O is for observant. 

“All of us are watchers—of television, of time clocks, of traffic on the freeway—but few are observers. Everyone is looking but not many are seeing.” – Peter M. Leschak

A hailstorm in July did in a beautiful dragonfly. My sharp eyes—except why can’t I read without adding a second pair?—spotted this little body just outside my front door. Got a little  “ewwww” factor on when I picked her up. But I just had to. Look at the magnificent wings! I see a sculpted fantasy figure (okay, really, a cloth art doll...but doesn't "sculpted fantasy figure" sound more artsy?) percolating. And since one of the items in my bucket list is a kitchen witch, why not a kitchen dragonfly instead? It’s just about the time of the year for pesky flies to be invading our domiciles, and I think a flying purple dragonfly made of mesh, beads, angelica, and whatever fun things awaiting in my stash would be perfect! Thanks little lovely lady for making your final resting place in my yard!

Another percolating design happened because of a hike on the Square Tower Group trail in Hovenweep National Monument this past May. 

As I hiked the trail, I took photos of the patterns on the walls of the ruins.

I also found this colorful Eastern collared lizard. He was quite used to posing, thank you very much.

I’m using these two photos and hand-dyed "Canyonland" fabrics by Debra Lunn (when her Lunn Fabric store was in Denver) as my starting point for a quilt design. I’ll post the quilt and it’s progression when it gets out of my head and onto the design wall.

Being observant is awesome!

N is for needlewoman.

What’s a needlewomen without a healthy stash of needles? My hand-sewing ones range almost from A to Z: from applique to yarn needles (photo A). The three in the top middle—between the rippers—are vintage, probably from my grandmother. One is marked ten cents, and one is marked five cents. They’re keepers!

When unsewing is required, which is way too often, I have…drum roll…a collection of seam rippers. And that’s just what they do when I get frustrated after unsewing a seam two or three times: they often rip the fabric. Does impatience get you in deep dodo too?

The ripper on the left in photo A is my oldest one from junior high home ec class (engraved with my name…thanks Dad!). The one on the right is my newest, Alex Anderson’s 4-in-1, that is a ripper and a stiletto, presser, and turner (thanks Alex!).

And for straight pins, I have long flower heads, glass-head and plastic-head applique in two sizes, pearl-head and glass-head dressmaker in a bunch of sizes, short sequins, assorted sharps, and silks. Making their home in the strawberry emery “pouch” are an assortment of quick-to-get-to hand-sewing needles. 

I’ve been teased a time or two about fussy placing my pins in their cushion (photo B). Doesn’t everyone do that?

My steel needlewomen notions also again range almost from A to Z: from ballpoint to wing machine-sewing needles. I fooled around with a plain ole universal machine needle making a wedding gift in July, a batik Log Cabin quilt block (photo C). 

The first round of "logs" are folded strips that hold the invitation (photo D). I used a A size 11 needle. It's “just perfect” because it makes small holes, which is great when sewing finely woven batiks “just in case” unsewing is required. Whew, for once, this was a project with impeccable seams! Yipee, no rippie!!!

The ring bearers were the bride’s young son and the groom’s not-quite-two nephew.

And the flower girls were the groom’s young nieces. Cute, huh! 

And for the bride and groom…the dress is vintage and was remade to look new. What great things a needlewoman can do!

Being a needlewoman is awesome!