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Photo by Dimitri LaZaroff

About Ann K. Johnson

  Speaker  
     
  Author  
     
  Instructor  
     
  Testimonials  

I have been in the decorative workroom business since summer of 1992. I ran the business out of my home and had one part-time helper.  Working from my home was a personal choice because I had three small children and I wanted to be home to raise them. I had sewn all my life, clothing and crafts, but never window treatments beyond the simple shirred valance. A casual acquaintance, Sara Pesarchick, asked me to sew for her decorating business. Though I had absolutely no experience in sewing decorative treatments, I agreed to try. Thus was the beginning of an enduring friendship and a new career.

At the time I opened my workroom in 1992, the internet was not available. There were very limited resources for professional patterns. I had no idea that this was a serious career or that there were professional workrooms. I used the library extensively, researching treatments and patterns. I realized very quickly that no one pattern was going to solve the needs of my very creative designer friend. I had to learn early to draft patterns on my own. Clients are surprised to learn that I have no artistic/creative talent. I come from a very left-brain, task-oriented engineering gene pool of perfectionist workaholics. It is these genetic qualities which have allowed me to steer an alternative course as a workroom. I tend to approach each job as an engineering project.

From 2006-2007, I was the manager of a larger custom workroom.  During that time, I did all the cutting for seven full-time sewers.  I developed efficient cutting techniques, managed projects for multiple employees, developed written standards and cutting and fabrication instructions and built a reference library of pictures of work done in the workroom.  It was a dynamic job and I learned to approach the workroom business from a larger point of view.  

Over the years, I have made enough mistakes to qualify me to write the book on swag pattern drafting. It is my wish to save you the time I lost making mistakes and trying to figure out why the swag did not look the way I had hoped.

I am the author of The Professional Workroom Handbook of Swags, Volume 1 and Volume II.   I have taught classes at the Custom Home Furnishings Industry Educational Conference for several years. The classes are based on my books.

Keep an eye on my website. I hope to develop a full Professional Workroom Handbook series of books. Including books on patterning shades, Austrians and Kingstons, and cascades, tails and jabots.  

If you have suggestions for articles or books, please feel free to contact me. I love to hear from you.

 

Speaker:

Previous engagements:

  • Northeast Ohio Chapter of WCAA, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Greater Detroit Workroom Association
  • WCAA Northeast Chapter, Springfield, MA
  • Custom Home Furnishings & DWC Conferences since 2003

Topics include:

  • Swags: Pattern drafting, fabrication & troubleshooting
  • Kingston valances: Pattern drafting, fabrication and troubleshooting.
  • Pattern drafting, fabrication and troubleshooting for any window treatment style. Can tailor the subject to your needs.
  • Plan and manage your custom workroom with growth in mind.
  • Take your design/workroom business to a new level with dreamDraper design software.

For more information on topics and contact details, click here

Author:
Instructor:

Custom Home Furnishings Academy

  • Perfecting Your Workroom Skills
  • Strengthening Your Swag Skills

Testimonials:

"When our local WCAA chapter was looking for a speaker Ann’s name came up.  She was a candidate not only for her industry experience but for her success as an author and as an entrepreneur.  Before her scheduled engagement, I was fortunate to take a class “Taking the mystery out of Kingstons” that Ann gave at the DWC conference in Springfield, MA in September 2008.  Kingstons are a complicated window treatment and Ann was well prepared – had excellent visuals and samples – spoke to the point and was able to address all the questions presented to her in a clear, concise and down to earth manner.  Ann was not only professional but also intertwined her own story of success which made it more personal. I was so pleased & excited knowing that she would be speaking to our group shortly after this conference.


Ann’s presentation to our WCAA chapter in October 2008 covered arched swags and her many tips and techniques for sewing and running a workroom business.  Her presentation, again, was easy to follow and her handouts were excellent.  There was plenty of time for in depth questions and she had great examples of her techniques to share." 
       Jeanne McDermott     

 

 

"Ann Johnson is the Queen of swags! She's also among the best of speakers. Ann presents a professional image, is well organized, light hearted, and full of knowledge based on experience. Her enthusiasm will keep you focused and leave you jazzed!"     Mary-Ann Quinn, MAQ Design.      

 

"A lot of great tips: Very informational and knowledgeable. Enjoyed class."        --- Ruth

 
 

 

"Ann had complete control of the class - demanded and kept our attention. My best class yet! Thanks!"     --- Debbie

 

"WOW! Fantastic advanced Class."          -- Chris Watt

 
 

 

"Ann knows her stuff! Not only knows it (and the math stuff) but is able to explain it to non-math people."    -- Laura

 

"Very good illustrations -both samples and printed. Ann was well prepared. I gained a much better understanding."          --- Sally

 
 

 

"This by far was the BEST class - most informative, clear, concise."      Roberta

 

"Ann is tremendous and clearly articulates objectives of her class, solicits feedback, checks for understanding and effectively closes her workshop. My guess is that she is a former educator and if not, she has the natural talent for teaching."      --- Sarah

 
 

 

"Excellent teacher - great visuals - moved right along. Cudos!"      Vivian

 

"Ann was a very organized and successfully covered a lot of information in a short time."      --- Leslie

 

 

 

"Excellent class, good basic practical instruction."      -- Sally

 

"Ann did a fabulous job of giving us a lot of very useful info in clear, concise manner. Very informative. Thanks!"      --- Judy

 
 

 

"Very impressed with Ann's teaching/professionalism and knowledge. Reinforced a lot of things I already know - but structured this into 'working' knowledge and reasoning and troubleshooting."       --- Dawn

 

"Ann rocks. Awesome teacher! Lots of tips that are fabulous"       -- Charlotte

 
 

 

"Ann is very knowledgeable and approachable. She fielded questions clearly and repeated for the whole room."      -- Lisa

 

"This class was very good. The instructor was very clear and concise. This is one of the best, most informative classes that I have taken! "    -- Debbie

 
 

 

"Lots of knowledge presented well. She took an intricate subject and made it easy to follow. Lots of info - loved it!"       -- Minda

 

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