website. 

I love my work so much that it is difficult to part with it when it sells.  But I get a lot of satisfaction in the hopes that my work will make someone else happy, too.