an anniversary, getting deeply organized and lovely things made by customers

It’s March and there is so much to celebrate.  The mushroom print pattern and kit are in the shop and it is the12th anniversary of this experiment. To mark the occasion I’ve shared some lovely things made from my patterns by customers, but first I want to talk to you about storage.

My place is small and I’ve got a lot of fabric. It is mostly in one big (ikea) shelf stored in cardboard file boxes. The storage shelf had to be taken apart after the big crash and I never got it back in shape.  Besides being depressing to look at it had also become a giant time waster. I pulled it all out and thought about it. The first thing I did was toss the lids. I don’t need them and the boxes fit perfectly without them, like drawers.

ikea shelves and file boxes for fabric

Most of the labels got lost in all the moving around. I’ve tried a bunch of stuff, hang tags, clothespins, writing on the box with chalk and have not been thrilled with any of it.  I was going to use chalkboard stickers this time but remembered  something I bought years ago and never used,  little metal book plate labels from Martha Stewart.

marth steart book plate labels for my fabric boxes

They are perfect. How much joy can a fancy box label bring? So much. They are just right and  feel so official. I googled them and you can still find them in lots of places including Staples. It’s such a big improvement over the chaos I’ve been working with and looking at.

customer images

tiny rag doll

The doll above is made from the tiny rag doll pattern with wonderful added details and modifications to her wardrobe by Annette (@nessienews). I love everything about her. I want to follow her and spy on her adventures in the forest. 

One of the biggest and best decisions I made in my 12 years of experimenting here was to share patterns. It was such a leap and required and requires a giant amount of learning.  It has turned my experiment into an almost rational enterprise that continues to grow and I continue to be interested in it and happy in the process of creating the patterns and kits (there are lots more coming).  And I love seeing what you make.  I selected a few other customer images to share here and If you like you can see more and share your own on instagram using #annwoodhandmade

And you’ll  find others under: #annwood  #tinyragdoll  #mrsocks  #annwoodpatterns

stitched mushrooms

mr. socks tiny cat ragdoll

handmade goat doll

mr. socks and a little owl

little felt boat and mouse pirate

tiny rag doll

hand stitched toadstools

tiny rag doll

As always, thanks so much for showing up,
ann

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14 Comments

  1. Oh miss Ann,,, I’m so happy that you decided to share your patterns too!! They bring me much joy creating them. Congrats on your 12 years of “experimenting”!!

  2. Ann I too would like to thank you for creating your patterns. It is always fun to learn from others.

  3. Rosemary B

    Happy Friday Dear Ann
    I hope you are not in the path of these winds or snow.
    If so, please keep yourself safe.
    I am in Virginia and we have just very very heavy wind, gusts are about 70mph!! So it is scary, but nothing so far like your crash. Hey, did your place get all repaired up and good as new? or did you get another place?
    I adore all of the projects shared. You are indeed very inspiring.

  4. Your shelves look so nice and neat, Ann. I love the little labels.

    Thanks for including my grandsweetie’s tiny Ann doll in today’s post. That is Grandsweetie’s hand that is forming the doll’s chair. She adored her doll when I gave it to her and then was heartbroken when she turned up missing not long afterward. I got a delighted phone call a few weeks later to tell me the doll turned up in her mother’s laundry basket. We’re pretty sure she went through both the washer and dryer. This photo shows her in the new hat I crocheted as her first one never showed up. Eaten by the washer, I guess.

    I discovered @nessienews wonderful tiny forest wanderer a few days ago. Like you I wanted to follow her around. Then I was inspired to pick up my thimble and get to work on another tiny one. Have you seen the painting that @ingriddrawsandknits did of @nessienews’s tiny forest doll? It is quite wonderful too.

    Congrats on twelve years. Good for you and wonderful for all of us.

  5. I love that you have shared the work of your fans! In all, each has obviously been inspired by your own sense of magic & whimsy, Ann! What a treat.

  6. Dear Ann. Congratulations on 12 years….I guess you will no longer call it an experiment for it is such a wonderful undertaking, business and place of inspiration for so many!
    I want to thank you in a humble way for sharing my wandering-forest-tiny-ragdoll pictures here on your blog.
    I am in awe of your work, and of the possibilities it opens up for people like me.
    Due to neurological problems with my eyesight I can only see small things, things that when making, do not require your eyes to move and wander all the time (like knitting, or working with a sewing machine). And then, I “discovered” your work and your patterns for sale. You have no idea how much joy this is bringing me….. You opened up a new way of creating for me, of thinking up stories and tiny sweet creatures who make us happy. Your work is really one of a kind, and a beautiful source of inspiration.

    Again thank you. I wish you many, many happy years of designing and creating. It is such a fine thing to see you so generously sharing your work and the work of others. I love the hashtags and look at them often on Instagram.
    I am looking forward to your new patterns and ideas, and am grateful that we can learn so much from your talents.
    Best wishes!
    Annette

  7. All the things above. I was wondering if you wouldn’t prefer plastic boxes so all your lovely fabric would show. All that color would be so inspiring. Just a thought – please do see this as a judgement.

  8. I love making your tiny dolls and each time I make one I think I will do one for me but there is always a tiny human who is a worthy recipient! I love your patterns because they can be made as ‘grown-up’ dolls with lots of delicate features that need to be handled carefully but they can also be made safe for any age to handle and they fir so well into tiny hands. I have sent some to Australia and a cat and his mouse friends are currently living with a 2 yr old animal lover in Germany! It is wonderful that you are so generous with your patterns and I thank you so much for all the pleasure they bring!

  9. Congratulations, Ann, on 12 years of your wonderful experiment, which has turned into something so inspirational. We are so glad you’re here and willing to share! I was delighted to scroll down and see two of my creations from your fantastic patterns! I finished my fifth mushroom the other day and am getting started on a sailboat. And thank you for the sale, I will definitely be doing some shopping later!

  10. It is so inspirational and energizing to see the many ways one pattern can be interpreted! Thank you for sharing your customer images, and for making your creative spark available to all of us.

    warmly,

    Beth

  11. I must say the mushrooms are addicting to make – thank you for sharing your amazing patterns! Handwork is soothing to the soul. I’m so pleased and excited to be attending the songbird workshop at French General, and to meeting the woman behind these magical creations!

  12. J. Franchell

    So inspiring! And it just warms my heart to know there are other grown up lovers of tiny dolls! I’ve loved them since childhood.
    Can’t wait to make one – or many.
    You are a true artist! Thank you so very much for sharing the patterns and your warmth and creativity.

    Jane

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