As a long-time seamstress here in southern Oregon, I have made everything from custom Irish dance dresses to vintage trailer awnings. As an animal lover, it has been an absolute delight to sew for Liz at Little Noses for the past three years! My husband and I are also huge book nerds, and I binge-listen to audiobooks while sewing in my refuge (a.k.a. my sewing room).

My cat, Poirot—named for the fictional detective with the dapper moustache—joins me in saying hello. He has become my study buddy and reading companion. He tries to help in the sewing room too, but that is one off-limits space where his services are not needed.

Liz is a real kindred spirit, and this work—making the dog bandanas in particular—has been my favorite project over the past years. It is soothing to work with all the cheerful, unique colors and designs, from autumnal mushrooms and leaves to summery shrimp or springtime bees, spread out all over my sewing room season by season, as a kind of marker of time.

When I heard that Little Noses would be closing, it felt like the end of a whole sewing era. In passing—but with total seriousness—I offered my help, if day-to-day assistance with operations would be of interest to Liz. After a number of conversations, texts, emails between San Francisco and Ashland, Oregon, we decided to make a go of it, and keep Little Noses open!