Irene's Hari-kuyo Needlebook

This is my crazy quilting friend Irene...

Irene is a very talented needle artist with a wry wit and a well-practiced needle.  Her designs are always unique, innovative and beautiful.

Check out what Irene brought the last time we all got together...

It's her version of the Hari-kuyo Needlebook with a gecko crawling across the cover.

Using her own fabrics and trims, Irene used the basic needlebook pattern to create her own personalized book with lots of special touches.

Like using an elastic and a big vintage glass button for the closure...

Her book has a Victorian, Harry Potter-ish feel to it, like it belongs to Professor McGonagall.

She used velvet for the cover and hand-dyed, plaid wools for the needle pages, giving her book a satisfied, chubby appearance...

The true sign of a well-loved, well-fed book.

She didn't like the overly white of the needle labels, so she toned them down with organza ribbons...

And gave her book a proper bookplate on the spine...

Don't you just love that?

But my favorite part of Irene's book is her last page.  

Irene has a tendency toward the irreverent...she's not one that likes a lot of sap and sugar.  So when it came time to create a page to honor her broken needles, the "Broken but not Forgotten" idea just didn't cut it with her.  

Instead, she came up with this...

A place for her broken needles to RIP (Rest in Peace).  

To die for. 

She even angled the cuts on the top felt corners to resemble a tombstone.  

Of course, we all loved her book.  And, after listening to all our ooh-ing and aah-ing, Irene says, "Well, now that I'm collecting all these broken needles...I don't know what the heck I'm supposed to do with them."  

Evidently, the heartfelt, personal memorial service honoring her broken needles probably isn't Irene's style either. 

Well, tomorrow I'll show you a burial solution that will be perfect for Irene's needles.  And it's just in time for Halloween...And no, it isn't a Jack Skellington pin cushion with broken needles sticking out it's head...though that isn't a bad idea.

I'll show you tomorrow. 

Sandy update: We're fine.  Never lost power.  Sending healing thoughts and prayers to our friends in New York, New Jersey and the Northeast.   

Needlebook Update:  The Hari-kuyo Needlebook class is open for registration.  Class begins November 12.  You can read about the details of the class here.  Join us.  There are five different kits to choose from or use your own materials and make your own version of the needlebook like Irene did.