This month we highlight Fashion Studies student Ann C. Ann has been attending classes now at the sewing room for about a year. It’s been an absolute joy to see her hand work emerge and grow as she works through the Ann Wood Handmade Slow Stitch Book and posts photos of her work on Instagram. It’s somewhat rare to find a student who enjoys the hand work like this, as many want to rush through the process. This slow stitching is a good meditation for the practicing of patience. It will also prepare her for the work she will do in our Couture Sewing Intensive we are holding in spring. (Shhhh….don’t tell her I told you). In any case, here is a little more about Ann…

What is/was your current/past career path?

I started out teaching philosophy and humanities at the community college level, but now I am a product manager for publishing and exhibit software.  The two careers may seem a bit far away from each other, but I've found that throughout everything I do, the common threads of critical thinking and problem solving are always running through them.  So both have actually been a great fit, and a nice way to gather a bunch of different experiences.

When did you start sewing/how long have you been sewing?

My first memory of sewing is of sewing together small quilt squares at my grannie's house - I'm not sure how old I was, maybe 7 or 8.  Since then, I've done a lot of other crafting (beading, knitting, embroidery, sashiko), but only recently took up sewing again.  

What are your interests outside of sewing?

Outside of sewing, I like to cook, eat, travel, swim...  One of my favorite things to do is to go up to a little lake we know about in the mountains and walk around it with my husband and my dog :)

Why did you want to learn how to sew?

I blame my cousin -- she's usually the one that gets me into new things :). She started doing quilting and taking sewing classes in Oklahoma, and as she showed me the things she was making, I thought it would be neat to do some of that myself.  I had bought a sewing machine during the pandemic so then just needed someone to help me figure out how to use it to make my own clothes.  I really liked the idea of being able to make things I thought were cool but unlikely to find in stores.

What is your favorite part about sewing/the clothing making process (design, pattern, sewing, fabric etc.)?

I absolutely love seeing how two-dimensional patterns and fabrics become three-dimensional objects -- it's fascinating to see how it looks one way on paper, but then transforms into something completely different once it's sewn together.  The other thing I really like is the understanding that comes when I actually go through the process of, say, sewing on a sleeve -- I finally understand how ease works!  And of course, fabric, fabric, fabric -- colors, textures, patterns; imagining the possibilities of what they could become...

What are your #sewinggoals and/or ambitions?

My goals for sewing I think are just to keep learning how things work and how to solve problems so I can make things that I think are interesting for myself and others.  I like constant learning and seeing things evolve.  I'd also really like to learn couture sewing techniques!!!