Category: on my work table

5 things bringing me joy and community questions

October 14, 2022
by annwood
fish and owl ornaments in progress

fish and owl ornaments in progress

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.

collection of small cotton prints stacked on my cutting table

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.

frog rag doll lounging on a blanket in fall leaves wearing a miniature sweater

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…

a crow wing in progress- feathers pinned in place

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.

textil mushrooms in the hands that made them

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.

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

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:

 

sewing pattern for a realistic crowget the pattern button

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.

textile crow on a pink table next to a pile of black scraps from victorian garments

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.

handmade crow posed on a pink upholstered chair in a forest

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
2
3
4
2

 

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
scrap puff bunting over my work table

sesomg colrful mini suffolk puffs on a hot day by a pool

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.

scrap puff bunting over my work table

mini yoyos (about 1 and 3/8th inch across) in my hand

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.

 

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.

Read More

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.

sewing pattern for a textile songbird

And if you feel like joining me in songbird sewing the pattern is 25% off until June 30th.

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

little brown felt mouse in the palm of my hand

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.

small felt mice in progress on my worktable

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.

ragdolls with bicornes and military jackets and boots

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.

little ceramic bottles - one with a pinted windmill scene the other white with little handles

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.

blue pattern being stamped on doll house walls

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.

packages wrapped in brown paper with stickers, stamps, cards and twine

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.

little art studio with twinkle lights

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.

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

stitchbook : day 83 update – we are in the homestretch

May 6, 2022
by annwood
fabric book pages appliqued and stitched

fabric book pages appliqued and stitched

Today is day 83 in the hundred day stitchbook project. Page 17 is the current page. I can’t wait to assemble the book. Some stuff has to be figured out first, most importantly:

Will the pages be chronological?

When I began I thought I would assemble the book with the pages in the order I stitched them. Now I’m leaning toward my pages not being in chronological order, instead arranging them  in whatever order I like. Some of the pages seem to belong together and I like the idea of seeing them side by side when the book is spread open. That decision lead me to the next decision about designing a cover and back.

day 82

There are only 4 pages left to stitch – 17 is in progress now. I’ve decided to make it the cover page and it’s going to be super simple. A couple appliques and then 100 marks/stitches.
One of the other remaining pages will be the back cover. I haven’t decided on a design yet but it will also probably be pretty spare and simple and use the same background fabric as the cover.

The  remaining pages will be approached as the first 16 pages were – experimental, improvisational.

A large part of the value of this project has been getting somewhere I did not plan to go. That’s the huge benefit of a daily art practice. Stuff turns up.

 

There are tons of people stitching pages (I’m super surprised and pleased and excited about that!) and I’ve shared a few below.

1. @lobostitched

2. @prairiewomanarts

3. @teresacass

4. @harpdollz59

5

5. @artcat237

A special over achiever award goes to @shmataboro – she has stitched 60 pages! And they are fabulous.

60 stitched pages

You can find tons more on instagram by searching #annwoodstitchbook. If you’d like to email me a photo you can send it to me at info at ann wood handmade dot com.

Are you stitching along? Are your pages going to be chronological?  Please let us know in the comments.

onward!

ann

a sneak peek at miss thistle’s house and tips for building with cardboard

April 22, 2022
by annwood
cardboard doll house in progress

cardboard doll house in progress

 It’s flexible, free and easy to work with, I’m a fan of cardboard and it’s the perfect material for a house for miss thistle.   The house was begun a year – or two? ago and then stayed stuck. Stuck in over thinking, indecision and architectural correctness. It needs the right spirit and that spirit kept slipping away in the effort. 

A couple days ago I put a deadline on it – there had to be a finished structure by the end of the week.  The time limit was motivating and got my wheels turning, I stumbled into a secret ingredient that solved lots of problems – gummed paper tape.  

brown tape over cardboard house edges

*this post contains an affiliate link

It’s a thick brown paper tape with adhesive on the back that you moisten to activate. I used it to cover edges and seams – it adds strength and stability to my quick, messy build and fills in pretty big gaps. I ended up putting it over every gap, seam and edge.  I’ve used this tape before for tacking down watercolor paper but never in this way.  It is awesome. *You can get it here (This is an affiliate link – meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the link).

A couple tips for working with it – use a sponge to dampen the adhesive – don’t dip the tape in water. And if you’re pushing it into a corner seam, crease it first. I also used it to cover the edges of some of the windows and door opening. This was kind of a pain so I switched to masking tape for the little areas.

The main downside to working with cardboard is it warps and gets soggy when painted. I’ve got a few suggestions for avoiding that:

Use wood glue. It sets up quickly and has a nice grab almost right away. I used tons. Hot glue works too but I’m pretty over burning myself.

Cover the raw edges of the corrugated board. Use the aforementioned paper tape or masking tape. The paper tape has a nicer surface.

Laminate. It makes a huge difference. Laminating two pieces together makes a much sturdier and warp resistant structure.  Wood glue is perfect for sticking them together. I laminated the front and floors. I wish I had done the sides too but I think it will be ok.

Paint in thin coats and don’t add water. I’m using latex paint and dry brushing on a super thin layer as a primer. When the whole thing is covered in that I’ll start adding color, decoration, etc. Always in thin layers. Plus I want to retain the “cardboardness” for this house.

lifting out the removable floor

And a building tip – I used clothespins to support the second floor. I wanted it to be removable to make decorating easier. The clothespins are taken apart and wood glued to the walls. They are adorable miss thistle size beams.

I’m on fire for the little house now. So excited to do the fun decoraty stuff. I tested out a few of the tiny things inside and it all feels just right.

house on my table - ready to paint

There is not a pattern for the house but the measurements below and the tip below will be super helpful if you want to build one.

Are you building a tiny doll world? There are lots of tutorials for furniture and accessories on the miss thistle society page, including the hearth, rug, stove and pot above.

Stay tuned for more cardboard house updates!

 

the somewhat weekly newsletter

Do you get my free weekly-ish newsletter? There are tips and tricks, ideas, stuff to try, all the latest news and blogposts and extra stuff, just for subscribers, delivered mostly on Friday. Pretty much.


on fire for captain charmley

March 11, 2022
by annwood

The heavy lifting is done and I’m at the perfecting stage. Making lots of tiny adjustments, in the zone. This is the fun part, the woodshedding.

Captain Charmley has been through some changes since his first appearance here. The original soldier dolls sprang out of  this experiment and were much smaller. I do want him to be a companion to the elegant rag doll so his size and proportions were all re-worked. This is also known as pretty much starting over.

soldier rag doll and elegant lady doll in progress in ann wood's hand

legs and boots stitched form cotton in ann wood's hand

Through all his iterations I’ve waffled on a couple details. Expressive feet and sideburns mainly. It comes down to a balance between effort, complication and effect. Is a tiny detail worth adding steps to the pattern. I’ve decided that the sideburns and expressive feet are definitely worth it.

The other big hurdle is his lined jacket. The mechanics have been worked out and I’m super happy with the process. You’re gonna love it. PS – the fabric was a gift from artist indira johnosn  and marketplaceindia – i love it.

The Captain Charmley pattern will be available later this year. Stay tuned.

stitchbook progress

15 minutes a day is magic. One of the big lessons of this process for me is not getting too attached to previous work, not falling in love to early. Composition is king.
I post each day on instagram and here. I’ve included a 5 day page cycle below.

Are you stitching with me? Checkout out lots of reader stitchbook pages here.

PS – Happy almost daylight savings time! I sure do love March.

PPS – I usually stitch features on dolls after I sew and stuff them – how about you – before or after? Let us know in the comments.

the fourth annual international scrap festival – 10 ideas for your fabric scraps

February 11, 2022
by annwood
small fabric projects on a table - made from scraps of cotton and linen and text in the center -scrap festival 2022

small fabric projects on a table - made from scraps of cotton and linen and text in the center -scrap festival 2022

Welcome to the fourth annual scrap festival! That magical time of year when we celebrate scraps a little extra. I’ve scoured the interwebs for some awesome tutorials  and created a new fabric book DIY that’s perfect for scraps.

book made form cotton and linen fabric scraps rest on a worn blue table with sewing notions and a pile of scraps

It’s also perfect for the 100 day project if you feel like trying that. Fun and very manageable – you could do 15 minutes a day.  I’m participating using the book as my project. My daily progress post will be in the @annwood instagram stories and on a page here too. If you’d like to sew along with me use #annwoodstitchbook and #annwoodpattern on instagram.  You don’t have to commit to the hundred days to sew along but If you would like to more details are here.

Find the full tutorial for making the book here.

For now let’s talk about how to get started on a couple pages:

*Download the template and cut 2 rectangles – these will be 2 pages.

template and two fabric rectangles - each 7 X 5.5 one is borwn one is black

Ignore the other marks on the pattern for now – just cut the rectangles. I’m using cotton and linen for the pages – the brown is from a worn out duvet and the black was a little jacket.

Stitch whatever you like on your rectangles, embroidery, collage, mess around, try stuff, meander. Leave about 1/2 inch margin all around the edge to make book assembly easy. Need some inspiration? You might find this post helpful. I test drove the 15 minutes a day idea and this is what I came up with.

fabric rectangle with 15 minutes of experimental stitching and patching

I used a timer and everything. It was a focused 15 minutes and felt good. The time limit eliminates paralysis and overthinking and invites happenstance. I love the idea of each day building on the previous.

For the one hundred day project my suggestion is 15 minutes per day. The book has 20 pages including the front and back covers so each page is stitched for 5 days, 15 minutes per day. So do-able! Over achievers feel free to do more. As I’m stitching and sharing I’ll include some simple prompts and suggestions in case you’re feeling stuck.

Why do it? It’s a little window of time to listen to yourself, try stuff, make marks, experiment. A place for ideas to turn up. And a perfect place to celebrate your most precious scraps!

book made form cotton and linen fabric scraps rest on a worn blue table with sewing notions and a pile of scraps

You don’t have to do the 100 days to sew along but if you are, start stitching on Sunday 2/13- 15 minutes per day. After 5 days, move on to the second page. Meet me back here on February 23rd for the full book tutorial (you’re gonna love it, super easy to make and the binding is clever).

I hope you make stitch books! Don’t forget to use #annwoodstitchbook and #annwoodpattern  on instagram. And if you’re doing the hundred days also use #The100DayProject

UPDATE 2/13 – find day 1 here!

9 more scrap projects!

tiny pouch mad from scraps

1.  A sweet bucket pouch from honeyfolkclothing.  The pfd is free through the end of this month only and you can find it here. And checkout @honeyfolkclothing (heidi) on on iinstagram for lots of inspiration. She is a scrap hero!

2. string quilt – Lots and lots of skinny fabric strips stitched together and can be arranged in intriguing ways. Simple, meditative and built for scraps. Find the tutorial here.

3. Something for little folks by sewmariana –  a fabric memory game – find the tutorial for the game squares here.

4, And use your bigger scraps or pieced scraps (like hexies or the afore mentioned string piecing) to make a sweet fabric container to keep them in with this DIY.

There are tons of scrap friendly projects in the free pattern library here – a couple favorites are:

small stuffed cats in two sizes - sewing diy

5. happy cats

bunny doll in dancing pose with lace collar held in hand - other bunnies in background

6.  and the newest – dancing hares

7. Improv with X. I love the idea of experimenting with a simple shape.  Checkout the X quilt improv blocks here.  And tons more inspiration from shecanquilt on Flickr here.

little pyramid shaped charms made form scraps on a white table

8. Something for your littlest scraps, These charms are super sweet. I love how mini they are and  they could be stuffed with lemon verbena or lavender. Such a sweet little gift. Find the tutorial here.

9. Sweet for spring  – carrot treat bags to sew – plus find fabric eggs and  more spring ideas here.

A couple bonus ideas from the blog

Long pin cushions are a perfect scrap project and super handy to have. And imperial cats are great to experiment with.

Do you have a favorite scrap project? Will you join me in sewing a fabric book? Let us know in the comments and happy scrap festival 2022!

the big 2021 review and plan for the new year

January 29, 2022
by annwood

mini wood stove made form and egg carton held in hand

2021 is kind of a mushy blur from here. But a couple projects stand out. If I had to pick a favorite it would be this little stove. Something about it. And the runner up is the campsite.
Or maybe that’s tied with imperial cats.

Each was the kind of project that time disappears in. Happy, focused, present.

a few more highlights

 

sewing pattern for a realistic crow

There was one new sewing pattern – the crow

And 7 new tutorials:

For the second time in less than two years I moved. A small move, upstairs in the same building, but still. The place is great, the kind of thing you couldn’t invent and the fit is perfect. It’s a creaky old carriage house with a distinctly 70’s feeling renovation that I’m leaning into.

There is space and light and a generally good spirit to the place. The plants are happy and so am I.
You can check out a couple domestic projects: the sewing room here and the painting room here.

work table with art supplies and prints

Year 3 of daily paintings was accomplished and year 4 is underway. The daily thing is hard. And, I so recommend it. Committing to a do-able assignment and applying small consistent effort is as close to a magic formula as there is for growing creatively and getting unstuck.

The 100 day project is starting again on February 13th. It’s a great way to test drive the daily situation. If you decide to do it these ideas might help:

* Be realistic about time. The amount of time you commit can be very small and still have lots of benefits.
* Have a plan for the bad days, a minimal but acceptable effort. And accept the bad days. Everybody will have lots of them. I have some very bad days and post some real stinkers.
Also if instagram/social media is not your thing get yourself an accountability partner.

The daily paintings have turned into cards and soon prints. They find their way into everything. Ideas bounce back and forth from the painting to sewing projects and ceramics and back again. The ceramic work boils down gestures, the sewing simplifies shapes, each informs the other.
You can see this most recently in the first diy project for 2022 dancing hares.

small ceramic dishes decorated with mushrooms and bunnies and windmills and ships on a work table

the big goal for 2022

efficientize

I did make that word up. But that’s what I want to do – streamline, simplify, systemize. Stop wasting time on clunky processes, redundant tasks and do-overs. Make my irrational enterprise a little more rational, more thoughtful planning and less reacting. Easy to say. It will involve some dismantling and tedious rebuilding. My plan is to chunk it. Give it a little time everyday.

Have you got big plans for the year ahead? Will you try the 100 day project? did you have a favorite project last year? Let us know in the comments.