2nd Place, Professional Original

I was inspired by an antique sewing case to create a needlebook that has a spine at its top. When opened, a needlepage and a pincushion are revealed.

The design’s focal point is a cat looking up at a birdhouse. The cat looks as though he is deciding whether to climb the pole. I used my cat as the model for the cat’s markings.

The cat’s body is padded with multiple layers of felt and cotton pearl. The cat’s hip is stitched as a soft sided slip that is then appliquéd over the padding. His body and face are completed using directional long and short, creating a very realistic cat.

The cat is sitting under the branch of a large tree. On the branch the parent bird is watching the cat. Also adding interest to the garden are spiders, bees, and a butterfly.

The birdhouse is created using hard-sided slips. Soft-sided slips are used for leaves and butterfly wings.

A narrow blackwork pattern frames the design. The blackwork is repeated on the back cover’s band sampler and the spine. A portion of the same blackwork design is used to frame the needlepage giving the interior a slightly different look.