Coiled by Angie Wagner for Tom Arnold

Angie Wagner sent me a masterpiece. The upper section of a bottleneck gourd was used to create a very elegant flower vase --- we're talking vazz here - not the common vace.

The opening is slanted like the spout of a pitcher and coiled with three very tight rows of needles. The begining of the weave starts with 6 needle caps exposed at the bottom and ends at the top with 6 caps exposed going the other way. ( Angie, just because you're only 30 years old gives you no right to coil needles going both ways at the same time. You can't do that..... and I thought Carol Miller was the only smartelec in the group.... ).

Anyway, the base of the coil is bound to the gourd with a black glass bead between each 2 holes, matching the black waxed linen used on the coil. Amber and black glass beads cascade down the front of the vase. A hanger for the vase was fashioned from what appears to be three strands of handplaited linen. Then to make it viable as a vase, Angie used beeswax to seal the container inside so it would hold water. ( This girl thought of everything.) One more time, I've been graciously humbled by a wonderful gift. If you could see the natural color of the gourd blending into the rich brown pine needles and colorful glass beads and the highlight of leather dye you would understand why I'm so pleased with what just happens to be only the second one in existance.

Pine Needle Group Logo, created by Carol Antrim