Amy Barickman is an author, creative, maker, and vintage collector who’s recent publication, Love You to Pieces: A Gift of Friendship celebrates the threads that connect us, through vintage quilts, dollmaking traditions, and timeless stories of friendship.
We caught up with Amy recently to get the scoop on this newest venture.
What was the inspiration behind your new book, Love You to Pieces: A Gift of Friendship?
The idea really sparked during a conversation with the editor of my previous book, Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion and Fun. I had this desire to create something uplifting that showcased my vintage quilt collection. She shared a gift book pairing zoo animals with a cheerful narrative, and as I flipped through it, something clicked.
I began pulling out the handmade toy characters I’d been collecting for years and pairing them with quilts in my collection. Each match felt serendipitous—like they were meant to be together all along. That process of curating these pairings became the heart of the book. It felt like I had finally found the perfect way to share these treasures and the stories they hold.
So many of them carry special meaning, but one that always makes me smile is Ruff, the stuffed dog that belonged to my husband Bob. He was his childhood companion, and working on this book prompted Bob to share stories I had never heard before. You can see it in the way Ruff has worn over time—he’s well-loved in the truest sense.
The Double Wedding Ring quilt that is paired with a colorful teddy bear is a family heirloom. My great-great-grandmother made it, and my mom remembers it being faithfully displayed on a bed throughout her life.
You will find a photo of my mom in the closing pages with her mother holding the Raggedy Ann her grandmother made her. That doll is extra special since I also have photos of me holding the doll when I was a child (pictured below).
The response has been incredibly touching. One woman shared that she received Love You to Pieces for her 71st birthday and keeps it by her chair as a daily reminder of how loved she is. Another reader bought multiple copies to give as gifts at a Friendsgiving gathering to celebrate friendship.
At the recent QuiltCon show, I had so many people share a story of a Sock Monkey or Yo-Yo Clown that a family member made and how they still have and hold this fabric friend close to their heart. One woman told me a story of how she and her brother would swing their monkey around by the tail until the tail would fall off and their mom would sew it on again and again.
I’ve also heard from grandmothers about using the patterns in the book to teach their granddaughters to sew, which feels especially meaningful. Those kinds of stories remind me that this book is doing exactly what I hoped—bringing people together and sparking connection through handmade traditions.
Yes! This book has really opened the door to expanding the world of Love You to Pieces beyond its pages. I’m currently creating a collection of Love You to Pieces downloadable PDF patterns inspired by the book’s characters. The first release will be Bitsy the Yo-Yo Bunny, perfect for gift-giving. We are also planning to introduce Scrappy the Happy Clown, based off the original “Jingle Jack” that is featured with a crazy quilt in the book. We will be adding a smaller Christmas ornament version as a companion to the original clown pattern.
I’m also designing a set of notecards that carry the book’s spirit of friendship and storytelling—something you can tuck into a gift or share with someone special. My hope is to continue growing this collection over time, offering new ways for people to connect with the characters and bring a bit of that handmade charm into their everyday lives.
More than anything, I hope the book brings a sense of warmth and connection. I want readers to feel a spark of nostalgia—maybe think of someone they love or remember a special moment from their past.
We’re living in a time where kindness and connection feel especially important, and my hope is that this book offers a little bit of that comfort—something gentle, meaningful, and worth sharing.
In sharing stories of the joy found in creating with needle and thread, I hope I’m inspiring families to pass down techniques as well as textiles and the stories and legacies associated with them.
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Love You to Pieces: A Gift of Friendship is available now from Amy’s website: amybarickman.com
You can also watch the Textile Talk where Amy shared more insights into this project: Watch the Textile Talk.
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Emily Pillard joined the Quiltfolk team in 2021 and has worn many hats over the years. She is now the Marketing Coordinator for the magazine.
