I saw the KRF: Artist Notebook Project as an opportunity to challenge myself by doing something altogether new. My immediate response was to create a sketchbook, but about what? As I mulled things over, ideas began to emerge. I developed a title – From point of arrival to point of departure by Hildegarde Frank – that related to the act of reading one page, one chapter or the entire contents of a book. I had originally trained to be a painter and have always felt comfortable using paint media. I, therefore, began applying washes of acrylic paint to the pages. It was a base layer against which something would be set. I wanted to do something that would create some sort of visual tension and also tie into the idea of what a book is or can be. The answer was to stitch images using a needle and thread. This suited the project perfectly as the structure of many books depends on the pages being sewn together. I then, within the limitations set by the media, began exploring the linearity of stitched imagery by working in abstract and figurative modes. The resulting pictures include vegetal forms, geometric shapes and patterns, as well as text. The process was very intuitive. I was also surprised how each page actually holds two images. There are recto and verso versions of each stitched picture. The process was labour intensive and I usually produced one image per day. A photograph of the sewing kit used and remnants of thread were fitted into the notebook’s back pocket as reference. This photo explains the colour sequence, which follows the way the rolls of thread have been laid out in the kit. I ended up being pleased with the quality of the images. The final step was inventing the name of an author, because I thought it important to distance the project from myself. In the end I included this imaginary person’s name in the notebook’s title. When it was finished, I found myself liking the way the object hovers between being a book, a collection of drawings, and a craft project.