Right here, right now

What a crazy day! Up at the crack with my friend's 18 month old (cutie pie).....shopping at Yorkdale with a gazillion other folks (just plain silly)....out for brunch at the Abbot (yummy, as usual)...more visiting (and wishing they lived closer)....stopping in Barrie on the way home (Christmas shopping is DONE, but there's still some making left to do))...and if that weren't enough to call it a full day, I just finished dyeing 7 yards of wool for my stocking workshop next weekend!As I sit typing this, all I can think about is how much I wish that I'd cleaned up -- before I sat down!Enjoy the rest of your weekend...

neat trees

I was wasting time just now and happened upon these nifty trees made from felted sweaters. I'm sure you could do something similar with wool fabric (although it would likely be more expensive)...

I love that place!

...and trust me, there's a lot to love!

For the last seven years, I've made an annual pilgrimage to see the Hooked in the Mountains show at the Shelburne Museum. Some years I've taken classes and other years I've just done a whirlwind trip on long weekend to see the show, shop and socialize.

The rug display is always fabulous (and pictures of that will be forthcoming, promise!), but the setting is also a real treat. The red barn is a magnificent building and it's as unique as most of the rugs on display within its round walls.


I don't think that I'll ever tire of seeing those mountains...so typical of Vermont.


Yes, those are apples! ...and the mountains are peeking thought behind. I just love tree skeletons...it's so interesting to see all of the branches once the leaves have fallen.


Scattered on the grounds are dozens of buildings....some 30+ structures depicting various periods and architectural features. There's even a boat, the Ticonderoga! The only downside to going to see the hooked rug show is that the Museum is closed to the public at that time of year....so if you really want to take advantage of all it has to offer, you'll just have to return again another time...



Many of the classes take place in either the Diamond Barn (on the left) or the Owl Cottage (on the right). I wonder which room I'll be teaching in next year? Yes, it's true! I am thrilled and honoured to have been asked to teach a class on purses next year. The details are still being finalized, but I'm pretty sure that it will be the last three days (I'll keep you posted).


So long for now, red barn...see you again next year!

Home - just in time

Although we encountered some light snow along our way through Vermont and New York this morning, it didn't slow us down. I was a little concerned when I heard about the storm we had here yesterday...but luckily it only really snowed when I was about five minutes from home. This is what it looked like...



It's great to be home (and it will be even nicer to sleep in my bed!) I'll post more about the trip real soon.

some rugs from the Shelburne Museum...

As I mentioned in my earlier post, we were fortunate to be able to go and see some of the Shelburne Museum's rug collection during our classes today. Although pictures were allowed, flash was not, so a couple of the photos are a little blurry. My apologies.

First up, here's Christmas Tree (date unknown). I think that I've seen this rug in at least one book before...


The Shelburne Museum Rug (circa 1955) is thought to have been hooked to commemorate the founding or an anniversary of the museum, since it contains a variety of historic artifacts and structures found on the grounds.


Molly Nye Tobey (1893-1984) created a masterpiece series of 50 Statehood rugs between 1046 and 1961. Each of the rug designs incorporate aspects of the geography, natural resources, agriculture, industry and history that are representative of each state. This is New York Rug...


This next rug (maker unknown) is circa 1955...


Dog in Diamond (1931) is not unfamiliar....


Jumbo the Elephant (circa 1930)...


Molly Nye Tobey's Nebraska Rug....


And I've saved one of my favourites for last...Molly Nye Toby's Basket of Flowers (1966)

class with Heather Ritchie - day two

Today was another great day. We continued making flowers...and I continued to be entertained by Heather and her accent. Yesterday I had spied some knitting she had in her bag...and I was hoping that she would talk to us about how she made it. She calls it her proddy knitting and she uses hand-dyed yarn and locks of dyed fleece to create it. This curly fleece looks like angora mohair, but it actually comes for her local Wensleydale sheep. Here it is from the front....


And here it is from the back...

It's very neat...and the same technique can be done with scraps of fabric in place of the fleece. The only downside is that, without the curls, they can more easily be pulled out. It's another item to add to list of things I want to try...

Participants were able to go and see one of the museum's exhibits today, so it took away from my hooking time a little bit. All the same, I did manage to create three flowers that I'm quite happy with...


I wonder what we will learn tomorrow...

class with Heather Ritchie - day one

First off, I have to say how fabulous it is to be in Vermont and going once again to the Shelburne Museum to see so many wonderful rugs on display at the Round Barn. Although I hadn't yet taken a single photo until today, I did manage to make up for lost time with over 200 taken today. So there will be lots to share with you in the coming days. For now, I'd like to talk about my first day of class with Heather Ritchie...

If I had to summarize it using just three words, I'd say that "it was awesome". Heather is just as delightful as I had imagined...and I really enjoyed her teaching style today. It was a combination of demonstration, story-telling, encouragement, and matter-of-fact instruction...all delivered in a terrific accent. Just wonderful.

Speaking of wonderful....here are the four rugs that Heather brought with her to share with us. Since she had to fly to get her, she was obviously limited in her luggage, so we were lucky to be able to see some of her work up close and personal.

The first three rugs are typical of the area where she lives, the Yorkshire Dales...


Many of the flowers in this next rug were hooked with fine-guage knits, including sweaters...




This next one was my favourite. It was inspired by a photograph Heather's son took of her and the lambs are hooked with raw fleece from local sheep. The proddy border is very decorative. Heather uses one of her rugs for her Christmas cards each year, and Bearing Gifts is this year's rug...


I'm having lots of fun creating flowers and playing with my new tools. Here's a picture that shows what I managed to get done today...

settled in Shelburne

We arrived safe and sound in Shelburne late yesterday afternoon. The funny thing about going away to rug hooking events is how often you run into someone you know from home. It seems to be especially true when you go out to dinner on your first night in town. Just last month in Amherst, Gayle Gunby and Ann Hallett from Coldwater walked in the door while mum and I were sitting at Duncan's.

It should not have come as a surprise that we ran into Kathy Smith and her lovely, spontaneous 96 year old mother at Pauline's. Oh, and did I mention they're sleeping two rooms over from us at the hotel? It's certainly a small world!

We had great fun shopping at Dorr yesterday morning...and it's a good thing that I only get there once or twice a year. My pocketbook just couldn't handle more frequent visits ;-)

On the schedule for today is going to see the show, a little more shopping...and hopefully some picture taking (I haven't taken a single shot). I've already been able to cross 4 names off my list and it would be great to buy a few more presents for some of the others.

super keene!

Greetings from Keene, NH! Cathy and I are safely tucked away in our motel room, relaxing after a busy day of driving - and many stops along the way. We did get some shopping done (mostly me!) and a yummy dinner (although we were so hungry that we could have eaten anything). It was a big relief that there was no snow this year - not even in the National Forest between Bennington and Brattleboro!

Tomorrow we're off to Dorr bright and early...so lots of decisions will need to be made. Wish us luck!

the weekend ahead...

Not too much going on this weekend...

I'm slowly getting organized for a stocking workshop I'll be teaching up in North Bay in early December. Since the only thing I use burlap for is for our special family stockings - and I'm still working with the 4 yards I bought some 6-7 years ago when I first took over production from AJ - I needed to find a supply before I teach the class. I ordered some from RHF and was planning to stop in and pick it up on my trip south next week...but luckily Andrea is heading up to her cottage this weekend so I can pick it up there tomorrow, and have a quick visit at the same time ;-)

Oh, and my 5 year old niece is coming for a sleepover Saturday and spending the day with me on Sunday, while her brother celebrates his 8th birthday with his friends. We'll have a fun time hanging out, drawing, snacking and painting our nails...

I also need to be getting ready to travel to Vermont next week - including getting some wool and supplies ready for my class [I still haven't decided what I'm going to do...but I've resolved to just focus on learning the proddy technique, and then I can apply in on my own at home. I have a sneaking suspicion there will be a few flower fridge magnets being given for Christmas gifts this year...] I'm heading down to Cathy's on Monday and we're going to leave bright and early Tuesday morning. If you want to shop vicariously through us...we'll be at Dorr on Wednesday morning for a couple of hours.

I'll be bringing my laptop on our roadtrip...and trying to post regular updates when I can. I won't be able to post from the road with my iPhone (like I did from the train) though - the roaming charges would take too much money away from all of the wool I'm planning to buy :-)

P.S. I've added some more hooking blogs to the list. I know there are still others...please let me know of you favourites. Thanks!

HOW TO... attach the long handles to the large handbag

Many people have expressed an interest in using the beautiful Grayson e. leather handles on the large handbag…and so I’ve finally sat down and written out instructions for doing so. I hope they make sense – please let me know if you have any ?????

DETERMINING HANDLE PLACEMENT… Before you begin hooking, you need to decide where the handles will be placed. First, fold your pattern in half – lining up the drawn lines on the both sides. Measure 2.5” in from the left line and lay handle tab in place (so that outside edge is at the 2.5” mark and there is enough room to hook 1-2 rows above) and carefully trace around it with a permanent marker. Repeat on the right with the other tab on the handle (working in from the fold). Flip over and repeat on the other side.


HOOKING AROUND THE HANDLES… Once the tab outlines are drawn, I like to colour the area so that I remember not to hook in this area. When you are filling in background around the tabs, be sure to come right up to the line…and maybe even pack a little more than normal, so that no backing will be visible once the straps are attached.

••NOTE: with these measurements, your seam will have to be on one end (and not in the middle of the front or back of your purse). ••

ATTACHING THE HANDLES… Before you attach the lining to your purse, sew handles into place with coordinating upholstery thread. I like to use two strands of dark brown (it most closely matches the stitching on the Grayson e. leather handles) and I tend to backstitch, likely going around twice (until it looks good).

If the space reserved is a little larger than is needed (i.e. backing is visible when the handle base is placed in the spot), cut a piece of wool slightly larger than the handle base, and sew around the edges of the hole, attaching the piece of wool to the backing, right next to the loops of hooking. Sew the handle on top, and then trim any excess wool poking up (between the handle and your hooking), flush with the tops of your hooked loops.

P.S. The only places I know that carry these handles are London Wul near Moncton and my LYS, Sheep Strings in Huntsville, Ontario. Both Heidi and Karen do mail order ;-)

P.P.S. If you live in the US, Val had kindly provided a link in the comments for a supplier down there. Thanks Val! ;-)

a few things...

1. Kaffe got to see an Ode to Kaffe purse. Yes, isn't that fun?! My rug hooking friend Joan was in one of his knitting workshops and had her house purse in tow. Suffice is to say it did not go un-noticed... ;-)

2. My mum and I have paid our deposit for Hooking in an Impressionistic Style with Doris Eaton and Deanne Fitzpatrick....so we'll be heading East again next Fall for some more special mother-daughter time. For details click here. Yes, it's a splurge...but I consider it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take with this dynamic duo. Doris' creations are at the top of my list of rugs I would like to own -- just look at this recent creation, Treetops & Fireflies...yum!

3. If you like to look at old rugs and have some spare time...check out Carol Telfer Antiques. Sadly the auction time has come and gone, but you can still see photos of some gorgeous textiles.

4. The final newsletter is in the mail. Hip hip horray! For those of you who have subscribed, you might notice that it looks a little different this time around. The printer made an error in our favour and used the super-duper copier and paper for the whole thing (which regularly would have cost more than $6 per issue for the printing alone!) I think it looks great...and it's a nice way to end off.

5. I still have no idea what I'm going to be working on next week in my class with Heather Ritchie at Shelburne. The good news is that I'm not leaving until Monday, so I still have time. Right?

do you live in or near NYC?

If I did, I'd probably be going to the American Folk Art Museum on Saturday, November 15 to attend the Fall Symposium on Textiles...

With presentations on topics as diverse as connoisseurship in samplers and silk embroideries, New York samplers, stenciled quilts, Glorious American Quilts—the next chapter, Pennsylvania German sewn and hooked rugs, conservation, and restoration. Followed by a panel discussion.

It's always interesting to receive newsletters from one of my most favourite museums. I just wish I could take participate in more of their interesting events...

marsha's peonies

A couple of weeks ago, when I was down East, I participated in the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival by teaching a purse workshop. It was a great day...and it was made all the more special because I could continue to visit with the participants for several days afterwards at the symposium and other festival events.

I was also able to reconnect with a few familiar faces, as well. I first met Marsha at the symposium last year, a few e-mails were exchanged, we met again at the OHCG Annual in Midland this past May, a few more e-mails were exchanged, and then I found out that she had registered for my class. It was comforting to know that there would be at least one person in my class I'd met before.

I cannot think of Marsha without remembering the frank comment she made when we we were driving through Midland. It was regarding teaching people to rug hook and she was saying that it doesn't take long to teach someone how to hook - you can even do it in 10 minutes, because "there's just one stitch". There is only one stitch - it can be pulled up a number of different ways, but it's a pretty basic movement. We often tend to make things more complicated than necessary...but it doesn't need to be this way.

Marsha sent me an e-mail last night to let me know that she's already finished her purse. She used a piece of buttery-soft green leather for the trim...and it looks gorgeous. Well done Marsha - I think you deserve a can of mushroom soup*! ;-)


*Inside class joke referring to the totally random can of mushroom soup we received with the delivery of our pizza. It was awarded to the newest hooker in the class.

off to the printers....

Yes, at long last, my final newsletter is off to the printer today. With any luck, it will be out in the mail by mid-week....and I'll be breathing a huge sigh of relief. I'm a little sad that my time creating it has come to an end, but the good news is that I'll (hopefully) have more time to spend on this blog.