Category: patterns and kits

apple core sewing pattern

February 10, 2021

by annwood

Valentines day is right around the corner and nothing says “Hey, I love you and thought of you” like an angry apple core you made yourself. Just saying. Plus I made you a free sewing pattern and everything. Say it with ragey, mostly eaten fruit this year.

Everybody’s in such a bad mood!

download the pattern sheet

You will also need:

cotton fabric scraps
a little wool felt for the stem
wool stuffing
a bamboo skewer
a chopstick
a basic sewing kit

: 1

: 2

1. Cut out 3 center pieces and two top/bottom circles. Draw the seam allowance on the wrong side of all pieces – you can trace or use a ruler. Mark one of the center pieces with the dots on the pattern (this will be the opening for turning and stuffing). Cut out the stem and two leaf shapes.

2. Flip one center piece (not the one with the dots) over and trace the face lightly on the right side of the fabric in pencil. You can embroider the face at this point if you like. I prefer to embroider on finished stuff shapes.

: 3

: 4

3. Pin the center piece with the face to the center piece with the opening marks together as shown – right sides together (remember the face is on the right side of the fabric). Stitch the seam that does not have the opening marked.

4. Open the pieces you just stitched so the right side of the fabric is facing you. Place the third center piece over the face piece and pin.

: 5

: 6

5. Sew the seam.

6. Pin the two remaining edges together and sew the seam- leaving open between the marks.

: 7

: 8

7. Make clips in the seam allowance at the opening marks. Be careful not to snip the seam.

8. Fold back the edges of the opening, press and baste each edge down – we will remove these stitches later.

owl ornament diy

November 27, 2020

by annwood

comments 25

And I’ve made you something!

These little owl ornaments are a perfect project for little scraps and they are quick to make. I’m making lots as gifts or to add to packaging.

They’re inspired by the little, lost Saw-whet owl who was accidentally transported to NYC with the giant tree for Rockefeller Center this year. He has since gotten some first aid and been returned to his forest. What an ordeal for the little guy!

Let’s make little owl ornaments!

You probably already have everything you need. And they lend themselves to batch production A glue stick really helps with that – the parts are little and a glue stick is much quicker and easier than pins. You can set up a bunch of fronts so they’re all ready to stitch. It’s easier than pins.

download the pattern

You will also need:

scraps – wool, cotton and linen are great
a basic sewing kit
chopstick or similar
gluestick
buttons
embroidery thread

: 1.

: 2.

1. Cut out two body pieces, two eye pieces and one head and beak and one each of the three wing pieces.

2. With the right side of the front body fabric facing you use a tiny bit of glue stick to place your pieces as shown. Leave the top wing piece off for now.

: 3.

: 4.

3. Use a contrasting color embroidery thread to stitch the head cover and wing pieces in place.

4. Stitch buttons to the center of the circles with embroidery thread also. Use regular sewing thread in a matching color to stitch the beak in place with tiny whip stitches around the edge.

: 5

: 6

5. Uses a contrasting embroidery thread to stitch around the eyes and add some straight stitches to his breast.

6. Create a loop of string or embroidery thread for hanging and knot the ends. Mark the 1/4 inch seam allowance on the wrong side of the back fabric.

: 7.

: 8.

7. Place the hanging loop on the face of the owl with the loop facing down and the tails near fabric edge.

8. Place the back body over the front – right sides together- pin and sew the seam leaving open along the wing side.

8 ideas for your scraps : the autumn scrap festival and swap

October 16, 2020

by annwood

comments 20

It’s officially cozy season and I’m comin’ in hot, in full Autumnal mode. I’ve got a spooky book, scraps in warm fall shades for hexies, wool and felt to bundle up littles and another brand new free pattern for you, it’s perfect for scraps. Plus I’ve scoured the internet for a few more awesome scrap projects for you.

*This post contains an affiliate link marked with an asterisk – I get a small commission if you purchase through the link.

And a swap! By popular demand we are having an autumn scrap swap – the rules and details are pretty much the same as the spring.

Find the rules, signup link and the “don’t make me turn this car around” speech right here.

*The swap is full and signups are closed

Let’s talk about the *spooky book – a classic haunted house situation. It was recommended by a friend with excellent taste last year and I finally got around to it this year. I’m enjoying it immensely (about ¾ of the way through). Besides being spooky it’s set in the 70’s in New York which I love.

Back to the scraps:

There are tons of scrap appropriate projects in my free pattern collection the most recent being:

1. the minimalist chicken

2. slow stitch fish

3. Another favorite for this time of year are the trees – I’m working on a little group now.

A few more awesome scrap projects for you:

4. merit badges – who doesn’t need a charming acknowledgment of their accomplishments – big and small. I can think of all sorts of interesting contemporary categories like – great job putting on pants today…

5. reversible patchwork bag – it’s adorable and the tutorial is great. I’m a big fan of project bags and patchwork so it’s a double winner for me – plus you could keep scraps in it.

6. For your bigger scraps – a sweet multi pocket apron. You can never have enough pockets.

7. nostalgic christmas lights – It’s not too early! Especially if you’re making stuff for gifts. Man these are sweet and nostalgic. The tutorial is great and they are super easy to make.

8. A super simple and charming quilt. I love this and have started cutting rectangles. I’m not sure if I’ll quilt and bind it or use it as a duvet. I love the way the rectangles look and the simplicity of construction – strips of varying width but the same length.

Do you have a favorite scrap project, awesome spooky book or a seasonal indulgence to share? Please leave it in the comments!

Till soon,

ann

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.

chicken ornament : free sewing pattern

October 12, 2020

by annwood

comments 18

Let’s make minimalist chickens. They are quick and easy and the sort of thing you can make in batches. I bet you know at least a dozen people who need a chicken ornament. Stuff them with wool or something that smells good, they are a sweet and silly surprise either way.

The idea for them turned up in my sketchbook and then bounced back and forth between drawing and sewing as many things do for me in the percolation phase. As the design became increasingly simple I was more and more happy with it. The little legs especially make them expressive and animated. I used laundry starch to stiffen them so I could get just what I wanted.
You just need scraps (stay tuned for scrap swap news later this week) and a few other things to get started.

download the pattern

You will also need:

fabric scraps – light cotton or linen
felt (I like wool felt)
embroidery thread
glue stick
stuffing
a basic sewing kit
pencil

1. Pin the body pattern to 2 layers of fabric with the right sides together. Mark the seam line lightly in pencil. Cut out the three small parts from felt. Pin the body pieces – right sides together – near the tail end.

2. Fold back the front of the top body piece.

3. Add a tiny bit of glue to the edge of the beak and waddle felt pieces and place on the body fabric exactly as shown – note that there is a little empty space above the beak.

4. Fold the top body piece back down and pin in place. Stitch just the bottom curved seam. Place the felt comb piece as shown above the body.

5. Insert the felt comb between the layers – placing it exactly as shown – note the little triangle of space between the comb and beak.

6. Stitch the top seams leaving the center open.

7. Clip little triangle notches around the curved seam and clip off seam allowance the corners. Be careful not to clip the seam.

8. Use your chopstick to turn the chicken right side out.

9. Stuff the body.

10. Make a loop with embroidery thread and knot.

11. Fold the edges of the body opening in and begin to whipstitch closed. As you are closing the opening insert the loop tails with the knot just inside the folded edges and stitch it in place.

12. You might find this method for hiding your knots helpful for embroidering the details. I added an X on each side for eyes. Small buttons would be sweet too. Make a few stitches for the wings on each side. For the tail I stitched through both sides with straight stitches.

13. For the legs make a knot about two inches from the end of a length of embroidery thread. Make a tiny stitch in the seam about 2 and 1/2 inches from the point of the tail and pull until the knot catches.

14. Put the needle back in and come out about 1/2 inch away in the seam towards the head. Make a tiny knot.

lucky fish : slow stitch project

September 18, 2020

by annwood

comments 137

Who doesn’t need some luck? Plus these very simple fish are pulling me out of slushy, stubborn stuckness.

One thing leads to another, if you let it, but first you need to start. Where I really started was ironing, ironing scraps. It went on my to do list because it was an easy win (I felt like doing it). And I had saved a couple bundles of scraps, each sent by a friend, to sort and iron pre-move.

As I ironed and sorted by color the wheels started to turn and I felt a strong and persistent spiritual directive to slow stitch some fish.

Maybe you feel like stitching some fish too. Let it be a meandering process, try stuff. Let one thing lead to another.

** DOWNLOAD THE FISH TEMPLATE **

You will also need:

fabric scraps – light cotton or linen
little scraps, buttons lace for embellishing
stuffing
a basic sewing kit
pencil

1. Pin the pattern to 2 layers of light cotton fabric – right sides of the fabric together – and cut out. Be sure to clip out the little triangle notches.

: 2

: 3

2. Mark the seam line lightly in pencil.

3. Stitch the seam by hand or machine, leaving open between the notches. Find hand sewing tips here.

: 4

: 5

4. Clip notches around the curves and clip off the points at the nose and tail. Be careful not to clip the seam.

5. Use a chopstick to turn the fish right side out.

: 6

: 7

6. Pro tip: use a plastic mechanical pencil to push out the corners – retract the lead first.

7. Stuff your fish.

scrap fabric project : flower garland

August 21, 2020

by annwood

comments 31

*Many of you have asked about the wood thread winders – they are awesome! And you can find them at French General.

These garlands are an experiment in color, working with fabric scraps in green, lots of berry shades and a little bit of very hot pink. I love the combination of the cooler organic shades with this one super bright (almost neon) shade. This is a project I brought to a workshop this past spring, you know, one million years ago. The idea was to provide an invitation to play and some constraints – in this case time (it was the end of the workshop) and color.

Buttons and wood beads add interest and a little weight so it hangs nicely and you’ll nee a little stuffing for an extra special touch – more on that in a minute.

You could use ribbon, string, twill tape etc. for the base or make a fabric strip yourself. There are directions for that below but let’s make the scrap flowers first.

You will need

fabric scraps
buttons
embroidery thread
wood or glass beads
stuffing
basic sewing kit
sewing machine – for making the strip

making the flowers

1. Start by cutting a bunch of shapes from your scraps. Don’t think too much or edit yourself at this point, just give yourself a bunch of shapes to play with – a variety of circles and leaves. Part of the value in this exercise for me is that I end up putting things together that I might not have if I made a plan first. Note – the shapes do not need to be perfect.

2. Layer the leaf and flower shapes and stitch them together with embroidery thread. I cut some circles into pinwheel shapes. Some are just layered and stitched, some edges are frayed. Try stuff. Make more flowers than you need, choices are good.

The puffy flowers in the necklace at the top of the post were added by one of the awesome workshops students – Michele Muska. They are a fantastic addition. She also added some charms and little fabric tails. I love the necklace.

3. The puffy flowers are super easy to make. Stitch around the edge of a circle – this one is about 3 inches across. Leave the needle and thread attached.

4. Gather until it’s almost closed. Add a little stuffing.

5. Pull tight and knot.

6. Bring the needle up through the center.

7. Loop around the edge and insert the needle in the bottom center. Bring the needle through the top center and pull tight.

8. Repeat this stitch around, evenly spaced, as many times as you like and then knot on the bottom. Add a button to the center if you like.

These flowers also make a sweet mini pin cushion. I liked it so much I interrupted my flower making to make a little needle book to add it to.

miniature paper hens : free tutorial

August 4, 2020

by annwood

comments 20

Let’s make tiny chickens! So little and just the right size for tiny rag doll world. They are quick and easy to make and it’s fun to work on a bunch at once. I’m using crepe paper from a roll. Streamers work too but I think crepe paper from rolls and sheets is easier to work with.

The hens are truly tiny, only about 2 inches from tail to beak. If you require a bigger little chicken I think it would be easy to scale them up.

lets’s make tiny paper hens!

*This post contains affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission of you purchase though the links. The affiliate links are marked with an asterisk.

download the template here

You will also need:

one inch *styrofoam ball
*crepe paper – sheets or streamers – sheets are easy to work with I think
glue stick – I love the *uhu stick for paper
scissors
optional – manicure scissors – super helpful for making little cuts
acrylic paint and brushes
white glue – elmer’s is good
a fine tip black marker

1. Cut out and trace the two tiny template pieces onto cardboard.

2. Cut two triangles into the flat top of the head to make the comb.

3. Push the pointed bottom of the head piece into the ball.

4. Push it in until the bottom corners are inside the ball.

5. On the opposite side of the ball push the pointed bottom of the tail into the ball.

6. Push it in until the corners are inside the ball. Your piece should look like this. Paint a little white glue along the edge where the cardboard meets the ball. Let this dry.

7. Paint the cardboard the same color as your crepe paper. After the base paint is dry paint the comb area with red and the beak with yellow. It’s already pretty chickeny isn’t it.

8. Stretch your crepe paper – streamers aren’t that stretchy but sheets and rolls of crepe paper are. Cut two strips – one inch wide and about nine inches long each.

9. Fold each strip matching up the edges – the folded piece should be about two inches long.

10. Clip into one side with your scissors creating pointy fringe.

11. Unfold the strips and cut off a two inch piece.

12. Apply glue stick to the tail and wrap the two inch fringe piece around it. Use a little more glue to tack down the end of the paper.

13. Let that dry for a few minutes. While it’s drying cut 8 one inch pieces and 6 half inch pieces.

doll overalls : a free sewing pattern

June 11, 2020

by annwood

comments 24

Of course the tiny rag doll need overalls. And they come in mr. socks size too cause I’m nice like that. They’re easy and quick to make and you could scale the pattern up for larger dolls. Sew them completely by hand or some seams can be done on machine if you like.

You will need :

the template – get the doll overalls template here and the mr. socks overalls template here.

light weight cotton fabric

a basic sewing kit

and optional – tiny buttons and little scraps for patches

1. Pin the strap fabric to single piece of fabric. Pin the overalls pattern to a doubled piece with the right sides together. Pin the lining to a single piece of fabric – you can use a contrasting fabric or the same as the overalls.

Note – I’m using a print from the French General new lawn cottons. The prints are all super sweet and great for small dolls.

2. Mark the seam line lightly in pencil on the wrong side of the lining piece and both overall pieces. It’s also helpful to mark the front and back on the overall pieces as indicated on the pattern.

3. With the right sides of the fabric together sew just the front seam of the overalls as shown in red above – stopping at the end of the curve.

4. Clip a couple little notches in the seam allowance at the curve. Be careful not to clip the seam.

5. Press the straight part of the seam open.

6. Press the top seam allowance over – wrong sides together – on the lining and overalls.

7. Place the lining on the overalls with the right sides together and pin. Stitch only the curved seams as shown above. Clip little notches into the seam allowance.

the elegant rag doll sewing pattern and a free and easy doll skirt pattern

May 1, 2020

by annwood

comments 23

get the elegant rag doll pattern!

Elegantly dressed, or quite nude. It’s your choice. The finished doll is 16 inches tall. The pattern includes instructions for both versions. And there are sweet details like earrings and a fancy hairdo.

This pattern took forever to make. You may have noticed… It was mostly because I kept changing my mind about how to make and stuff the head. I’m super happy with the solution I finally settled on, I love the result and it’s simple to do. The other good news is I’m shipping wool again – it’s the ideal stuffing for the elegant dolls.

And I’ve included the doll skirt pattern for you below. It’s a super easy way to make a doll skirt and you could easily scale it to fit any doll.

I hope you make elegant dolls! If you do I’d love to see – please use #annwoodpattern on instagram or send an email to info at ann wood handmade dot com.

There is a free tutorial for the slippers too – find it right here.

Find the skirt pattern and directions below. And to add the bustle detail like the skirts above gather a little section in the front and add a little button.

download the skirt pattern

You will need:

a 16 X 9 inch piece of cotton fabric
one yard ribbon or string
large safety pin
basic sewing kit

1. Down load the skirt pattern and pin it along the fold of your doubled fabric – right sides together – and cut out. Clip out the triangles.

2. With the wrong side of the fabric facing you fold over and press the side fabric between the triangle clips.Stitch them in place with a small, neat straight stitch.

3. Fold over the top edge at 1/4 inch and press.

paintings to stitch, the hexie quilt and nude rag doll news

April 18, 2020

by annwood

comments 32

Every day starts with stitching owls and castles and swans etc. and making scrap hexies. I chose a few images from the daily paintings to print on linen and stitch and I love stitching them, I find it hypnotic. It’s a free style situation – choosing lines or details to highlight and embellish. I’ve only been using 3 stitches – back stitch, satin and french knots.

You can find the stitch paintings in the shop.

When I finish these I’ll keep them in the hoops and hang them in a little group – I’ll show you how to do that soon. I’m using DMC floss – the six strand stuff – separating one, two or three strands.

I love this blue bug gentleman, where is he going? Who are those flowers for? And I love the little french knot flowers for his bouquet. I used two strands of thread for these.

french knots:

Bring the needle through the fabric where you would like the knot. Hold the thread tight about and inch from the fabric with your other hand. Place your needle in front of the tight floss – be sure it’s in front – not behind.

Wind the floss around the needle twice (or once for a tiny knot), Don’t twirl the needle to wind the floss – wind it around the needle with your non-needle hand,

Keep the tension of the floss and put the needle back in right next to (not in the same hole – but very close to it) where you began. Keep the thread tight with your non-needle hand and pull the coil downward towards your fabric. Pull the needle through to finish the knot.

hexie update:

I add a few every day- I’m moving from the multicolor scrap area into a pale section and starting a dark blue group too, Lots of people are making hexies! Check out #hexiesforsanity to see. And I found a printable sheet of templates here.

Scandalous doll pattern update: Just about there and it is awesome. The hard part for me was the head – I changed my mind over and over but finally settled on a solution I’m super happy with. Stay tuned. And get some fabric – muslin or any light cotton.

What are you working on? Come across any cool projects, recipes, awesome books or ideas you’d like to share? Please leave them in the comments.

the plan for weird times

March 17, 2020

by annwood

comments 2

For the next couple weeks (as of now) ~~I won’t be shipping any physical items.~~ I made my last trip to the post office with current orders yesterday and now I’m staying home and making stuff. And soup.

UPDATE 3/24 –

All the booklets are in stock – tiny dolls, socks, owls etc. I’ve adjusted the packaging to go in the mailbox (NYC recently changed to secure mailboxes with very small slots). During the virus crisis there is a limit of 2 booklets per order. You can place more than one order but I can only ship 2 per order.

And I’m working on supply packs too – something that can fit in the mailbox. Stay tuned for more on that soon.

Get the paper mache ship pattern.

During this odd liminal moment I’ll be working on new patterns and projects and ideas for you – lots: video demos, stuff to do with kids, stitching tutorials and more free patterns. And I’ll share what I’m making. Some of this weird period of time will be spent finishing projects and mending – particularly old quilts – we might as well be cozy right?

Wishing you well and hoping for the best,

ann

PS – find a good soup for weird times right here.

making a cardinal or other crested bird

March 14, 2020

by annwood

comments 6

It’s surprisingly quick and easy to create a fabric crest for a cardinal or bluejay or tufted titmouse etc. etc.. The tutorial that follows was created for my songbird sewing pattern – but you could adjust the size to fit pretty much any bird pattern.

We made cardinals in a workshop in Vermont. You know, in the old days when we could still travel and gather and felt pretty secure about how much rice and toilet paper we owned… It was a great weekend and the cardinals are awesome. Check out more about the workshop at the end of the post.