When Diane first saw autumn Topiary, she knew she had to stitch the sweet gum balls - so tactile! Within minutes, she couldn't wait to stitch the entire topiary. She grew up around gardens, gardeners, and flower shows, and while there was plenty of exposure to all kinds of flower arrangements and other horticultural designs, the topiary was then and still is her very special favorite. The bouquet is carefully planned, despite its random appearance. Gail has planned wonderful textures; the weight and balance are exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

Everything Diane had needlepointed prior to this piece was quite geometric. It was a tremendous departure for her to build a graceful piece. She urges others who are geometrically inclined to take the challenge and stitch a graceful design; it's an entirely different experience! Diane is looking forward to stitching Gail's Winter Topiary in a few months.