Product Description

A complete lifestyle book, encompassing fashion, interiors, and gardens

Attention, design and style mavens! There’s a lot more to America than just the east and west coasts. Today, innovative American design—in clothing, home decor, even gardening—is emerging from the Midwest. So lay your bicoastal biases aside, and let Amy Butler show you what’s happening in the heartland.

Helping her fans jumpstart their own creative spark is Butler’s fashion credo, and her approach has won her a huge following. Her “Mid Mod” philosophy—neither homespun nor haute couture—is as up to the minute as it is firmly rooted in Midwest tradition. Emphasizing simplicity and integrity of craft, Butler is passionate about recycling materials, reinventing vintage looks, and taking joy in the homemade. Her approach—drawing its inspiration from the natural world and the lives of real people—is organic in every sense of the word.

Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern brings the many aspects of its author’s vision into focus, from re-imagining the home as a retreat for relaxation and dreaming, to picturing the body as a canvas for creating one’s personal style, to looking to nature as a “sketchbook” for design ideas. Vibrantly illustrated, the book underscores design’s practical side, with information on budgeting money and time, a shopping resources list, and “how-to” projects in every chapter.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57870 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

About the Author
AMY BUTLER designs fabrics, home accessories, fashion projects, sewing patterns, and stationery goods, which she distributes globally from her studio in Granville, Ohio. She also designs fabrics for licensed manufacturers in the U.S., U.K., and Japan. Butler is the author of two previous books and has contributed lifestyle and decor stories to Country Living magazine since 1998.

Designer, writer, and photographer DAVID BUTLER (yes, Amy’s husband) works alongside Amy in their Art of the Midwest studio. In addition to shooting Amy’s web and promotional materials, he has shot for editorial and fashion retail clients including Country Living magazine and Timberland boots.

Customer Reviews

Disappointed
If you're expecting projects that you can create from instructions in this book, you'll be disappointed. The few projects that are included are as interesting as it would be to sew two bandanas together to create a pillow cover.

Ripoff
----Vibrantly illustrated, the book underscores design's practical side, with information on budgeting money and time, a shopping resources list, and "how-to" projects in every chapter.-----
Yeah, right.There are two minor projects - an envelope cushion cover and something equally forgettable. That's it. I am really feeling ripped of. Yes, it is a pretty book. Otherwise it would have had one star! But a lot of it is merchandising for her patterns and fabrics. PAges upon pages of pictures of her bags, clothes made from her fabrics, soft furnishings made from her fabrics.....
So, if you are a big Amy Butler groupie, this is your bible. If not, ignore the editorial on top - it's totally cockeyed.

MidWest Wow
Unlike some of the other reviewers, I understood the book's intent by the description. It's a LIFESTYLE book - there are not many patterns to copy (buy Amy Butlers IN STITCHES, if that's what you are looking for) - but there is plenty of eye candy. I expected more personal fashion (less home decor) based on the cover - as one of her patterns take center stage - but there is much more home decor/style than you could hope for. The studio & decor pictures are great. Lots of great ideas - completely adaptable without using her fabrics - - - Note, you will be hit over the head with Amy's fabrics - so yes, it is a bit of self-promotion going on, but that's just what I would expect. Great book! Lots of ideas!