Jonathan Adler single-handedly made needlepoint cool again, and he's got me wanting to take up the hobby. If and when I do, you won't catch me needlepointing any cat motifs. Of course, my pattern will have to be hip. (Sorry, cat lovers.) I'm considering kicking off with a Hug Needlepoint Kit ($106) from former graphic designer Emily Peacock, which comes complete with a canvas, yarn, a needle, and Read more

Since you named Jonathan Adler your favorite product designer of 2008, and since Greek key patterns are perennially pleasant, I find it highly likely that Jonathan Adler's Greek Key Pillow ($82.50, marked down from $165), will meet your approval. The pattern is painstakingly embroidered in needlepoint, and its chic monochromatic colors will make it welcome in any home. Read more

Historically, needlepoint may be thought of as women's work, but needlepoint was practiced by some totally fierce women. My favorite mythological needleworker is Penelope, who, in Homer's The Odyssey, fooled all of the men around her for three years with her needlework. Penelope's husband Odysseus was out on various adventures and presumed dead, and her new suitors were put off by Penelope's Read more

I was never fond of needlepoint; but I am always fond of anything the pioneer of Palm Peach kitsch Jonathan Adler does. These Jonathan Adler needlepoint eyeglass cases, $38, are fabulous. They come in other styles too, but this one is an ode to another thing I'm fond of: the theatrical rock band KISS. A crafty gift for yourself or others, these cases put needlepoint back on the cool map. Read more