Why you want a sewing awl in the house

This box contains one of my More Useful Possessions: a sewing awl.

I just used it to fix my backpack - the zip was broken, and I was tempted to get a new bag but then this one is covered in patches of places I've taken it to, so...

I fixed it. I absolutely recommend owning one of these, because there's some stuff you just can't fit under a sewing machine.

And, probably more interestingly to most of you, it's a BRILLIANT tool for stitching a wodge of paper into an impromptu sketchbook.

It's also great for punching horrific holes into yourself by accident, I do hope that red stuff on the book spine isn't blood. It's from 2002 so I don' really remember... actually I WOULD remember if it was. So it's more likely red ink.