What do sewing and fiddling have in common? Kiara Williams’ one-of-a-kind creativity!
photos courtesy of KIARA WILLIAMS
You might know Kiara Williams as one half of Key to Adam, the fiddler–guitarist duo that has become well-loved for their instrumental renditions of classic and modern hits alike. But did you know that Williams is just as skilled with a sewing needle as she is with a fiddle?
As a young girl, Williams dreamt of designing enough dresses to fill a boutique. When she learned the violin, music became her main aspiration. But her passion for fashion would reemerge soon enough. As she and Adam Moyer began performing at some of the state’s most luxurious venues, Williams found herself in need of increasingly elegant attire. She could’ve paid an exorbitant price for an extravagant gown, but instead she decided to make one herself with the help of her mother, her grandmother, and a roll of discounted satin—within just two weeks, in time for a performance at The Greenbrier Resort.
“I took out my mom’s 15-year-old sewing machine, and I was working so hard that I broke it,” she recalls. “My grandma is a seamstress and has been sewing for years, so we went over to her house and she started showing me different ways to do the waist and lay the train. My mom and I stayed over that night for a sleepover, just working on the dress—it was fun.”
That was in 2023, and Williams estimates that, today, at least half of the garments in her closet are handmade. It’s a pastime similar to music in the way that it relaxes and inspires, but Williams says the tangible outcome is a unique kind of reward.
“It’s a special feeling, wearing something that you made. It makes you happier,” she explains. “You can go to the store and buy something, but so much more time goes into creating it and you have more confidence wearing it.”
Most of Williams’ ideas come naturally: She sees a fabric’s potential and starts throwing it on a mannequin, no sketch needed. Other times, she follows a theme. In 2024, Moyer suggested she design a dress that resembles a ramp—and she did, complete with the pale root and bulb, fuschia stem, and three broad leaves. She wears it to perform at the Upshur County Public Library’s annual Gourmet Ramp Feast.
Williams incorporates her Appalachian heritage into her creations in other ways, too: creating a series of eight dresses inspired by The Greenbrier Resort’s interior design—which totaled 200 pounds of fabric—and even designing non-apparel items, like miniature Mothman plush toys with scented heating packs inside.
For years, Williams’ sewing has been a creative outlet and confidence boost for herself and Moyer, for whom she has sewn ties and pocket squares to match her dresses. But she’s ready to share the magic—soon enough, you’ll be able to buy your very own Kiara Williams original design. Whether it’s a prom dress or a heating pack, it’s guaranteed to be wholly unique. keytoadam.com, @keytoadam on FB
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S SUMMER 2026 ISSUE
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