Category: on my work table

first ever zoom workshop, fabric boats and the last 3 stitch book pages

April 14, 2023

by annwood

There’s a lot of news! The first ever zoom workshop, fabric boat progress, the next art work update, a new notecard, plus we are down to the last 3 stitch book pages and, by popular demand , the cardboard house measurements.

zoom workshop

Let’s start with the zoom. We’ll be making seedpods! The workshop is hosted online by my friends at French General. You can find all the details and sign up here.

The seedpod is one of my favorite classes to teach and I’ve done it in person many times here and in France. This will be my first zoom! With hopefully lots more to follow. You’ll learn a bunch about soft sculpture and the result is pretty spectacular.

click here for info and registration

Checkout some workshop seedpods below:

the cardboard house

The cardboard house was made without any real planning and not that much measuring… It’s wonky and a bit uneven. There will not be a tutorial or pattern for it but there is a post with building tips and because lots of people have asked I’ve added the approximate measurements below. I hope that helps and good luck with your cardboard house!

measurements are in inches:
across bottom – 11.5
ceiling/floor – 13.25
wall height – 9.5
roof – 13
and the depth is – 8.75

uppercase magazine

This week’s newsletter was sponsored by uppercase magazine. UPPERCASE is an always gorgeous quarterly print magazine for the creative and curious. The newest issue is all about surface pattern design, featuring the portfolios of 100 artists plus in-depth features with cover artist and fabric designer Anna Maria Horner as well as designers e bond, Kitty McCall, Mirth Studios and more. I’m a huge fan of Janine and uppercase was a contributor to the stitch illo volume.

* BECOME A NEWSLETTER SPONSOR

Do you have a product or service the more than 24000 readers of the ann wood handmade newsletter would be happy to hear about? One carefully curated sponsorship opportunity per newsletter is available. Email for more info.

the fabric sailboat sew-along

I haven’t made a fabric sailboat in quite a while and had to follow my own directions closely. I’m happy to report they are excellent. My parts are nearly assembled and the hull is taking shape. The hulls are made from fabric and batting over cereal box cardboard. I’m always amazed at what graceful shapes a simple cardboard armature can make.

While the mast is drying in place I’m working on sails and flags. Next week I’ll make a passenger. I’m leaning towards wobblers… The sweet boats below are made by readers – 1. Terry Wilson and 2. Lindsey Bass. So adorable! if you’re making a fabric sailboat please use #annwoodregatta to share.

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a couple more studio notes

The next art update is 4/20 at noon eastern time, you can sign up for an email notification here. Lot’s of small paintings and depending on the kiln situation there might be a couple new story bottles. And there’s a new notecard available now – peaceful moon.

the last three stitch book pages

Only three left?! It’s day 85 today, 4/14. Lot’s of people have already started assembling their books. I’m waiting until the very end to decide my page order. I know what pages I want to display together but have not decided on the overall lay out. In the last stitch book blog post on 4/29 I’ll do a demo of the alternative page joining method (raw page edges exposed) but if you’re anxious to get started the short explanation is follow these steps until step 11 . Instead of right sides together place the wrong sides together and then stitch around the edge.

What’s on your work table this spring? Are you a fan of zoom workshops? Are you assembling your stitch book? Let us know in the comments and happy garden season!

the 2022 ornament round-up : little projects for the holidays

December 9, 2022

by annwood

Little projects for your tree or an extra on a gift or place setting. Easy and fun to make and give. This year my tree is a carefully chosen branch. Everything on it is made from my sewing patterns, some from the shop and some from the free pattern library. We’ll talk about that in a minute.

First let’s check out 5 free projects from the interwebs.

1. These victorian cones are such a classic! You can fill them with treats or treasures. The free DIY is by www.halfyardsewingclub.com. The design and tutorial are excellent. They’re super easy and you could sew up a bunch in a day – find the instructions here.

2. Fabric origami poinsettia ornaments – they’ re quick and clever.

3. 3D ornaments made from hexies! Simple, brilliant and easy. My stick tree needs a couple of these. Find the DIY at wild Olive. They would also be great as a garland.

4. Felt ginger bread ornaments – find a little house here and a felt gingerbread man here.

5. A village wreath! The paper houses are super sweet. There are templates for cutting machines or PDF templates you can cut out by hand. I love the forest village idea. You could also just make make the paper houses for a village or as ornaments. Find it all at deliacreates.com

There are some great holiday ideas in the stitch club community too, these trees are by Mary C. The pattern is the free scrappy tree pattern and she added the bead detail on the hanging string – perfect!

There are a couple scrappy trees on my branch too. The branch happened by accident – I stumbled upon an irresistible stick that would make perfect, simple tree just right for the things I made. And a bunch of tinsel.

I’ve got one very helpful suggestion if you decide to do a branch tree. Get some glue dots. You can find them in craft stores. The branch is pretty smooth and the dots keep the ornaments from sliding down. Also tinsel placement was crucial. I’m from the one strand at a time school of thought and I wanted tinsel to hang from the very tips of the branches – impossible without a glue dot.

That decorated stick is bringing me a lot of holiday joy, more than expected. Let’s talk about the ornaments. The afore mentioned scrappy trees, the also free sheep ornaments and lucky fish, and the mushroom is the mini size from the mushroom sewing pattern.

The wax paper snowflakes are made from this DIY (so fun and easy to make), the little paper snowflakes were cut by a friend. The star on top is also made from the wax paper ornament tutorial using foil and vintage paper. Find the little felt boat pattern in the shop here.

Thar she blows. I was so happy to see this guy, he’s one of my favorite ornaments and he’s been missing for a while. Love his lacy spout. He is made from the little whale pattern. And finally the minimalist chicken, find the free pattern here.

Are you making ornaments? Do you have a favorite holiday project? Are you a one strand of tinsel at a time sort of person? Let us know in the comments!

happy and merry to you,

ann

make scrappy trees from recreational patchwork

November 11, 2022

by annwood

These little tree ornaments (or garland) are a quick and easy project perfect for scraps and a great excuse for indulging in some recreational patchwork: sewing lots of random fabric scraps together (on the sewing machine) without thinking about it too much, inviting happy accidents.

The trees have batting inside and are finished with quilting stitches. As many or as few as you like. I used muslin for the back, I like that they feel like tiny quilts.

To make the patchwork start with a big variety of light weight cotton and join pieces together. Press the seams open, trim the edge and sew more together etc. etc.

When a bunch are joined you can cut it into smaller sections and join those together. You get the idea. It could go on forever – joining, cutting and joining again. I love doing it and it also get’s me moving if I’m feeling stuck or keeps my hands busy while an idea is percolating.

how to make the trees

download the tree template

You will also need:

embroidery thread
a large sharp embroidery needle
cotton batting
optional – muslin for the back
chopstick for turning
basic sewing supplies

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1. place the tree template on your patchwork and cut out with about a 1/4 inch seam allowance

2. Place your tree back fabric (I’m using plain muslin) over thin cotton batting. If your back fabric has a wrong and right side you want the right side facing up.

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3. Place the cut tree over the back fabric with the right side facing down.

4. Pin the pattern back on and cut out.

Support free patterns like scrappy trees! And keep the awesome free projects flowing.

Click here to add your support.

back to the trees:

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5. Sew around the edge of the pattern leaving one side partially open. The opening should be about 1 and 1/2 inch.

6. Trim off the points close to the seams being careful not to clip the seam. Clip little triangles out in the corners of the trunk and clip away any excess seam allowance.

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7. Turn your tree right side out through the opening.

8. Use the larger end of the chopstick to push out the general shape and the sharper ends to push the points all the way out.

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9. Fold in the opening edges and press the tree. Don’t sew it shut yet – leaving it open is handy for hiding the ends of your threads if you’re quilting it. Add some quilting stitches. I made the executive decision not to care what the stitches on the back of the tree look like – wabi-sabi style. If you do care just turn the tree over with each stitch to make sure you’re bringing the needle out where you want it.

10. When you’re done quilting bring the thread out at the tip to create a hanging string and finally whip stitch the side closed.

These are super quick – I made a bunch in just a couple hours and they go fastest in batches. They’re sweet to hang on a tree or anywhere and a nice extra on a package.

I hope you make scrappy trees! You can use #annwoodpattern on instagram to share or join the community!

owl color inspiration, a couple sneak peaks and stitch club test drive

October 28, 2022

by annwood

Changes are afoot! The biggest is the brand new community. You can share what you’re working on, follow topics like the crow sew-along, the miss thistle society and finish line friday.

What is finish line friday? At the beginning of the week choose a project or task that’s been hanging around in almost done-ness or not technically, actually started-ness, finish by friday and share with the stitch club community! It could be something super small – it’s all about momentum. Last week my FLF task was to fix the giant mess in the sewing/shipping room and it was magically tidy again by Friday. I sure do love a deadline

This week my task was pulling fabrics for an autumnal owl. The next sew-along will be the dastardly owl and the start date will be announced soon. The pattern is available as a pdf or booklet and if you’re ordering the booklet you’ll want to do that pretty soon. The fabrics I’m using are a mix of cotton, linen and light weight wool with lots of variety in texture and color.

There will be a group in the new community devoted to the owl and that’s especially helpful if you’re feeling anxious about trying the pattern. The facebook group and stitch club members are superstars about helping and encouraging.

The stitch club is still in the experimental stage but already a promising creative and supportive group, a bunch of friends who sew. There are currently over 400 members and if you feel like giving it a test drive you can sign up here.

so long kits

Kits are going away. Once the current stock is gone kits will be retired. As a stubbornly one person business the labor and expense of creating and shipping them has not worked. I’d rather spend that time creating new patterns or art work. The prospect of working 16 hours a day at the ann wood handmade fulfillment center (the little sewing/shipping room at the top of the post) again this holiday season is deeply unappealing. So many paper cuts… I will still have booklets and soon some fabric packs. Find the kits in the shop while supplies last and then they are gone.

new art work

It’s interesting how much framing affects how I think about the little paintings. The frames place them in another world, another time. They feel outside of me, who’s dark and dusty library did the swan hang in many years ago? That’s the feeling I want for them, relics from another life and time.

and story bottles

The imagery springs from the daily paintings. One thing really does lead to another. The bottles are wheel thrown stoneware, painted in underglaze and high fired. The first collections of bottles and framed paintings will be in the shop in early November.

You can sign up for an email notification here.

Also in the shopping department if holiday cards are on your list now is the time to order.

Are you ready for the owl sew-along? Also I’m rolling a couple ideas around for the winter including an ornament swap and a correspondence workshop for the soldier rag doll – meaning the lessons are delivered via weekly email to a limited number of participants and we have a dedicated group in the new community for discussion, videos and sharing images – is that something you’d be into? Let us know in the comments.

crow sew-along week 4 : finishing the crow

October 21, 2022

by annwood

The final steps go fast. One minute there are a bunch of parts in front of you and the next thing you know there’s a big bird standing on your table. It’s been a while since I made a crow and I expected the assembly to take way longer than it did. The reality was just a couple hours and that included me awkwardly filming myself. Let’s jump ahead and take a look at the finished guy before we talk about putting it all together.

As soon as he was done I took him to the front yard for a photo. Just kidding! That’s the Henry Whitfield House in the background. It’s definitely haunted and the oldest house in Connecticut.

assembling the crow

don’t see the video? click here

Check out the video above for a pretty solid look at stitching the eye, a little bit of the wing stitching plus a finishing tip at the end, something I do to all my feathered textile creatures. And keep reading for more assembly tips.

He got on his feet easily and did require a bunch of counter weight for balance (about 80 cents). Before closing up his back I pinned on his wings and tail for a test drive. The tail was fine but the wings felt like they needed a tiny bit more texture so I added a feather.

The most difficult thing about assembling the crow is sewing everything on after the legs and beak are in. There are a couple things that help. Keep your thread pretty short, less to tangle, and hold your bird upside down, feet up, as much as possible, get gravity on your side.

I realized after his official photoshoot that I had forgotten the last step in the sewing pattern – shoving some stuffing up into his shoulders. I think maybe he doesn’t need it though, the extra ruffle detail on the top of his wings is enough.

Good luck assembling your crow! And congratulations where-ever you are in the process. This is the last of the 4 official crow sew-along posts but we will need a finale post for sure, a parade of crows. You can checkout crows in progress in the facebook group and on instagram- #annwoodcrowsewalong.

sew along links: week one week two week three

Are you ready to assemble your crow? Did you already cross the finish line? Just getting started? Let us know in the comments.

5 things bringing me joy and community questions

October 14, 2022

by annwood

small sewing

The fish are getting stuffed with wool and dried lemon verbena from the garden. It dried really well and just a little mixed with wool adds lots of scent. I’m all about a fresh lemony smell. Starting little gifty items early makes me feel like an over-achiever. For now. This feeling will fall apart by November first and I’ll be in a holiday induced panic for weeks.

fabric score

One of those “start the car!!” moments. Guilford has a couple great church thrift sales every year and I made a major fabric score. That’s yardage people! And the prints are perfect for the tiny doll. Little variety packs in autumnal shades will be in the shop next – week-ish.

sweata weatha

These guys are made from the free frog pattern (the sweater was a gift). I sure do love making something and then taking it outside for a photoshoot. You can checkout a video version here.

And you can show me you what your frogs are up to be using #annwoodpattern on instagram or emailing a photo to info at ann wood handmade dot com. There will be another exciting image sharing option coming soon – scroll to the bottom of this post for more.

spooky books

It’s an annual event for my friend Katy and me. This year the official picks are: Frankenstein – Mary Shelley, which I have somehow never read, and the 70’s title (I have a particular love of movies and books made in the 70’s) is Ghost Story by Peter Straub. I’m super into both. Ghost Story is not available new but I found it at the library and used on ebay. It’s also available in ibooks. I remember Ghost Story being on my Mom’s night stand a million years ago. Sometimes she would let me read her books with black crayon redactions but this one was entirely forbidden…

crow sew-along

The first ever sew-along (crow sewing pattern) has been a big surprise. There are way more participants than expected and awesome crows are emerging. The real magic (and biggest surprise) has been in the facebook group. There are more than 400 crow makers in the community and it is a supportive, fun, self-sufficient and friendly group. Experienced sewers are helping beginners and all kinds of ideas for fabulous crow details are turning up. Thanks very much to everybody for making it great. The wing photo above is by Heather on instagram.

stitch club

For people who aren’t on social media having a place to share your images has been a problem for ages. The success of our first sew-along has lit a new fire under me to fix that. The ann wood handmade community, stitch club, is currently, officially in the works. I‘d love to know what you would like from that community. Some ideas are sew-alongs, project challenges, maybe make the scrap festival a more interactive event? Your thoughts and suggestions are very welcome. The fine print – at the moment I’m planning on this being a free community at least to start. If it ends up working out I’ll have to figure out how to pay for it and it will likely move to freemium – meaning membership is free but there are also classes or group events available to purchase. If it does’t work out the way I’m hoping I’ll delete the whole thing and we’ll never speak of it again (just kidding- I’ll keep looking for a solution that works for us).

the first ever sew-along : make a crow (or raven)

September 16, 2022

by annwood

handmade textile crow on a table with stones, cermaic vessels, plants and crystals- there is an antiquey feel

One of the great things about a sew-along is it gives you a container, some structure, for a project you might have on your someday list. It breaks it down into manageable pieces and those milestones create momentum. Plus the fun of working on something with lots of other people, the extra motivation and inspiration that comes with that. And you get insight and tips that go beyond the pattern. We can take deeper dives into stuff like fabric choice, sewing tips and details.

October is a perfect month to make a crow (or raven) and the first ever! ann wood handmade sew-along begins on Friday September 30th 2022. That gives you (and me) two whole weeks to get your stuff together.

A great way to start is the box method. An actual container. Everything I make starts in a box and lives there until it’s done. The boxes are for organization and they are also a thinking tool. Most importantly a way to start, it is very easy to put things in a box.

In the sew-along posts I won’t be recreating every step of the pattern but I will be demonstrating some steps with further detail and tips. Also if you are participating and tagging on instagram, your progress photo might get featured.

Please use #annwoodcrowsewalong and #annwoodpattern . And – also optional -there’s a facebook group you can join here.

what you’ll need to participate:

The crow pdf sewing pattern (sorry booklets are not currently available)

Some time – the sew-along will take place over 4 weeks. I’ll give you a schedule on the kick off day (9/30) of what needs to be accomplished each week. Plan on having 2 – 4 -ish hours per week to work on your crow steps.

The pattern contains a material list but a couple notes:

Fabric – For the body a medium weight cotton is ideal. Scraps of silk and velvet work well for feathers and details. Incorporate different shades to give the feathers iridescence – very dark blues, green and purples work well.

Old or vintage clothes are great – suits, lace, prints over-dyed with black would be cool. And speaking of prints, your body fabric does not need to be solid. I used a calico print for the crow in the pattern. Most important is to have a variety of sheen, textures and tones.

Really old garments are interesting and inspiring to work with, lots of pleats and trims etc. Ebay is a good source and there is a helpful link in the crow pattern to a specific search category that I’ve been using for years. If you are persistent you can pick up damaged antique garments for not too much money that make great feathers.

There are resource links in the pattern for a couple supplies that are out of stock. I don’t currently have an alternative source for the paper covered wire for feet so we will use the alternative method included in the pattern and make our own. You can find the 18 gauge wire you’ll need in most hardware stores. And floral tape is available in lots of places online and in most big craft stores.

Let’s get inspired! Checkout a few crows made from the pattern.

Meg McElwee (sew liberated) wrote a beautiful post about her experience stitching her crow – check it out here.

And more awesome crows below – links to the makers where possible.

1. by Maralee, 2. by Brandi, 3. by Amy, 4. by Donna 5. by Elizabeth

Are you feeling inspired to stitch a crow? Gather your materials and check back on September 30th for the first sew-along post. If you feel like sharing your material gathering I’d love to see -please use #annwoodcrowsewalong and #annwoodpattern on instagram. There’s also a facebook group – you do not have to join to participate but you can if you like – find it here.

sew along links: week one week two week three week 4

make this very scrappy and super crafty bunting

August 26, 2022

by annwood

In the slushy, hot doldrums of summer it’s the perfect recreational sewing project. A couple weeks ago I started making a few and lost control of myself. You know how that goes. There was no real plan for them but an idea for very scrappy and super crafty bunting emerged while I was stitching.

These little vintage Yoyo’s, or Suffolk Puffs, turned up at the French General workshop.
There is something extra dear and compelling about them and I was immediately charmed. Maybe it’s the size? They are smaller than I have seen before and the fabrics are fabulous.

Maybe you need some scrappy bunting or you are just in the mood to stitch a bunch of something, either way, I got you. It’s super easy and takes forever.

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1. Start with a circle of light cotton fabric that is 3 and ⅜ th inches in diameter. You can use this template . Use sturdy thread – I’m using cotton perl. Put your needle in ¼ inch from the edge on the wrong side of the fabric and fold the edge over.

2. Stitch right along the folded edge with stitches about ¼ inch.

3. Gather tightly and knot – optional – iron flat – I like them very squished.

That’s the slow part. Making all those little puffs. The assembly part was much quicker than I expected.

To assemble the bunting lay out the triangle shape as shown – a row of 4 on top, next a row of 3, 2 and 1 (I used 10 but you could also make a smaller triangle with less for a mini bunting).

Stitch the string of 4 together with sewing thread. I connected them with 3 or 4 knotted stitches on top of each other. Pro tip – keep your thread attached and trim it later.

stuffing : 7 tips and tricks

July 22, 2022

by annwood

All your precise cutting and careful sewing are lost without thoughtful stuffing. Songbirds are a great example of how stuffing can take your project from OK to magnificent. The birds need to be firmly stuffed to fully express all their curves and have “birdness”. The birds below were hand stitched using the songbird sewing pattern. I’ve got 7 tips to help make your birds or any 3 dimensional sewing projects awesome.

1. A well stuffed creature starts with preparing the seams before you turn it right side out. Clip little triangle sections out of the seam allowance around the curves. Be careful not to cut the seams.

2. Turn your bird right side out. Take the wider end of a chopstick and run it firmly along the inside of the seams. It gives you a head start on pushing those curves all the way out. I learned this trick from a student at a workshop and use it all the time. It’s especially helpful on small curved seams that you can’t easily press open.

3. Use great stuffing. I only use wool. It makes a firm shape, I find it easier to work with than poly fill and you can fine tune the shape – more on that later. Find it in my shop.

4. Take your time. I spend a huge amount of time stuffing my birds and other creatures. Add a little at a time. Start by pushing the stuffing all the way to the head. Adding too much at once makes it harder to completely fill the shape. Keep adding stuffing until the bird body feels and looks full and round.

5. Close your eyes. Run your fingers gently over the surface and feel for empty spots or lumps. Your fingers will pick up things your eyes won’t.

6. Adjust from the outside. Use a large needle to fine tune the shape, move little bits of stuffing around inside the bird. You can get stuffing into or out of little spots that would be impossible to get to from the inside.

7. When you’re ready to close stitch part way and then add a little more stuffing (songbirds get temporarily closed at this point in their process so I’m basting).

Stuffed! The birds are round and the shape is completely filled out, the seams and surface are smooth. They are ready for feathers and I’ll update this post soon with the finished birds.

And if you feel like joining me in songbird sewing the pattern is 25% off until July 31.

Show me your magnificently stuffed songbird by using #annwoodpattern on instagram or emailing a photo to info at ann wood handmade dot com.

Do you have a favorite stuffing trick? Let us know in the comments.

flea market and stitching report : france edition

July 22, 2022

by annwood

In June I spent a couple weeks in France with French General stitching and roaming around brocantes and vide-greniers (that’s French for flea markets and yard sales!). I came back with a little bit of stuff and a ton of inspiration. I’ll show you some more of that in a minute (the image above is from a fantastic, elegantly ramshackle shop in St. Antonin). First I want to show you what we stitched in the studio.

Don’t see the video above? click here.

The project was a journal version of the stitchbook, made from scraps and inspirations found in our travels. I sure do love old cloth. It’s mainly what I look for in France and my book is a celebration of that, toile, woad dye and classics like roses and checks.

The students were serious stitchers and embraced the thought of inventing pages inspired by the experience. So many great ideas and interpretations.

This book was shorter than the full 100 day stitchbook, 12 pages instead of 20. Also on most of the books the edges were left raw and straight stitched together. It makes an excellent vacation/road project, easy to carry and perfect for stashing little treasures and memories.

This is a little of the fabric I brought back with me. Songbirds are already in progress and there’s a whole blog post about that too. And in the gallery below there are a few more favorite images and treasures.

It was a big adventure! And the first time I’ve traveled in a long time. It’s also a very happy thing to be home again and back to all the things I love doing. I am a person who loves routine, I think a lot of stitchers are, how about you?

what’s on my work table : whiskers for nice mice

May 20, 2022

by annwood

small felt mice in progress on my worktable

whiskers for mice

It occurred to me lately that mice have whiskers. But the very nice mice sewing pattern has no whiskers… I have made a ton of mice but I never thought to add them until this guy.

It’s super easy to do.

Make a small knot about an inch away from the end of your cotton thread. Insert the needle and bring it out the other side. Let the knot catch. Make a knot against the fabric on the other side and clip the thread. Repeat for more whiskers.

I have a few little wire beds and I’m making a mouse for each.

The main project here at the moment is still the captain pattern. I am in the woodshed with them, making tons. I think you’re going to love the boot method and easy lined jacket especially.

And forest friends. This is a percolating idea. Since I started hanging things on the wall I get more and more ideas for other things that could join them.

What ideas are you percolating? Have you made mice? Do they need whiskers?

7 things bringing me joy right now

May 6, 2022

by annwood

1. vessels And they’re turning up everywhere, in my paintings, the stitchbook and as ceramics.

I’ve been taking classes at the Guilford Art Center since I landed in Connecticut and have lately gotten obsessed with vessels. Mostly little ones. There are lots more in progress. The little group below is pre-firing.

2. the stitchbook I’m very surprised and happy at how many people are participating! And it continues to be a fruitful practice for me. I go on and on about that here.

*This post contains affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the link.

3.the cardboard house I’ve been imagining the pattern for the downstairs walls for a very long time. And carving the little stamps made me want to carve lots more little stamps.

The old linen napkin I was offloading ink onto made me want to block print some fabric. I love the pattern, I see tea towels in the future…

I’ll get into more detail about the process in an upcoming cardboard house progress post. If you’d like to try making stamps you can *get a kit here – this is an affiliate link – I get a tiny commission if you purchase through the link.

4. packages Making sweet packages makes shipping orders way more fun. Brown paper, stickers, stamps bakers twine and little extras are all magic to me. Also there are a couple new cards for spring.

5. twinkle lights Most things can be improved by twinkle lights. And I’ve had one long string for many, many years that is particularly awesome. It’s the mini kind – wire with tiny lights, the light is warm and it has a plug rather than batteries. It finally died about a month ago. I tried a bunch of replacements that did not sing to me until this one arrived. It’s just right – warm light, nice and long and it plugs in. *You can get it here – and fyi this is also an affiliate link – meaning I get a tiny commission if you purchase through the link.

6. The tiny garden and imminent lilacs. So much joy. I am so ready for the garden. I’ve got some herbs, flowers and lettuce I started from seeds in March (that feels so adult), the beets have appeared and it’s looking like my repurposed cedar chest planter is going to give me another year.

Also I’m sure it’s a good omen that a mystery plant has appeared. You gotta admire its chutzpah just showing up like that so it stays. I am gonna move it so it does not dominate the tiny space and has something to climb since it looks pretty climby.

7. House plants make life better. Freshly repotted, happy plants. The little jade has been with me for 25 years.

zoom workshop

Checkout some workshop seedpods below:

the cardboard house

uppercase magazine

the fabric sailboat sew-along

a couple more studio notes

the last three stitch book pages

What’s on your work table this spring? Are you a fan of zoom workshops? Are you assembling your stitch book? Let us know in the comments and happy garden season!

First let’s check out 5 free projects from the interwebs.

Are you making ornaments? Do you have a favorite holiday project? Are you a one strand of tinsel at a time sort of person? Let us know in the comments!

happy and merry to you,

ann

how to make the trees

Support free patterns like scrappy trees! And keep the awesome free projects flowing.

back to the trees:

I hope you make scrappy trees! You can use #annwoodpattern on instagram to share or join the community!

The stitch club is still in the experimental stage but already a promising creative and supportive group, a bunch of friends who sew. There are currently over 400 members and if you feel like giving it a test drive you can sign up here.

so long kits

new art work

and story bottles

You can sign up for an email notification here.

Also in the shopping department if holiday cards are on your list now is the time to order.

assembling the crow

sew along links: week one week two week three

Are you ready to assemble your crow? Did you already cross the finish line? Just getting started? Let us know in the comments.

small sewing

fabric score

sweata weatha

spooky books

crow sew-along

stitch club

Please use #annwoodcrowsewalong and #annwoodpattern . And – also optional -there’s a facebook group you can join here.

what you’ll need to participate:

Let’s get inspired! Checkout a few crows made from the pattern.

sew along links: week one week two week three week 4

Maybe you need some scrappy bunting or you are just in the mood to stitch a bunch of something, either way, I got you. It’s super easy and takes forever.

That’s the slow part. Making all those little puffs. The assembly part was much quicker than I expected.

Stuffed! The birds are round and the shape is completely filled out, the seams and surface are smooth. They are ready for feathers and I’ll update this post soon with the finished birds.

And if you feel like joining me in songbird sewing the pattern is 25% off until July 31.

Show me your magnificently stuffed songbird by using #annwoodpattern on instagram or emailing a photo to info at ann wood handmade dot com.

Do you have a favorite stuffing trick? Let us know in the comments.

It was a big adventure! And the first time I’ve traveled in a long time. It’s also a very happy thing to be home again and back to all the things I love doing. I am a person who loves routine, I think a lot of stitchers are, how about you?

whiskers for mice

What ideas are you percolating? Have you made mice? Do they need whiskers?

Are you a plant person? What’s bringing you joy this spring? Let us know in the comments.