owl work

June 1, 2012
by annwood

A new owl I’m working on:

handmade gray wool owl

Seaton

a sewing pattern for a dastardly owl

 

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:

storm

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.

fabric sail boat made from an old quilt

* 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

morining 5_23

( 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.
Filed under WIP

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.

ruined antique party dress

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.

ruined antique party dress

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.

antique teal jacket

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.

antique teal flannel garment - detail

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

feed sack lining

teal songbird

I started making a songbird with it this weekend.

woebegones

February 17, 2012
by annwood

woebegones

New Woebegones – from left to right: marcus, honey, dusty and thomas. I’ve just added them to the shop.

And new fabric – bits of a quilt that was never finished.

quilt pieces

I love the color combinations -I’m going to make some little ships with them.

bird madness

February 7, 2012
by annwood

Wholesale -that is what I am up to over here.   I shipped off the first order for 2012 yesterday – letty and lou – for BHLDN.  Here they are packaged to go. I like the idea of purchasing something from a giant retailer  and receiving something so personal and direct –  each unique and expressive, each made as if it is the only one I will ever make. Really. That’s the hard part. And the good part. I also like that BHLDN supports and celebrates that idea.

ann wood caketopper

This set will be available soon online at BHLDN  – I’m not sure if it will be in stores but I’ll find out. Over the next couple weeks I’m finishing orders for Catbird , Cog and Pearl,  and another order for BHLDN – all  beautiful collections I’m flattered to be part of.  This is not a pace I can maintain for a great deal of time without losing my marbles though. I am still doing everything myself – every label, every package, every stitch, every word, every photo, all the book keeping, and communication etc. etc. The details are endless.  My first priority after these orders ship is to get a little help with the stuff I can, should  and must have help with.

pink fascinators

letty and lou

letty and lou

work in progress and caption contest results

December 16, 2011
by annwood

I’m working on a little group of things – bats and perching owls mostly. I’ll put some of these things in the shop next week – most likely in time for delivery  (in the US)  before Christmas.

bats and owls

pearl gray bat

And The winners  of the first ever ann wood handmade caption contest !

The voter chosen at random ( # generated by random.org) is:

comment # 15 – Geiger. Who is apparently a black cat with a recently replaced hip.
And for a variety of reasons I have decided to award birds to the top 2 vote getters and those winners ( it was very close) are:
7. Lauren
“Now witness, dear friends, as David Blainebird prepares to package himself alive for 6-10 business days! Don’t try this at home!”
and

8. Cari
Darlene had told only her best friend, Eliza, but by the time her mail-order groom was set to arrive, the whole town had heard about it.
Thank you and Happy Holidays to all participants ! (winners – I’ll be in touch for address etc.)

P. S. – Another first ever for me – I’m going to teach a workshop!! (boat making). I’m something beyond excited about this and plan to go on and on about it next week but you can find more info right now here if you like.

Filed under WIP

caption contest – vote for a winner

December 13, 2011
by annwood

Update:  comments are closed, votes are being counted , winners announced later today.

****************************************************************************

Thanks  to all of you – a panel of expert judges has, with difficulty, narrowed the field to twelve and a winner will be chosen by your vote. Also,  as a thanks for your time, imagination  and enthusiasm 2 prizes will be awarded – one bundled up bird for the caption contest  winner and another bird will be awarded to a name chosen at random from the voters. Please vote by number (and only once) in the comments section of this post  and I’ll announce both winners by the end of the day Friday.

caption contest

1. patty

“Now watch me friends, as I restores this lad to ‘is full strength with Dr. Bulfinch’s Magic Potion!”

2. gayle ortiz
They all agreed that, although it wasn’t the Ark, it had potential!

3. Lindsey
I heard that she will awake at love’s first kiss.

4. Jennifer Cheek-Payan

“Honest guys, he just fell”

5. Linda Richter
Okay, everyone! Take a minute and say your goodbyes. I’ll be sending you back to clean up your workspace and then get in your box. We will miss you around here! Make it work!

6. Kristin
“Attention flyers, we would like to remind everyone that there is absolutely no perching in the loading and unloading zones.”

7. Lauren
“Now witness, dear friends, as David Blainebird prepares to package himself alive for 6-10 business days! Don’t try this at home!”

8. Cari
Darlene had told only her best friend, Eliza, but by the time her mail-order groom was set to arrive, the whole town had heard about it.

9. Brian GadgetSponge
If only Henry had seen that it was a glass window…

10. Shelby Medina
Listen up birds! Look what they’ve done to Simon! We gotta blow this coop!

11. Polly Anna
Maybe we should rethink this destination wedding thing.

12. Janet Wilson
“Coming soon to a theater near you: Two Weddings, a Flashmob and a Funeral.”