The peach silk is almost all shattered, it’s torn, stained and many of the seams have [...]]]> This  antique gown arrived a while ago. I think it’s Edwardian  but it was definitely reworked at some point  - it has fasteners and hardware and repairs that were added later. I guess it has had many lives.

The peach silk is almost all shattered, it’s torn, stained and many of the seams have let go but the gauze, sheer silk lining and lace are still strong. First I’m making  a bird.

Two really – one from each lace and tulle sleeve. And maybe later today a little boat with gauzy sails and little peach silk flags.

*update:

Finished! snowflake and ashton

This dress turned up here in brown pieces –  I’m not even sure how it really goes together. I soaked it for days and days and then had lots of  fun pinning it into a dress shape. The under and over skirts are weighted and the overskirt has a lovely tulip shaped hem.

I’m making some [...]]]>

This dress turned up here in brown pieces –  I’m not even sure how it really goes together. I soaked it for days and days and then had lots of  fun pinning it into a dress shape. The under and over skirts are weighted and the overskirt has a lovely tulip shaped hem.

I’m making some things from it now – I’ll show you next week. I’m also working on a new kind of little boat -they’ll be finished and in the shop next tuesday .

There are fragments of garments with wonderful surprise linings.

And beautiful wear and eccentric mending. I already have owls [...]]]> Stephen Szczepanek of Sri Threads sent over another surprise package of magnificent things. Exquisite, inspiring things, thoughtfully chosen and gathered and kept for me that  just  magically appear on my doorstep.  Here are  a few  highlights.

There are fragments of garments with wonderful surprise linings.

And beautiful wear and eccentric mending.

I already have owls in progress and I’m thinking about using the blue silk bits below for spider bustles and some new flowers I’ll show you soon. Thanks you, thank you Mr. Szczepanek!

It looks like it has come for a visit – lounging [...]]]> I like velvet and have been on the lookout for it lately. This antique jacket came with the bonus of owly eye buttons. Lots of them. There are 6 on the back as well. You can click the image for a better look.

It looks like it has come for a visit – lounging on the couch. My BRAND NEW couch that I will go on and on about later, it’s been a saga ( you can see a bit more of it here). I like the lining fabric too -  there  is some wonderful mending I will preserve  however I use it.

This wonderfully tattered and incredibly fragile antique dress arrived last week.  All the silk is shattered, but beautifully shattered – almost as though it’s transforming itself.

I visited the Fortuny showroom earlier this week to talk with Mickey Riad ( creative director) about creating some of my  creatures with Fortuny fabrics. I think it ’s a fabulous idea and I’m looking forward to experimenting. We talked about bats and spiders and owls  and maybe some new things inspired by the exquisite [...]]]>

I visited the Fortuny showroom earlier this week to talk with Mickey Riad ( creative director) about creating some of my  creatures with Fortuny fabrics. I think it ’s a fabulous idea and I’m looking forward to experimenting. We talked about bats and spiders and owls  and maybe some new things inspired by the exquisite patterns and colors as well as the history.

Like the fabrics, the  new showroom in the D and D building is almost overwhelmingly beautiful.  I took a couple photos but they don’t do it justice – you can see much more here and on the Fortuny blog.

I’m excited about the possibilities and I’ll share progress photos with you when  I get started.

P.S. -  You’ll find the green bustled spider  crawling among the bolts of glorious fabric  in the first photo here.

]]> http://annwood.net/blog/2010/11/18/fortuny/feed/ 6 http://annwood.net/blog/2010/11/11/juxtapoz-handmade/ http://annwood.net/blog/2010/11/11/juxtapoz-handmade/#comments Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:25:49 +0000 annwood http://annwood.net/blog/?p=3125 Cover  -  ana serrano – wonderful.

Juxtapoz Handmade is in stores now.

I’m flattered to be included with so many of my favorite artists :

clare crespo

*

Sara Escarmilla

*

Souther Salazar, Saelee Oh and so many others. I love the book.  Love it.

I made halloween costumes for  a couple of my smaller friends this weekend, a humpback whale and a starfish. It was a sewing marathon,  seat of the pants sort of effort  – fast – no do-overs,  no obsessing ( a little obsessing ),  good spontaneous fun for my typically compulsive  and  too tightly  wound  self.

And [...]]]>

I made halloween costumes for  a couple of my smaller friends this weekend, a humpback whale and a starfish. It was a sewing marathon,  seat of the pants sort of effort  – fast – no do-overs,  no obsessing ( a little obsessing ),  good spontaneous fun for my typically compulsive  and  too tightly  wound  self.

And the fabulous little fellows who wore them brought them to life in ways I could never  have imagine.

( there is a video of the humpback whale on the move here)

This edwardian ballgown arrived recently – it’s incredibly fragile and delicate – much of it disintegrates when I touch it but there is still tons of usable and inspiring stuff.  I spent the better part of a day photographing and examining it and then  taking it apart. I found a label in the [...]]]>

This edwardian ballgown arrived recently – it’s incredibly fragile and delicate – much of it disintegrates when I touch it but there is still tons of usable and inspiring stuff.  I spent the better part of a day photographing and examining it and then  taking it apart. I found a label in the sleeve that says  B. Altman & Co. NEW YORK; it is one of my  all time favorite garments and reminds me of the very first antique gown, or really pieces of a gown, that inspired my very first birds. I didn’t photograph the gown, I so wish I had, but I still have two of the birds and I’ll show them to you soon.

I’m making a havisham spider from it today, if I finish it before the light goes I’ll post another picture.

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