A Brief but Sincere Record of Public Recognition

Second Place — Petersfield Sewing Bee 2025

It began unexpectedly.

A sewing machine saleswoman — friendly, efficient, and unknowingly fateful — happened to mention it:

“Sewsy in Petersfield is running a Sewing Bee. You should enter. Deadline’s the end of July.”

And so, I did.

I submitted three garments by photograph:

• A gingham waist-tie skirt, stitched with picnic intentions.

• A summery dress, the kind that politely demands sandals.

• A blue vest-jacket, once an apron, now reimagined as a practical fable.

Weeks passed.

Then, a delightful email:

Second place.

A humble accolade, but a meaningful one — bestowed without fanfare, ribbons, or the need for small talk.

What I Imagine the Judges Said:

About the jacket: “An apron? Are you quite sure? Clever.”

About the skirt: “Simple, charming, very wearable.”

About the dress: “Clean lines. Dreamy fabric. Approved.”

I never stepped foot in Petersfield.

But my clothes did. They travelled by file upload and were assessed in absentia —

quietly, confidently, and (it seems) convincingly.