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Meet the Artist
Mary Ann Coker, the owner of Sew Like Crazy, is a talented textile artist and designer; born in Savannah, Tennessee, but now makes St. Louis, Missouri her home. At age five she started making doll clothes by hand that matched the clothes her mother had made for her. At age 12, much to her mother's surprise and without her help, the first garment she sewed by machine was a skirt that had a waistband, pockets, zipper, and button closure. She loves a challenge!
Drawing on her earliest sewing experience, one of her passions is still working on doll clothes. These days, however, she can be found working out the intricate details of scaling down a vintage christening gown to fit a small vintage doll or creating and/or restoring clothes for vintage dolls.
She really does Sew Like Crazy so life in her studio is very interesting. She loves diversity!
Another one of her creative outlets is designing and sewing home decorating items.This also includes doing some upholstery work. One summer she was commissioned to completely transform an Alaskan fish camp from a rustic hodge-podge of a place to a welcoming and peaceful place for the clients to retire after a long day of fishing. This task was accomplished by using hunter green sheets to make 50+ duvet covers, 20+ shower curtains, and room darkening window curtains galore. Of course, it was years before she could look at hunter green.
Mary Ann also incorporates her love for animals into her love for sewing by creating a line of specialty clothing for dogs. These coats have two special features: a bone shaped chest plate (honoring her late Bichon) and a girth band topped with a decorative heart (honoring her mother).
Mary Ann enjoys creating new things by recirculating and recycling ordinary items. For example, she made two puppets (Clarence the Viking and the Sea Monster) out of scrap fabric and trim, a styrofoam cone, Dasani water bottle, drinking straw, hair scrunchies, and other interesting materials for a friend’s art show and book. Have a look see by clicking here. You can also have a listen to the Viking and the Sea Monster song by clicking here.
Once, when money was tight, she needed a dress for a formal banquet so she purchased a gently used bride’s maid dress that had a boring, high necked front and a stunning low cut back. By taking out the side zipper and the front darts out, and putting in new darts in the back, the dress was transformed into a head- turning evening gown. To accompany the dress, she made a shrug out of a taffeta shower curtain, which was destined to become her living room curtains.
Check out the Custom Sewing page to see how she can enhance your surroundings, customize your wardrobe, referbish a childhood doll, or help you design something special for yourself or a loved one. The Projects Photo Album and Boudoir Doll Photo Albumn pages have photos so you can see just a few of her creations.
Drawing on her earliest sewing experience, one of her passions is still working on doll clothes. These days, however, she can be found working out the intricate details of scaling down a vintage christening gown to fit a small vintage doll or creating and/or restoring clothes for vintage dolls.
She really does Sew Like Crazy so life in her studio is very interesting. She loves diversity!
Another one of her creative outlets is designing and sewing home decorating items.This also includes doing some upholstery work. One summer she was commissioned to completely transform an Alaskan fish camp from a rustic hodge-podge of a place to a welcoming and peaceful place for the clients to retire after a long day of fishing. This task was accomplished by using hunter green sheets to make 50+ duvet covers, 20+ shower curtains, and room darkening window curtains galore. Of course, it was years before she could look at hunter green.
Mary Ann also incorporates her love for animals into her love for sewing by creating a line of specialty clothing for dogs. These coats have two special features: a bone shaped chest plate (honoring her late Bichon) and a girth band topped with a decorative heart (honoring her mother).
Mary Ann enjoys creating new things by recirculating and recycling ordinary items. For example, she made two puppets (Clarence the Viking and the Sea Monster) out of scrap fabric and trim, a styrofoam cone, Dasani water bottle, drinking straw, hair scrunchies, and other interesting materials for a friend’s art show and book. Have a look see by clicking here. You can also have a listen to the Viking and the Sea Monster song by clicking here.
Once, when money was tight, she needed a dress for a formal banquet so she purchased a gently used bride’s maid dress that had a boring, high necked front and a stunning low cut back. By taking out the side zipper and the front darts out, and putting in new darts in the back, the dress was transformed into a head- turning evening gown. To accompany the dress, she made a shrug out of a taffeta shower curtain, which was destined to become her living room curtains.
Check out the Custom Sewing page to see how she can enhance your surroundings, customize your wardrobe, referbish a childhood doll, or help you design something special for yourself or a loved one. The Projects Photo Album and Boudoir Doll Photo Albumn pages have photos so you can see just a few of her creations.
If you have any custom sewing needs please send her a message from the Contact Artist page.
