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I use these small quilts as a kind of sketching, before I consider using a technique or pattern on a bigger piece.  Sometimes these little quilts are perfect for customers who have small spaces, or no experience of quilts as art.

This one is a texture study using a fabric-printing block for the tulips, stencils with a gold dye crayon, the ‘7 beauties’ quilt pattern of interlocking circles (for the frame), and a plaid binding.  Quite a lot, really, for a 13″ square.

I also fit the small quilts with corners on the back to hold a piece of illustration board for hanging.  They require just one picture hook, screw, or nail, so there is no wrassling with a gallery-type sleeve, monofilament, or special hanging rod.

When a woodturner speaks of a box, she means a small cylindrical lidded form with a tight-fitting lid.  For this series, I use buttons as knobs.

The box on the left is in the style of Warren MacKenzie’s boxes, with two (clay) buttons to line up the lid with the base.  His, however, are thwacked into five-sided boxes.  I could do something similar with the sander, just not this time.

All of the button boxes will include an assortment of buttons when I get ready to sell them.

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Lace bobbins work best when each one is distinctive, so that the lacemaker can identify the order of placement of the threads.  This suits me very well, because I have lots of different woods, beads, and styles of turning to use!

Sadly, bobbin lace is a skill endangered by our short attention spans.  It requires ‘prickings’ to guide the process, a pillow to work upon, and beautiful lacemaking threads.  Perhaps it will experience a revival for jewelry or wire art, as macrame has in recent years.