Ann Williamson

Handmade Designer Women's Apparel

Uncategorized

Holidays and More

2 Comments

Yow! How did we get here??? The holidays are upon us and I am running up the down escalator trying to keep up.

Which is not a bad thing! I love to be busy. As long as I can keep up. And, I’m proud to say, I’m doing a pretty good job.

I’ve been juggling the last orders from the Smithsonian show and at the same time updating and adding in new work to my web-shop. Including scarves! A great gift, scarves are a simple way to add a bit of color as well as providing a practical way to keep warm. They work for all, no mater the receivers size, gender or age. I always try to make sure I have plenty for holiday shoppers.

And so important these days, no waste. They’re sewn from leftover scraps of my gorgeous hand painted, dyed and woven kimono silks.

Warm colors,

And cool. Check them as well as other items here.

Keep checking back, I’ll be adding in more during the next few weeks.

Besides scarves I’ve been working on a couple orders for my ‘Piano Jazz’ jacket and pants.

The promised delivery days were coming up so I needed to focus my attention on piecing little scraps of black and white kimono silks.

I spent many days sewing small, random blocks so there would be enough for 2 sets of jackets and pants. Time whizzed by, my mind in the zone as I blissing out with all the various patterns and shapes.

Equally fun, laying out the blocks, finding ways to make everything work together.

Below, the two fronts, each unique from the other, but similar, like sisters.

The one on the left has been sewn together, the other is in mid-process as I was laying out the blocks.

Somewhere in there was Thanksgiving. However you chose to celebrate, I hope you had a good one.

Now, onward! It’s coming up, the holiday season!

Photo Shoot 2023!

4 Comments

Photo shoots are so much fun! Everyone’s attention is on making my clothes look as fantastic as possible. What could be better? The model, her hair and makeup, her movements and poses and especially the way the clothes look and hang, how the lights hit, all working together to emphasize my work and make it look its very best.

I contacted Mario Gallucci, a photographer new to me, whose gorgeous pictures on his website confirmed he would be right.

Also Kerrin Birchenough, a stylist I had used before and knew from experience that she would be perfect.

And beautiful Flo, an aerialist [!!!] who was eager to model. A few moments on her instagram page and I knew I wanted to work with her.

At the shoot, first thing, work out lighting and mood with Mario. Next, get Flo ready. Stylist Kerrin and her assistant Lilly on the job.

The ritual cleansing of the feet. We were all doing our best to keep the paper as pristine as possible.

Camera settings adjusted.

At last, lights camera, action!

Flo was on fire! So good. After many beautiful poses and impressive movements, we moved onto the second piece.

For this one, a new look. A blond wig! Below, in mid-prep, working through a 1980’s big hair look.

Hair and makeup complete, dressed in my long coat, the ‘wind machine’ [otherwise known as a fan] blasting. Flo channels a hot, dry and dusty desert wind.

Moving like a dancer, she struck pose after pose. On the monitor you can see how the lights flash a yellow color for each shot.

Number three had a beach-ocean feeling.

We were on a roll, all working together with gorgeous results.

With only an hour to go within our scheduled time, we started on the last look. We were going for the look of a deep, dark, renaissance painting. The photo assistant adds a bit of reflected light for extra shine.

And done! We did it! So many fantastic photos to choose from.

Thank You Beautiful Flo! Expert Kerrin! And especially the very talented Mario Gallucci, photographer extraordinaire.

Next up, before they are ready for viewing, I’ll go through all the shots and choose my favorites for Mario to process.

Stay tuned.

Applique, Fabric Sale and a Fancy Watch

8 Comments

I am absolutely ready and eager to start a piecing project. I want to pull scraps from my stash, cut fabric up and start rearranging, sewing and creating something new.

But when I wander into my studio, instead of piecing, I find myself working on appliqué projects.

For example, this coat. I found this amazing kimono silk and wanted to appliqué skinny gold strips to emphasize the wandering steam design. No waiting around, no first I’ll piece a new jacket. Nope. Instead it was Appliqué.

Now.

Below, the strips pinned in place and ready to be basted.

Just before the black and white stream piece above, I was working on another appliqué piece, a wide shawl collar for a coat. It’s is from another amazing kimono silk, this one a shibori design in red and white.

Shibori, it’s the impressive Japanese tie-dye. In the detail you can see where the threads were tied tight around each of the circles. The little squares I’ll appliqué are also from a shibori, this one with tiny circles instead of big.

The woven red silk I’ll use for the coat has a classic design of overlapping pieces of fabric.

If you are anywhere close to Portland, I hope you or any other fellow fabric fiend will come to our big fabric sale. Several friends and I will be going through our stashes and offering fabric, notions and other sewing related things to sell at greatly reduced prices. I have way too much! And will be selling silks, wools, a few cottons and even some of my kimono silks that I can’t use. In addition to fabrics there will also be Elisabeth Gillem’s shibori pieces and Marla Kazell’s sample garments. And lots more!

Next Saturday, June 24th. I hope to see you there!

And one other thing. A friend sent this link and I can’t stop thinking about it. It is so cool.

I have never paid any attention to fancy watches. I knew they existed, but never had a thought about them, until I saw a little video about the making of a Patek Phillippe Grandmaster Chime watch. I was mesmerized. The craftsmanship is so impressive. Check out the video here.

Next up for me? For real. A piecing project!

Happy Happy Holidays!

2 Comments

Can you believe it? Here we are again. The light returns and a new year begins.

Let’s acknowledge this magical time!

However you celebrate I hope you have the very best and happiest holidays ever!!!

And, for sure, I send all my wishes to you for a joyful, delightful and blissful 2023!!!

Retired Racers 2023 Calendar

4 Comments

A few weeks back, Holly Andres, photographer extraordinaire, asked if I would participate in a fund raiser for our local greyhound adoption organization, I enthusiastically answered yes!

When greyhounds can no longer race, often between 3 or 5 years old, they are retired. The Greyhound Pet Adoption NW organization helps to find homes for these beautiful dogs.

The idea was to photograph the dogs wearing ‘Elizabethan Collars.’ Not those cone shaped collars that dogs wear after surgery, instead, they wanted fancy, Tudor inspired collars.

Holly gathered 12 local designers and asked them to create their own version of an Elizabethan collar. The photos would be for their 2023 calendar.

What to make? I still had a headpiece for the ‘bride’ in this photoshoot from a few years back and thought it would make a good starting place.

It wasn’t quite Tudor size, so I added bigger bias loops. And in honor of Elizabeth I, it needed more pizazz and sparkle, so I added some good sized beads.

A detail shot.

I handed the collar over to Holly who photographed it and the 11 other contributions.

The final photo, on the beautiful Zia, looking glamorous and fetching. And oh so sweet.

Miss November.

The calendar is available at the Greyhound Pet Adoption website. Only $19.99! All proceeds go to the adoption, medical, transport and housing of these retired racers. Check it out here.

The backside, so you can see some of the other photos. I am always blown away by how different the results can be when creative people are asked to complete one task. Amazing!

Please check it out. And consider helping out this wonderful organization by buying this calendar!