Happy October! We’ve got a lot to talk about : a crow sew-along, embroidery designs, and the French General retreat in Vermont.
I took this crow to Vermont with me for an autumnal portrait. If you look closely you can see how I’ve discreetly attached him to the tree with black ribbon wrapped around his ankle and then anchored to a branch behind.
Jump down to the bottom for the crow sew-along details (there’s a prize and everything). And let’s get into Vermont and embroidery.
For the past few weeks I’ve been turning imagery from my daily paintings into embroidery designs. In a couple weeks I’ll share some tips I’ve picked up along the way and a design for you to try. Serendipitously, French General offered me a last minute opportunity to teach at their Vermont retreat. I almost never rush for anything but the stars aligned and it was the perfect opportunity to teach my first embroidery focused project.
It’s a little stitch workbook and also has places for collecting textile treasures.
The students made beautiful, personal and imaginative stitched books with their own designs and the templates I brought. The stitch club community is also test driving designs with great results. It has left me feeling like this is going to be a thing.
Check out some more textile books from the retreat below
the crow sew along
What’s a sew-along? It could be many things, in this case it’s lots of people working on the same project at once and sharing their work.
The project is – a crow – with a focus on using thrifted materials. I’ve started a one made from a XL men’s shirt I got at goodwill. The striped shirt is darker on the inside and I’m using that side. I’ll mix in some of the lighter side too and play with the angle of the stripes for feathers. My crow might be made entirely of the shirt, or, I’m going to look around this weekend for ties to incorporate in the feathers. I’ll be posting progress in the facebook sew-along group, insta stories and in stitch club.
Where can you share? In the face book sew-along group, on instagram and the stitch club community. Or you can email an image of your finished crow to me at – ann @ ann wood handmade dot com
And to make it interesting there is a prize for best crow – a one year membership to the aforementioned stitch club community. Please post your finished crow by October 29th and the winner will be announced on Halloween.
When you share on instagram please tag @annwood and use the hashtag #annwoodpattern (The hashtag by itself is not enough – you gotta be sure to tag me please.)
For some extra crow sewing tips check out the 2022 crow sew-along – all posts are linked at the bottom.
in other news
Look for an email next week for new cards, stickers and the 2026 calendar.
Save the date- there will be a large daily painting sale Thursday October 23rd – noon-ish eastern time.
I’m about halfway through Lonesome Dove and don’t want it to end.
I’ll leave you with a late bouquet for the little garden. and some embroidery in progress.
My crow from a past sew along keeps me company in my quilt room. My daughter and I are very very slowly working our way through the construction of the owl. I might need to look through my fabrics and see if any inspire me to make another crow. They are such fun to construct!
Thank you! A crow supervises my sewing room as well.
I have been enjoying embroidery and cross stitch lately, while my vision is still decent. I like the sweet images in the last two pictures of this post. Are they from a storybook or do you free-hand draw them? Thank you.
Thank you! I’ve been making a painting for 6 plus years everyday and I’m taking images form those paintings to create embroidery designs.
I love your newsletters. they FILL my heart XOXOXO
I started a crow and am looking forward to quiet moments and guild hand sewing get togethers to work on it. I am going to savor the process. Look forward to seeing so many more!
Love this nostalgic embroidery and collage. Rushing for that workshop was so worth it.
Great newsletter. I love the vintage embroidery.
Hi Ann,
I absolutely love your simple embroidery designs! I really love the squirrel w/hat and flag; the French chair and the hen looking over her shoulder. I’ll be waiting for your next email with a “design to try” which you mention in your post above. Can’t wait to embroider them myself! (I’ve been embroidering for years, read every one of your emails, love French General (have stitched their kits).
Thank you so much Ann!
Joan Maze Miles
Loved the embroidery book project and it’s so fun to see everyone else’s pages! And your blog of delightful projects provides so many ideas for peaceful making. Ca Caw!
Embrodery – Love the French chair and the sassy hen. The little mouse is adorable, too. Would love to have the embroidery pattern for them as well as the squirrel.