blog – Page 63 – ann wood handmade

collection : linings

August 7, 2012

by annwood

Almost a year ago I got together a box of linings with plans to make things but not much happened after that. I’ve lately pulled that box out and I’ll be posting progress and previews of finished pieces here throughout August. They will be available in September. I love linings and they often end up being my favorite part of a garment.

I’m working on the usual suspects : owls, spiders and songbirds but this collection will have a couple surprises too. I’ve made the most progress on a songbird made from the printed lining of an edwardian bodice.

I spent the weekend with it – stitching, restitching, experimenting and not worrying about progress or efficiency. I’m allowed to do that on the weekends. Pretty vacationey.

This bird, the layering of this print, reminds me of tramp art a little bit and I think I’ll experiment more with that idea.

collection : fortuny

July 24, 2012

by annwood

fortuny owl

A long time ago, way back in 2010 I visited the Fortuny showroom here in NYC to talk about making some creatures with their exquisite fabrics. There have been fits and starts and interruptions in the process but lately solid progress has been made towards creating a full collection of creatures that will be available beginning this fall.

Working with patterns, large scale patterns, has challenged how I think about my owls in particular and some interesting things are happening.

More progress photos soon as well as information on where and when things will be available.

owl beginnings

July 17, 2012

by annwood

I’ve started several new owls including the two robust grey fellows below. The owl on the left is made from a silvery Fortuny pattern and the other from marvelous Japanese textiles courtesy of Sri.

I have also gathered a little pile of things for another fabric ship and owl captain – a moodier pallet than the last – I love the purplish tones – those are for the ship and the indigos are for the little captain. These are all Japanese and again courtesy of Sri. These are the colors I’ve been most attracted to for weeks now – silver, stone shades, and bits of violets and blues

I finished the quilt ship but I haven’t taken it’s official photo yet, this is an instagram shot of the very nearly finished ship and captain.

cake toppers : recent departures

July 15, 2012

by annwood

I finished several special orders for cake topper birds in the past couple weeks and I’m working on more this week as well as something brand new in the cake topper department that I’ll share soon I hope – I’m still missing an essential detail. Here are a couple photos of last week’s finished sets:

airforce!

Some fancy fascinators and boutonnieres :

And a family! Everybody is going to be on the cake – pretty sweet.

quilt ship in progress

July 10, 2012

by annwood

I found this great old quilt top upstate a while ago.

Unfortunately a lot of it is too damaged to sew but I love the colors and prints and there is enough for a couple boats and ships.

The pattern for this ship evolved out of my fabric sailboat pattern as I was revising it a little before teaching the boat making class at Squam. It’s just about complete now and I’ll photograph it later this week. There is a little gentleman sailor captain.

I ‘m pleased with the shape and I’ve already begun another ship in a kind of grayish hibiscus color that’s been on my mind lately.

getting organized

July 9, 2012

by annwood

I am. And getting rid of things. And rearranging. This is my newly appointed button drawer:

It was formerly my “drop in anything I don’t know what to do with and then never open again” drawer. I dumped it out and found a tiny hand-full of things I might actually need someday. It’s perfect for buttons and much better than searching in a bunch of jars and boxes and bags. Now that my buttons are all organized and in one place I’ll probably be a millionaire by the end of the week.

I’ve also been working on some special caketopper bird orders. This is the world’s tiniest garrison cap (airforce).

And the world’s tiniest boutonniere.

And a very fancy fascinator for his girl.

squam art workshop

July 8, 2012

by annwood

I taught a boat making class at The Squam Art Retreat in the beginning of June. It was my first time at Squam and my first time teaching anything ever. Teaching was a leap of faith sort of thing and I think it went well – I didn’t spontaneously combust or anything and everybody made truly great boats. I liked teaching more than I expected to, so much so I hope to do it again soon – maybe here in NYC . The class was held in the nature center – Sugar House – it’s a camp so all the buildings have names.

I had wonderful students – skilled, generous and lots of fun.

I have written a few tutorials but participating in other people’s very individual processes, feeling their enthusiasm and having a peek into their imaginations was an interesting shift in perspective. I left with some new energy for my own work and pretty fired up about teaching again .

And I made new friends including some from right here in Brooklyn : lovely and talented Jessica Marquez – she has a book coming out in October ( congratulations!) and Rebecca Ringquist , I have been a fan of her work for a very long time – she gave me two of her beautiful hand screened embroidery samplers.

I wish I had taken more pictures. I saw the biggest weirdest bug I’ve ever seen in my life marching up a dock and did not take a photo. The lake and the forest and the turn of the century cabins are astoundingly beautiful and so up my alley – not one picture. I was too busy having a fabulous time. Other people took lots of great photos though- there is a flickr group here.

(photo by Christine Chitnis)

new owls and spiders

June 4, 2012

by annwood

I’ve just added some new owls and spiders to the shop:

seaton

queen elizabeth II spider

green perching owl

(there are some others too)

owl work

June 1, 2012

by annwood

A new owl I’m working on:

Seaton

get the owl sewing pattern

I named him for a nice man who sold me tires a couple weeks ago. I’ve been working on him forever and he’ll finally be finished tomorrow.

There were ferocious thunderstorms on Tuesday – this is a photo of a thunderstorm gathering over a little pond upstate. I wish I had my big camera with me – It was spectacular:

I’m also working on new little boats made from quilt scraps and getting ready for my boat making class at squam next week. You can find the pattern to make your own stitched sailboat here.

* thanks for the helpful comments regarding the grey hair situation. I’m interested in hearing about other peoples experience with this. Mine is in a particularly bizarre two tone moment but I’m sticking with it.

good morning

May 23, 2012

by annwood

( I worked late last night and left a big mess)

I’ve got stuff to tell you about and no time to tell it. I’ll be back later with some important topics:

collections- new things I’m working on ( including some pieces for Fortuny)
my hair – I’ve decided to let it be grey ( it always has been – but I stopped dyeing it in december). I’ve got mixed feelings…..
Squam ! Just 2 weeks away!
My terrarium.
And hula hoops.

what’s left

April 10, 2012

by annwood

This was a great dress, it was ruined in such magnificent ways. I’ve been making things with it for almost two years and it still has more to give – transparent silk chiffon, a little more lace and bits of shattered silk – not sew-able but perfect for tiny corsages.

I wish I had spent more time photographing it when it arrived so I’m giving it a last hurrah now – it’s last breath in it’s original form.

new garment

April 1, 2012

by annwood

I’m not sure exactly what this is. It is old -my guess would be depression era – and it’s home made. The back is shorter than the front and that seems intentional, as opposed to a missing piece – I wonder why.

The fabric is spectacular – wonderful teal flannel with a very fine stripe to it and the color variations where it is faded and worn very thin are shades of soft grayish teal. The little collar is cotton sateen – a fancy little detail on what seems like a plain everyday type garment.

And it had a surprise -when I disassembled it I found the lining was made from a perfectly a preserved printed feed sack .

I started making a songbird with it this weekend.