About the Artist
Sew Pretty Arts was born from a love of creating unique art with fabrics.
Barbara "Barbie" McDonald
Many years ago, my mother introduced me to a sewing machine. When I was around 7, my mother started showing me how to sew. It was love at first stitch.
When I got married my wedding present from my mom was a sewing machine. I think she was afraid I'd run off with hers. Hahaha!
Once we started our family, I moved on to making more practical items like cloth diapers and placemats and costumes for the kids. I enjoyed making items for my family to use to cut back on our household waste (and as a family of 8, that can be a lot of waste).
Just as we were about to reach a time when all of the children would be in school, and I could follow my dream of creating more than produce bags and unpaper towels, COVID came along. I started making masks for our family and friends. Then, I decided that COVID wasn't challenging enough so I set out on the Birthday Quilt Challenge.
I was going to make a birthday quilt for everyone in my family. One year and eleven quilts later, I succeeded. All of my children (6), my husband, both my father's in law, my brother in law, and I got a quilt. All made on the same little, inexpensive, home sewing machine my mother had given me 23 years earlier.
I fell in love with the look of bargello quilts (having made 3 for the Birthday Quilt Challenge). I wanted the movement of a bargello but without the pixelation. I stumbled across a block of the month club that focused on unique and different techniques and styles of quilt piecing. One, in particular, drew my attention and was my inspiration to become more artistic in my quilting. It reignited the creativity and passion for art mixed with my favorite medium, fabric, that had been dormant as I’d been changing diapers, cleaning messes, and cooking dinners.
Sew Pretty Arts was born in early 2020 and grew from simple items in the home to featuring this new style of piecing by late 2021.
Now I am settled in my forever home. I focus on my love of creating one of a kind art quilts using this unique style of piecing and sharing my knowledge and skills with others who want to learn.
Take a look around and welcome to my little creative corner of the world!
Custom orders and commissioned pieces are welcome on a limited basis, and I will do my best to make exactly what you desire.