Fish Eye Rugs

Friday Fabulousness and Favourites

2012-01-27T07:07:00.002-05:00

I'm waking up in Toronto this morning....but truth be told, I wrote this on Wednesday night, before I left :-) Hope you have a great weekend. Me, I'll be (hopefully) hooking up a storm, in an attempt to play catch-up from a lazy, sleepy start to the week.

:: Does your favourite sweater have a little snag or hole? Don't despair....check this out this tutorial on making a needle-felted patch instead. I think it's genius! Oh, the possibilities....

:: If you like doing your own nails, and want to do a bit of fun colour polish.... Step-by-step gradient manicure instructions here. It's like each nail is a different piece of the same swatch...

:: I love clothes that you can wear more than one way....and the more different ways, the better IMHO. Last spring I discovered the Origami and it's been a wardrobe staple ever since (cool video showing some of the many different ways you can wear it here). Last weekend I discovered a new clothing line called {r}evolution apparel, focusing on comfortable, versatile, fairtrade, sustainable clothing. They're just getting up and running this Spring, but you can pre-order their first piece: The Versalette. I will be sure to share more first hand reviews once mine arrives in April (I finally settled on Aluminum).

:: Rug Hooking Magazine has a new on-line e-zine called Rug Beat. I haven't subscribed yet, but it's on my list of things to do...and hopefully that happens this weekend. If you want to read some first hand accounts in the meantime, check out April's blog or Woolly Mammoth.

:: Some great things made with wool here. Sadly no hooked rugs, but I do love the necklace!

MP by OP in progress

2012-01-26T07:36:00.001-05:00

Last week when I was visiting with Elaine, I had the privilege of sitting in on two of her regular classes. Lovely ladies at both – a nice mix of familiar faces and new ones, too. I must admit that I did have a little twinge of green, though....since it made me really wish that I had a similar group that I could meet with on a regular basis. We could sit, chat, exchange ideas, brainstorm new ones hook, sip tea....and just enjoy the feeling of togetherness. I think that would be great.

In the Wednesday evening class, two of the ladies are working on their own versions of one of my Amazing Matrix Mats....and I was so happy that they brought them to share. I love to see the different colour combinations people choose. And when there is already so much done it's really easy to imagine them both complete.

First up is Becky's autumn tones....so very yummy....

And now there is Kathy's wider range of values - I so admire anyone who can use both light and dark and inbetween in the same piece. It took me about 10 years to accomplish this. Yes, it's true.

(sorry about the blurry photo...all my fault, not the rugs....)

Can't wait to see them both finished. Maybe at the Annual.....?

Some snaps from last week

2012-01-25T07:54:00.005-05:00

Not a lot of time to write many words this morning....but here are a few snaps I took a week ago when Elaine and visited the the Textile Museum in Toronto....

I have a few more to share still, but I'll wait until I have time to write about them. Happy Hump Day everyone! :-D

colorways emag

2012-01-24T07:11:00.003-05:00

I received an email from Interweave on the weekend....and while I usually just delete most of these things, something caught my eye: Colorways. A few years ago, in one of Deanne's classes, someone had a unique publication all about different types of fibreart. I still can't remember what it was called – only that it was really neat and out of print – but when I saw the cover for Colourways, I immediately thought back to those other periodicals and decided to investigate a bit further. I'm so glad that I did.

There are currently two issues available. The first (Summer 2011 - Mac) focuses on natural dyes and the second one (Fall 2011 - Mac) is all about indigo dyeing – both subjects I've been thinking about quite a bit lately. These are interactive computer-based magazines and while not available in print form.....instead you get wonderful layout, gorgeous pictures, good information and great videos – without harming a single tree! :-) My only regret is that it appears you have to view/read them on an actual computer – I haven't yet found a way to view the content on my iPad.

You can check out the preview tab on any of the links to get a glimpse inside and get answers to FAQs... or you can watch the video embedded above to get a bit more information. Please note: the links above are for people who use Mac -- if you use a PC (windows), you will want to check out these links instead: Summer 2011 - PC and Fall 2011 - PC

The regular price is $4.99 each, but they are on sale until the end of today (Tuesday) for just $2.99 each.....if you're looking for a bargain!

Week 33: 61 square feet

2012-01-23T07:56:00.001-05:00

Pretty good progress considering I only really hooked yesterday -- and I had a bit of a rough start. During one of my many avoidance sessions, I calculated there were 495 (now 475) 3" squares still to be hooked...so with the checkerboard trim added in, there are just over 32 square feet still to be hooked (or a space about 6.5' by 5'). Now there are a couple of different reactions to discovering this -- and I'm hoping that I am able to continue to see it as motivating (instead of depressing).

I have to go away overnight for work just once this week, so I'm hoping that I can fit it A LOT of hooking every other night when I'm home....and on the weekend, too. I find the momentum of regular hooking can become a bit like a snowball -- and I'm in desperate need of resuscitating this habit.

thank goodness for coffee....

2012-01-22T11:46:00.005-05:00

...and the clarity it brings! I finally sat down at the frame this morning, after running out of good excuses for delaying and being overwhelmed with guilt. After a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and sweet salsa (my favourite: 3 pepper blast), I sat down with a cup of green tea and got to work. I settled in quite quickly and was soon pulling loops – and regretting my delay in getting started... (sadly, it isn't going to hook itself!)

After a couple of hours, I stopped for a break to make a latte. When I sat back down and took a look at what I'd accomplished so far....within minutes, I discovered a problem. After a quick double-take at where the squares were starting and stopping, I instantly saw my grievous error: I was off by 1.5"! Basically half of what I'd done needed to be ripped out. I don't know how I managed to miss it before, in all of my many checks....but I am oh, so grateful that I discovered it now. And so early in the process. A major PHEW!

So if you haven't had your cup of coffee yet today, I encourage you to do so....you just never know what you might be missing without it! :-)

Friday Fabulousness and Favourites

2012-01-20T07:08:00.001-05:00

This week is a little bit of a last-minute scramble to put together a list....but here goes....

:: Liberty introduced their Spring/Summer 2012 fabrics. You can see all of the gorgeous colourways here.....I've been drooling over them all day, and would love some company. There are some very pretty prints in this collection that I'd love to splurge on and add to my stash....but not until I get my first quilt sewn from my London souvenir stack. On my 'one day' list is to make a dress from Tana Lawn.....but I will wait and buy the fabric that sings to me when I'm actually ready to sew it (and wear it! :-D)

:: I recently discovered Tiny Owl Knits and their super cute patterns. I followed the link on Dulcy's blog a couple of weeks ago and even knit my first felted ring! I think these hats will make great Christmas gifts next year for some of the littles in my life....and this reminds me of the real Mr. Foxy that lived in the dress up box at my Nanna and Poppa's house-- oh, how glamourous we felt with it clipped on our necks..

:: The Doris Eaton book I mentioned last week is also available in hardcover. I wish I'd known it before....since it's really going to be a 'forever book' for me.

:: I downloaded Instagram app for my iPhone this week....and it's made taking photos using my phone a lot more fun - and the photos more interesting IMHO. I'm consistently amazed at how much better (like other world better) my new iPhone 4S photos are compared to my old 3G phone. It's not longer a complete catastrophe if I forget my camera at home....yippee!

Have a great weekend everyone -- I'll be busy hooking up a storm, in an effort to catch up with Christine. I think at this point the only thing that is going to help me win is a broken leg or ankle that keeps me at home....but maybe there is still hope!

home, cozy, and warm

2012-01-19T20:56:00.007-05:00

After a bit of a white knuckle drive for the last bit of my trip home tonight, and 8"+ to shovel once I got here, it was wonderful to be able to cozy up on the couch with my knitting for a couple of hours and get warm. Yesterday's trip to the Textile Museum with Elaine was great.....and I took a whack of pictures with Instagram on my iPhone to share in a future post (I left my real camera sitting on the counter at home - duh!). For now, here are a couple of shots taken right outside the entrance. Lots of little design ideas painted on this garage door....

(I think if you click on the photo, you can see more details....)

New knitting project

2012-01-18T10:15:00.001-05:00

Although I wasn't really planning on doing any more knitting until Jumbo is done, I realized the other day that I need to have a portable project to bring along with me on my many travels over the next several weeks. I didn't really have enough yarn in my stash for a suitable project, so I visited Elaine's neighborhood yarn shop yesterday afternoon. After some deliberation, came home with almost enough Malabrigo Twist to knit another Veera sweater. Not that I'm really keeping track, but this will be my fourth project using one of her patterns. I can't say enough good things about them.....and the great fit success (after a sea of failures from various other designers) makes me hesitant to try anything else. The goods news is that there are still more of her patterns that I'd love to knit, and she seems to be designing new ones all of the time....so there is no end in sight :-D

I knit my swatches last night, and today I am going to start on the actual sweater. But first, I need to go and try to figure out how to do a "provisional cast on"...

on my bookshelf

2012-01-17T08:02:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for this year is to really ramp up my reading again. I used to be a voracious reader, frequently staying up well past my bedtime to just read a little more, and sometimes waaaaaay past my bedtime to finish a book to the end. It's not unusual for me to read a whole book in just a handful of sessions -- and sometimes even in one single spell. I think it's because of the concentrated blocks of time required, that I've let my reading slide over the years....filling the time with other incompatible pursuits that require the use of both hands.

I'm off to a pretty good start so far, having read two books in the first two weeks of the year. Although I was a long way from reaching my goal last year of a book every two weeks, I'm feeling pretty good about 2012. I started a new list in the sidebar to make it easier for me to keep track.

At the moment, I have this little stack of books waiting in my queue - a mix of oldies (those that I remembered really loving in the past, but can no longer remember many details about) and a few newbies. I am also making my way through the Peter Robinson Inspector Banks books (mystery series set in the Yorkshire Dales, discovered early in my trip and reinforced after a surprise meeting of the author in a train station there) on OverDrive, and I'm wait-listed for Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.

Do you have any books you think I should add to my list? They don't have to be overly literary, but I do enjoy a good story.

= = = = = = = = =

I'm heading down to the city this morning for a few days (gotta love it when you're heading out on a day when all of the buses are cancelled...). In the middle of a couple of things for work, I'm hoping to sneak in a visit to the Textile Museum, and sit in on a couple of classes at Elaine's place. Since I'm staying with her, I get to be her special guest ;-) I'm sure it will be a blast.....and will tell you all about it for sure when I get home, if not from the road....

Week 32: 58.81 square feet

2012-01-16T07:56:00.004-05:00

Although I didn't pull any loops on Jumbo this past week, the counter still adds another week. You see, I'm keeping track of how long it's really taking me to hook this rug -- both weeks when I'm actually hooking and also those when I plan/want/expect to hook, but for whatever reason it just doesn't happen. This week was one of those weeks.

Truth be told, my reintegration to work was not a gentle one....and most every night I can home feeling tired. My brain and my body were both too tired to try to figure out where I needed to start hooking, calculate the shape sizes (notes? what notes...? LOL!) and whether or not it should be a light square or a dark square in the corners. So instead I read, and read some more, watched TV, ate birthday cake, and did some general crafting -- kinda like my 'holiday week', but with more shorter days and several long interruptions :-)

So yesterday, after scrutinizing pictures, flipping them around, counting, re-calculating, sketching, drawing and double-checking, I am feeling pretty confident that I am actually ready to start hooking. But to be certain, I will have one last triple-check tonight....'cause there is the potential for a major screw-up, and I don't want to figure it out only after hooking another 15+ square feet. That would require medication. A lot of medication.

Friday Fabulousness and Favourites

2012-01-13T06:00:00.002-05:00

After five years of blogging, I'm hoping to mix things up a bit and start adding some new features to this here place. One idea I had was to start posting a list of fabulous finds and some of my favourite things on Fridays. Some weeks there may be just one item, and other times there may be fifteen things on the list -- it's all new, so I'm sure it will evolve as the year unfolds. Here is my list for this week....

:: One Line a Day Journal. Discovered here. I ordered mine last weekend and it arrived yesterday. I've often contemplated writing a journal, but it seems like too much of a big commitment -- and what if someone else sat down and read it?!?!?!? I think this is just my speed -- totally achievable....and hey, not a lot of room for too much foolishness! :-D

:: A Lifetime of Rug Hooking by Doris Eaton. I ordered Doris' book last fall from Deanne....and just never got around to posting at the time, but it is - by far - the best rug hooking book I've read in a very long time, and if I'm being honest, the only one I've actually read from cover to cover in years. If you haven't seen it yet, I can't recommend it enough.

:: Apple tv. After both of my sisters got them for Christmas, I had to at least try to keep up, so now have my own. It's been great for watching Netflix on my tv without having to mess about with any cords. Plus, I can easily access all of my music, movies, etc. from my computer and play on my tv. It all makes for perfect background noise while I sit and hook.

:: Downton Abby. When I was in England last Fall, everyone was gushing about this show....and I knew I would have to check it out when I got home -- but I didn't want to start watching it mid-season, so I patiently waited. Over the holidays, I downloaded all of Season 1 on itunes for $9.99 and watched it together with my mum and dad. We all loved it! Season 2 airs on PBS on Sunday nights, starting last week.

:: Actor Tim Roth. I'm crushing on him after my marathon of watching all of the episodes from three seasons of Lie to Me (and wishing the whole time that it wouldn't end). I tried revisiting more of his past work, including Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Rob Roy, Four Rooms and the Legend of 1900 (all on Netflix, by the way!)....but the younger version is just not as appealing somehow. I guess I'm getting older....LOL!

roasters

2012-01-12T08:18:00.003-05:00

Just before Christmas, in the middle of my quest for the perfect gifts, I visited my local Canadian Tire store. After I quickly located the sought-after camo duffel bag, I decided to cruise the aisles for a couple of minutes and see if there was any inspiration to be found for the last few people on my list. It was during this wander that I happened up the pallet of 16Qt Electric Roasters - on clearance for only $39.99 each.

My Auntie Marg has been using one of these appliances for years, as a 2nd oven to cook a ham or roast whenever she hosts large family gatherings, so I had seen them before. But what I had never considered was that I might find one so cheaply, and just by accident. Since Christmas is the worst time of year to be buying unnecessary stuff, I hymned and hawed, and roamed around the store trying to convince myself that I shouldn't buy them. The silent conversation went something likes this: they might be perfect for dyeing....I don't really need them.....that's a really great price...they will take lots of room to store.....there won't be any left if I wait....this might solve the problem of the fuse blowing when all of my stovetop is on max for hours.....16 quarts is a lot of liquid....I can always bring them back if I change my mind....how many dye-pots does one girl need?....

Fast forward to the checkout --> I ended up leaving the store with two that day. When I got back to work I found them online for $180 each, and decided that if they worked half as well as I hoped they might, that I was going to want more -- and I definitely wasn't going to want to fork over full price. I took one out of the box when I got home and was thrilled to discover that there's a removable roasting pan insert, which will make filling and emptying a breeze. Then I called my mum to share my excitement, and together we convinced ourselves that if 2 were good, more would be better. And the next day I returned.....and now I have four.

So far I've only used one (the other 3 are still in there boxes, just in case I get a rude surprise).....and so far I'm loving it. Yes, it took some time to get up to temperature (especially since I had it quite full of water and wool), but I already think my days of absentmindedly boiling are long gone. I will soon give them a proper workout, and experiment with them during a major dyeing production.....and will report back on how it goes.

With the way that I dye, I really like a fast-absorption of the colours. Since I dye so many pieces of wool in one session I will have to wait and see whether it make more sense for me to use pots on the stovetop for the original colouring, and then fill up the roasters with the families of colour to simmer off.....or if the roasters are up for the complete circuit.

As I said, I'll keep you posted....but in the meantime, if you want to try to get your hands on one of these seemingly ginormous crock pots (minus the crock), you'd better visit CT soon -- the last time I was in the Huntsville store, they only had a handful left.

P.S. I would love to hear from you if you've tried using an Electric Roaster Oven before -- both if you thought they were awesome, or if they totally sucked. Please share....thanks!

holiday handmades (belated)

2012-01-11T08:09:00.004-05:00

I'm a little late is sharing these snaps....but you know what they say: better late than never! :-)
While I don't feel as though I made quite as many of my own gifts as I have in previous years, I certainly seemed to receive a good share.

Of course, it all began with my uncle's stained glass, and quickly resumed with a sweet little snowman hooked by Elaine (I'm sure you can spot him in a photo below....), followed by this wonderful hat that Wendie knit for me....

It's a great pattern - and wonderfully executed. I've received comments and compliments on it almost every time I've worn it...and several requests for me to make others. I haven't said yes yet to anyone, but I'm more than happy to share the pattern (better yet, it's a free one!). It's called Capucine and you can find it on Ravelry here along with details and pictures of almost 2000 projects, or if you're not a member, directly on the maker's blog here.

On Christmas morning, one of my first presents was a bit of a re-gift. A couple of years ago (maybe even 3?), she gave me her newly completed version of Emily Carr's Sombreness Sunlit (licensed pattern available here)....with a promise of getting my Dad to make a frame for it. It's been sitting (and waiting...and hiding) in the back bedroom of their house for some time now, but I am pleased that it's finally framed and ready to hang on the wall. Now I just need to find a spot on the wall and do some shuffling.....

My dad made me a collapsible, adjustable, portable wooden swift, using cherry harvested from their land....

I know that this swift is something I am going to use and treasure for the rest of my life. So handy for skeins I dye and skeins I buy. I've already given it several test runs and cannot offer any suggestions for improvement – it works like a charm!

The last photo of this year's handmades wasn't made by the gifter, but they're a wonderful momento from another great trip: handwoven tea towels from PEI. Drying dishes with a handwoven tea towel makes the chore actually enjoyable. As I remember, those at Belfast Mini Mills were very reasonably priced.

Nothing says love quite like giving a gift that you made yourself. I'm a pretty lucky girl.

my new go-to lunch

2012-01-10T08:12:00.002-05:00

January is the month that many people focus on trying to eat a little healthier...or even just more normally, following a very long period of festive feasting. I'm no exception.

I usually make pretty good choices when I prepare my own meals at home....but any time I'm away from home is another matter. Early last year I stared making a conscientious effort to make and bring my lunch to work most days - not just as a way of saving a bit of dough (no pun intended!), but also to have a bit more control over what and how much I was eating. Over the course of the better part of a year, I've tried a lot of different things (variety is very important to me)....but thought that I would share with you my newest favourite: Taco Salad.

I substitute a +/- 500g package of ground chicken for beef and use a package of Old El Paso reduced sodium Taco seasoning (IMHO it's still plenty salty) and follow the instructions on the envelope. You don't have to drain off the grease (there isn't any), but you do need to break up the chicken a bit more as it's cooking (I find it doesn't really crumble the same as beef). Once most of the liquid has evaporated, I divide up the pan into 5 portions (4 if it's a smaller package of meat - I like about 1/2 cup of meat or just a smidge less to balance out the portions) and then freeze whatever I'm not planning to eat right away into individual freezer bags (squish the mixture as flat as possible, so that it will thaw quickly when you're ready to eat it).

When I'm preparing it for lunch in the morning, I grab a handful of lettuce (I try to keep it washed and ready in the fridge), chop a few red pepper sticks, a little green onion or Vidalia...whatever I have on hand, sprinkle with a bit of grated cheese (I tend to grate too much at once, so I try to keep a little of this in the fridge all of the time, too, so that I can quickly sprinkle sparingly on steamed veggies, add to omelettes, etc.), add a spoon or two of my neighbour's homemade salsa, and a little dollop of plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream...but I since I always have the yogurt I just use that). I bring a little package of cooked taco meat to work separately, because I like to add it at last minute - after I've warmed it up a bit.

Why do I like it so much? I find it's fast, it's easy, it's the right combination of warm (meat) and cold (veggies), spicy (salsa) and tangy (plain yogurt), crisp (lettuce) and crunchy (red peppers)....and with enough lean protein (chicken and 0% Greek yogurt) to satisfy my hunger. It's also a quick supper meal for nights when I'm in a hurry. Despite eating it at least once a week for the last 3 months, I'm still not bored by it....and find it's always delicious and satisfying to eat, so I thought I'd share. Let me know how you like it...

ready for the week

2012-01-09T08:12:00.005-05:00

I spent most of this weekend puttering around....and avoiding starting on any large, ambitious projects. To sate my desire to start knitting a second blanket, I decided that I would reorganize my yarn and tidy it up, so that it was all ready when I was really ready to start (which was not this weekend -- I really need to resume work on Jumbo this week. My holiday is over :-) )

The good news is that my long-dyeing ball winder has suddenly gotten a second wind and is no longer making increasingly poorer balls. Another good discovery is that a little bit of washi tape does a great job of keeping slightly wonky balls or slippery balls contained. When it was all back in the bins I was surprised at how much they've dwindled with the knitting of the blanket....and I'm sure there will be pretty slim pickings once a second blanket has been finished.

Gotta jet now, though....today is also my first day back at work - but I was determined to get a quick post out before I head out the door. Happy Monday!

fininto blankito

2012-01-07T09:23:00.004-05:00

I finished casting off last night, just after midnight.....and I love it! I will share a better picture in a week or two, once I've had a chance to block it properly (it needs it!) and sew in the last few ends. I'm going to use a needle and thread to firmly secure the little tails in place, so they don't worm their way back out (I heard about this trick from Heidi a couple of years ago, but this will be my first time trying it). I'm so glad that I decided to use bigger needles and use multiple strands of yarns to get the same general weight.

This definitely won't be my last such blanket. For the last couple of days, I've been dreaming of making another one in mostly shades of red for my bed in the summertime. My sister Sandra suggested that it would make an awesome bed covering - and I have to agree. I think I'll have to tinker with the pattern a bit to end up with a more rectangular shape, but have a few ideas already on how I might accomplish it.

In case you're curious (and so that I can find my notes when it comes time for my second one), here are the detail and notes.....

8mm needles
multiple strands knit together to get the same basic, bulky? weight (up to 4 yarns at one time, mixing fingerling, lace, sock, DK, etc.)
approx. 140 stitches per side at the end (560 in total)
save all large balls for the outer rows -- they eat up yarn. 8 rows of pinky purple used almost all of the yarn from an former, very long scarf (originally a kit for Lu).
very heavy - much time is taken just moving the stiches along on the needle in the later rows
hot to work under - perfect for cool winter nights, but not really suitable for summertime knitting
every row takes longer than the previous one...and in the end, it took more than an hour just to do the knitted cast off.
generally increase 1 stitch on either side of corner (8 in total), every other row....but in last row before casting off, increase 2 stitches on either side of corners (16 in total) - to give a bit more ease around the corners
the pattern calls for starting with 9 stitches. I think next time I would start with 5 -- just to get a tighter centre.
next time, I'd knit a wider garter stitch border.....and make 'hidden' increases in the border (instead of yarnovers) and maybe throughout the whole blanket?

blanket - day 4

2012-01-06T11:10:00.003-05:00

With any luck, the knitting will be completed on this baby today -- for a total of five days of knitting and not a lot else getting done (easily over 500 stitches now and still counting....and did I mention it's over 3lbs?). It's been blissful, really. Luckily I still have a whole weekend of respite ahead of me -- I'm still hoping to tackle a few more (smaller!) projects. Have a great weekend everyone....and thanks again for reading along....

blanket - day 3

2012-01-05T10:06:00.004-05:00

All day yesterday I was obsessing about the bright pink strip I had hooked in the wee hours of the night before - I had rejected the ball earlier in the day, but in a moment of weakness my eyes tricked me into thinking it was more purple than pink. More than once I've considered ripping back (one area where rug hooking is very forgiving - you can evict any portion, at any time, without having to rip out anything else to get to it), but late in the day yesterday I decided to stop considering elimination as a option and instead to treat it as a challenge and do my best to 'make it work'.

I am liking it a bit more, and I'm hoping that the square I'm working on now will go a long way in tying it all together. It's a similar colour, but a different yarn. I'm taking a few risks with this project - it is my self-imposed 'play week', after all - but as I knit, I can't help but imagine what a safer combination of colours might have yielded. Lucky for me, I doubt this will be my first and final such blanket.....so I'm lining up all sorts of possible plans for future throws.

The knitting has been quite therapeutic this week, not only giving me a great excuse to sit still, watch old shows (currently on season 2 of Lie to Me....and loving it), and relax with my thoughts.....but it's also been a source of reflection of past knitting projects, travels, and friendships. Those little balls of yarn carry more than just colour and texture, you know....they've been acquired and collected over the past 15 or so years. That's a lot of memories.... ;-)

blanket - day 2

2012-01-04T14:22:00.003-05:00

I was a little sad when I added on some needle extensions so I could the blanket spread out a bit better -- for all of my knitting yesterday and so far today, I really haven't made much progress. Well, not as much as I would have thought, at least. This prompted me to count the stitches and I realized there are more than 350 at this point -- and still growing at a rate of 8 stitches every 2 rows....so I will be over 400 in no time. And, it will be a few days before I am ready to cast off.

My curiosity of seeing what each new round of colour will bring and how it changes the look of everything that was knit beforehand is keeping me motivated, while the large, heavy mound of knitting in my lap is keeping me warm! ;-)

Hope you're having fun making things and staying warm....it's another snowy day outside.

the start of a blanket

2012-01-03T13:15:00.000-05:00

....and not just another blanketing of snow! (Mother Nature has been busy and making up for lost time since Christmas, with new snow arriving almost daily).

When I was at Heather's last Fall, I fell in love with her gorgeous knitted throws -- in addition to many other things. And in spite of the pattern practically burning a hole in my pocket, I delayed starting one. No longer.

After a few false starts on other things yesterday, I decided that what I really felt like doing was curling up on the couch, watching Netflix (seasons of TV shows without commercials is like a movie that never ends) and knitting. I initially thought that I just wanted to work on a 'small' project, and so I started knitting a bracelet to be felted in the wash (yet another inspired by Heather project). My test piece is knitted and sewn and just waiting for later in the week when I do laundry for the final finishing. I can't really knit more until I know if my dimensions are going to work, so I was soon needing another project.

After rejecting several ideas -- and acknowledging that I really don't need another sweater or vest at the moment, with those I recently completed over the holidays -- I finally settled on the blanket. In spite of it's size (and many hours needed to finish), it will be totally practical AND it will use up bits and balls from my yarn bins. The only downside so far is that the rows are getting longer (now about 2 feet on each side), and taking more time to knit.....so by the time I finish one colour, I've planned many different 'next' colours and can't remember which to choose. It's a pretty good day when that is your biggest problem! :-D

P.S. I've just finished catching up on all of my e-mails....so if you are still waiting to hear back from me, I don't think it ever arrived (it's come to my attention recently that not all e-mails make it to their final destination -- where they end up, I'm not quite sure....but I just know they didn't get there.)

happy new year

2012-01-02T12:27:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was our last en masse gathering, and I'm back home again after celebrating a wonderful holiday season with friends and family. Today I begin to slowly settle into my own routine and the wonderful promise of a brand new year. I started my day today with the last of the treats: a couple of pieces of biscotti that my cousins made and brought to share yesterday, alongside my morning coffee. And so the continuous feasting is ended for another year. It's time for the "normal" to return....and a bit of balance wouldn't hurt, either.

I'm trying to start the new year in a positive way this year, setting the scene for a productive and creative year. This week is a bit of a special gift for me - I don't return to work until the 9th - and I've decided to give myself the gift of free time. So often I feel burdened by a long list of projects and mundane tasks that need doing, that I don't always take time to just play and see where inspiration takes me. Less important or necessary jobs constantly get shoved down on the list - and sometime even right off the page! - but not this week. This week I am going to just do what I like, when I want, and hopefully without too much concern for the 'undone'. I don't think it will always be easy (especially with 92 items in my inbox...yikes!), but I'm curious to see what the week brings.

This year I'm hoping to... read more (the goal of a book every 2 weeks was unfulfilled last year, so I'm trying again), blog more (posting every week day), hook more (no forced sabatical injuries, please!), shrink more (continued focus on health and wellness), and create more (including refashioning more clothing and even sewing some of my own clothes). It sounds pretty ambitious, I know....but there is nothing more exciting than the promise of a new year -- even if it's really just new pictures on a different calendar. An easy opportunity or excuse for anyone wanting to make some changes...and so I am.

just for Gayle...

2011-12-21T21:52:00.005-05:00

....because she asked! :-)

3 decades, 2 makers, 4 reds....yet they all belong together

The stockings that started it all for my sisters and me.

The first two stockings I made + one for the next generation

one more makes twenty-four

2011-12-21T10:12:00.002-05:00

I was a bit premature when I declared my holiday making finished a week or so ago. For starters, I momentarily forgot about a stocking I promised to make for the baby born in March....and then on Monday night I decided I wanted to whip up a few handmade ornaments for some special Christmas cards. Even though I had a few false-starts with the ornaments...I adapted quickly and in the end, I had developed a new process that I am certain to use again in many different ways (more on that later, probably in the form of a pattern next year).

But back to the stocking...you might not know, but AJ's Christmas stockings are the reason I started hooking in the first place. They've been a staple in our family's Christmas celebrations for as long as I can remember -- my sisters and I received some of the first ones she made, and ours were crafted in 1977. Each time a new baby is born or someone gets married, a new stocking is created (the only 'rule' is that they are never created for boyfriends or girlfriends -- only for husbands and wives....). My sisters and I wanted to be able to maintain this tradition on our family, and somehow I was 'voluntold' to learn how to do it.

I've since made several stockings for a new generation of cousins, and also carried on the tradition with a couple of my very best friends. With this year's stocking, I've now made 24 since I started. Every year, the number of stockings made gets written on the wooden template. AJ made over 100, so I have quite a few more to make before I get to that level!

+ + + + + + + + + +

P.S. Thanks for all of the Jumbo love over the last few days. You gals are great - and your positive comments are motivating me to get back to work on this project in January.

P.P.S. Today is my last day of work at my 'real job' until January 9th - yippee! - and I'm starting my holidays with a bang. Tomorrow I'm heading to Toronto to see Mary Poppins with my littlest niece, and once I get back up north on Friday we will be knee-deep in preparations for several days of feasting. Christmas is a very family-filled time for me....and since I will be pretty busy for the next while, I'm forecasting a bit of a blog break until early in the new year. I might be back sooner, but if I'm not....I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas, filled with lots of fun, family times, fond memories and, fabulous food.

Week 31: 58.81 square feet

2011-12-19T18:38:00.002-05:00

Well I did it! I met my short-term goal of being finished the long side before Christmas. After pulling the last loop late yesterday afternoon, I quickly started pulling back the furniture to make room on the floor for the grand unrolling....

(the colour is a bit more true in this next photo - without any flash. At this time of year I find taking photos a real challenge -- complicated all the more from the sheer girth of Jumbo)

Even after pulling stuff out of the way, it was a tight squeeze -- and impossible to see all of the way to the ends. I was immediately struck with one thought: "it sure is big!" immediately followed by "I must be crazy...." I don't know what I was thinking when I embarked on this ginormous project , but I'm totally invested now -- in more ways that one.

I do really like it, though....especially how the border is a bit darker than the centre, but still relates. I was a bit worried that the colours I chose more-or-less at random from my shelves for the border might not fit with the rest of the centre, but it works. At this point, I'm wondering if it really needs anything else on the outside edge (and I don't think this is just because I am eager to be finished.... LOL!)

P.S. Jumbo's current weight is a whopping 29 pounds -- it sure isn't pretty to see that number on the scale (I hop on holding the rug, and then again without it and calculate the difference)

Week 30: 57 square feet

2011-12-12T08:06:00.008-05:00

It was a slow start to the hooking week this time around -- I didn't pull a single loop until Saturday afternoon. Luckily, it was a relaxing winter weekend, where I treated myself to just staying home for two whole days. After the last of my Christmas making was complete (late Saturday afternoon), I wrapped the rest of the presents and then mostly just sat around and hooked....and watched 'the Big C' (v. awesome show) on Netflix.

In my photo above, you can see my amazing discovery of the weekend. Up until now, I've been keeping the sausage roll off to the right of my frame as I hook....but this weekend I wondered why I hadn't just been sticking it through the centre hole in the back of the frame. Granted it makes the frame more difficult to man-oeuvre, but everything hangs a little better and it's definitely easier to move my work around on the top. When I'm done hooking for the evening, I just lift it off the grippers and let it fall where it may....

I'm feeling on track to have the long side completed before Christmas (my last night for hooking is the 20th)....and my reward will be unrolling it and seeing how it really looks, when I can see the whole centre and not just a sliver.

My so-called colour planning for the border has been very hap-hazard. When I first started, I would just pick and cut wool for the number of squares I was planning to hook that day/night. Now I prefer to plan for a number of squares at once, and find that an old baking sheet makes this task a lot easier. I basically just arrange the piles of cut strips in the same order I plan to hook them. The little odd bits of similar wool that are hooked in together are plucked at the last minute, just as I start hooking a given square, and then all leftover bits are returned to the same bin.

Since I'm just using up all sorts of little and big bits of wool from my shelves and large basket of skinny pieces, I am more or less just planning as I go. And, I'm getting very good at predicting the amount of wool I need to hook 9 square inches! Now when I cut strips from a bigger piece of wool, I cut enough for another square (or two, if that is all that's left)....loosely tie them in a knot and then place them in a basket. I'm hoping that having this basket of little bundles will speed up the hooking on the other long side, in addition to helping spread colours around. In the almost 200 squares that I've hooked so far, there have been few exact repeats.

I really wish I could go....

2011-12-07T13:35:00.000-05:00

.....maybe you can?

While procrastinating a couple of weeks ago, I decided to pop into Rug Hooking Daily to look at the recently posted pictures. I hadn't been there in ages, and I was curious to see that Mary Anne Wise had done some teaching in Guatamala and she'd posted pictures of some of her students' work. In a word: WOW! If you are a member of RHD, I encourage you to seek them out. Seriously charming, colourful work.

I took a class with Mary Anne a few years ago in Vermont.....and in the process of catching up on what she's been doing lately, I discovered that she's participating in a textile focused 10-day tour in Guatamala in February 2012, organized specifically with rug hookers in mind. If you would like more information, you can download a brochure here.

As far as I know, there are still a few spaces available. I've spent a lot of time dreaming about going, but it's just a little too soon after my England trip and a little too close to Christmas for my pocketbook....and it's happening in the middle of a busy time at work. Sadly, it's not possible to do everything I want, all of the time. Meh. Life is so unfair... ;-)

some videos

2011-12-05T07:58:00.002-05:00

Just because it's Monday....and just in case you're procrastinating while you catch up on blogs, here are a few videos I've found interesting lately. Enjoy!

I discovered this video last night on Cilla's blog....and thought I'd share, in case you haven't already seen it....

This is the video (I think!) that Jen Lavoie referenced at the end of the previous video....

Rusty and the Hinesburg Hookers from Mt Mansfield Media on Vimeo.

Finally, I saw this video a couple of weeks ago, and I'm still thinking about it....

<a href='http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/murmuration/20xoz3rj?src=v5:embed::' target='_new' title='Murmuration' >Video: Murmuration</a>

Week 29: 55 square feet

2011-12-04T22:28:00.005-05:00

This week I set myself a little mini-goal of hooking 3 square feet. Since I was pretty dedicated earlier on in the week (hooking for the first 4 evenings in a row), my little trip to Toronto on Friday/Saturday didn't have a lot of impact. And, since I got home early enough yesterday to put in a proper evening of pulling loops, I was able to take a break today and work on my Christmas sewing. Buy the time I called it quits for the day and tidied, I was too tired to hook -- so I'm getting a head start on Monday (by posting this tonight), so that I can have the extra time tomorrow night for hooking! :-)

I am hoping to get this whole side (including the 25 squares on each of the ends) finished before I head up to my folks for Christmas. At that point, I will be 1/3 of the way around. Even thought the long sides are cumbersome to work on, I am going to do the other one next -- just because I think it will be easier to plan/move/choose the colours (i.e. it won't matter so much if the wools on the ends are a little different from the long sides) -- not to mention easier to roll the rug again in the same direction! :-)

I've been thinking about what I'm going to do to finish off the outside. There are a few ideas perculating for another little narrow border (~2.25-3", either 1.5 or 2 times as wide as the little checkerboard), but I am going to wait and see how things look when I unroll a bit more of the centre. If I still think I want to add something, then I think I will draw some options (to scale) and lay them alongside to help make a decision. No doubt I will be asking for some help then, too.

and it continues....

2011-12-01T08:05:00.005-05:00

I arrived home yesterday to not one, but two special mail envelopes in the mailbox. Lately there hasn't been too much interesting mail arriving, so needless to say, I was excited. Although I knew that both items would be arriving at some point -- they both seemed to get here extremely quickly: one short week from both the US and the UK. Go postal service!

A couple of weeks ago, I entered a blog giveaway for batiks on Debbie's blog: A Daily Dose of Fibre, never really thinking that I might actually win (I never win....). Batiks are my favourite fabric....and I can't even walk by without looking, drooling, and choosing some to purchase. Well, I guess you know how this little story ends....

Yippee! and thanks Debbie! They are beautiful and I can't wait to see how I end up using them....

The second package contained fabric samples for a top-secret, hush-hush project that I will be working on in the new year. I can't really talk much about it right now, but suffice is to say, I will share the full dish when I am able.....but it won't be for some months yet. Patience is a virtue...

Christmas is starting early this year....

2011-11-30T10:54:00.004-05:00

....and not just because of the Winter Wonderland that's being created outside, even as I type! My first gift arrived yesterday -- hand delivered by its creator: my Uncle Randy. UR is a pretty creative guy....and he makes some amazing stained glass pieces. I'm thrilled to have this loon join my collection, and already found the perfect place for him (her?) to live.

I've also been busy shopping, and happily have most of that done. I won't rub it and say that I've already gotten it wrapped. Oops, I guess I just did! :-D ....but if it's any consolation, I still have quite a bit of making that needs to be started -- and finished.

I know that some people like the last-minute shopping madness, but I'm not one of them. I do sometimes have to deal with 'last minute making'....but at least that doesn't have to happen in places that are swimming with people who are all madly rushing around (not to mention sharing with the world their least likeable traits).

This year I am making multiples of just one thing. I've got my fabric, thread, and pattern.....and the sewing will begin this weekend, I hope. I don't want it to interfere with my Jumbo schedule (I realized that if I can hooked 1/2 a square foot a night, 6 days a week = 3 square feet per week = I might be able to finish by early March). What are you making for gifts this year?

Week 28: 51.8 square feet

2011-11-28T07:30:00.003-05:00

Cruising right along....but regretting taking a few nights off this week -- because I could have gotten MORE done. There are sure a lot of these little squares! It will be nice to get this long end finished off, so that I can feel about 1/4 is done. Right now I'm about 60% across.

I subscribed to Netflix over the weekend, and I'm thinking that there might be some serious TV show watching happening in tandem with my hooking. The rule will just have to be that I can't watch and not hook! :-D

Bev Conway....and the best thing since the Bolivar

2011-11-24T13:19:00.002-05:00

Really, I can't believe that the rug hooking blogisphere hasn't been humming all week.....because I thought that Bev Conway's "Secret Message Project" was Genius! Of all of the wonderful things that I saw at Hooked in the Mountains, it's the only on that will really stay with me for....well, forever.

I was fascinated from my very first glance, and trying to figure it all out on my own. Looked with my hands and discovered that the message loops were hooked a lot lower than the rest of the rug, and in a finer cut. Later, I happened upon the explanation - in Bev's own words....

Here are some more examples of her message rugs....

And here are some more pictures of Bev's wonderful work....

Weeks 26+27: 49 square feet

2011-11-21T08:28:00.002-05:00

Progress. Finally.

Not only did I get back hooking again on Jumbo this past week, but I pretty sure that I self-diagnosed the cause of my shoulder problem that resulted in a lost summer of hooking! Phew.

When hooking the centre of Jumbo, I was working from side to side (right to left and back again), but when I started work on the border I decided to start hooking on the long sides first. It made sense - at the time - to put my work on the frame with the least amount of rug/backing in my lap.....which meant that I would be constantly hooking vertically (top to bottom and back again). Not usually a problem for me when I use a lap frame, but with my bigger floor frame combined with my big rug, the result is that my right elbow is up and in mid-air the whole time I'm hooking. No wonder it was sore!

So this week, after the first half-hour of hooking vertically, I turned my work and now I'm back to hooking horizontally again. It's a bit more awkward, since the previously hooked parts of the border essentially end up being in my lap while I hook....but I think I can put up with it for the sake of progress. And, it's a pretty cheap price to pay for no pain.

I'm looking forward to making some great head-way this week. Now that the thermometer has dropped, it's kinda nice to play with wool again and be blanketed by a big rug while I work in the evenings. How about you - are you feeling the urge to hook?

Bayfield Coin Purse Classes

2011-11-20T19:55:00.014-05:00

Each class is special. It always amazes me how quickly I seem to fall in love with each rug hooking group that I visit.....and my trip to Bayfield was no exception. The fun started early, with a special invitation to join the group for their annual Christmas dinner (complete with yummy turkey and cranberry sauce!) and a silent auction of items from the groups library of books and magazines (I happily came home with several back issues of the Wool Street Journal).

After the first day of class, Marg (my hostess with the mostess) and I headed over to the open house at Patti Armstrong's in the evening. I already knew that Patti was a very talented rug hooker, but I had no idea that she was so talented in such a variety of other arts and crafts. Here are a few of her creations that I just couldn't resist.....and the more difficult decision - of deciding what will live with me and what will be gifted - remains. For now, I will just enjoy looking at them perched in my living room.....

It was great to see the students putting their own designs on the canvas....and putting their own ideas into a few of my designs. There are definitely some new twists in these CPs....

Diane's Dippers....

Marjorie's own design....

Cathy's Hoot....

Clair's own design....

Nancy's own design...

Linda's Bully....

Carla's God's Eye....

Kim's Klimt....

Teresa's Hooters....

Sherry's Hooters....

Nancy's own design...

Margie's own design...

Unfortunately two people had to leave early and I remembered to take pictures only after they had left....but they, too, had hooked some pretty nice coin purses. Thanks to all of the ladies who participated in the workshop....and a special thanks to Marjorie for organizing everything, and to Marg for taking such good care of me.

The drive home today was perfectly fine -- much better than what ended up being a very snowy start on Thursday. Winter is coming.....even if the snow from last week has already melted.

P.S. Here is a really good tip that I learned this weekend....if you're having trouble grabbing your needle when hand-sewing....take a piece of wide rubber band (like those that come free with your broccoli), and use that to help you grip it. An easy, free, and useful trick from Marg.

More Rugs

2011-11-17T09:06:00.016-05:00

I am heading out shortly for Bayfield (yay! Another 5 hours in the car.....LOL!), where I will be teaching 2 one-day coin purse classes. Everyone is arriving with the hooking already finished, so we will just be assembling them and everyone will go home with their project finished. Fingers crossed the snow that is falling at home is short-lived.....

In the meantime, here are some more of my pictures from Hooked in the Mountains. I still have a few more left to post when I return home on Sunday. Have a great weekend!

Hooked by Betty Bouchard

it never gets tired....

2011-11-15T17:56:00.002-05:00

I realized today, as I sat down to start typing this post, that my trip to Vermont on the weekend marked my 10th visit to see the "Hooked in the Mountains Show" mounted by the Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild, at the Shelburne Museum. Beginning with my very first trip, with AJ, my mum, and my cousin's wife Shellie to see Patty Yoder's Alphabet of Sheep in 2001, I haven't missed a single annual show. I also haven't regretted a single minute of the 9+ hour drive each way -- it's totally worth it, to me. Whether I have taken a class, or two, taught, or simply taken in the show itself, it's always time well spent, and I consider it to be an 'annual pilgrimage' of sorts.

For me, it's a rare opportunity to see so many wonderful rugs up close and personal, that are mounted in a professional, attractive and thoughtful way. And, it's a time when I can chat with acquaintances and my fellow rug hooking peeps, most of whom I really only get to see during the show each year. I realized this weekend that I also appear to track and follow individuals' progress over the years -- and am amazed that I can recall so many past rugs and works that the same people have hooked. I really like it when I can identify the artist without looking at the description on the card.....and it makes me want to have a recognizable style, too.

One of the highlights of this year's trip to see the Show was the new program of Guest Speakers. On Sunday, we were able to take in a presentation by Ann Winterling and Peg Irish -- two rug hookers I've only known about for many years. It was wonderful to hear more about their supportive, collaborative relationship, and its influence on each other's rug hooking. Later in the day, Kris McDermet was on hand to share what she knows about hooking and braiding with silk, along with demonstrations of rug braiding in general. It was very informative -- and a lot of information was shared in a very short amount of time. Kris coauthored a recent book on combining rug hooking and braiding....and I'm looking forward to pouring over it come Christmas (thanks Mum! :-) )

It's not too late to plan a little trip to see the show -- it's still on through Sunday November 20th, and you can find out more about the planned speakers and scheduled events here.

Upon seeing the show each year, I always feel so energized and excited to start hooking when I get home. And, this year is no exception -- I will start working on Jumbo again tonight.....and get back to serious hooking for the first time in months.

This year, my mum and I took along two 'virgins': Wendie and Elaine, and it was fun to see it all again for the first time, through their eyes. Along with many of our old haunts, we also squeezed in some new places, too. It was a great girls' getaway weekend, for sure.

For the first time, I didn't really take too many pictures along the way -- most of the snaps I took were of rugs in the Round Barn. Here are some of my favourites, with more to come later this week.....

wardrobe refashion - part 2

2011-11-08T08:45:00.001-05:00

Back in August, I took 3 t-shirts from my closet that I was hardly wearing and overdyed them with some Dylon dye....and I was inspired to do something with some other items. This weekend, I took three things from my closet made from wool and gave them some fresh tints to breathe some new life into them.

Unlike when I dye yardage (and don't care whether or not the colour takes evenly), with the clothing, I start off by putting the garment into a roomy pot with enough hot tap water and some Jet Dry, so that there is lots of room for it to move around in the water After it's good and wet, the pot goes onto the stove and I quickly mix up my dye. I pluck out the garment with my gloves (the water isn't that hot yet), mix the dissolved dye with the water in the pot, and then start stirring almost constantly, as the garment goes back in the water. Once most of the dye has been absorbed and the water starts to clear, I assess whether or not I'm 'finished'. If I'm happy with the colour, then I add some citric acid to the pot and let it simmer.....but if I want to tweak it some more, I add more dye until I'm satisfied, then finish off with the citric acid. As I do with yardage, if I get impatient about the rate of dye absorption, I add some citric acid to the pot -- stirring constantly and making sure that there is free movement of the garment in the water.

After the dyeing process is complete, I rinse the garment(s) and then give it/them a little bath in Eucalan or Soak (don't rinse), spin and block.

Here is the before....

And here is the after.....

On the grey cardigan, I used 1/4 tsp of 729 Forest, 1/4 tsp of Avocado, and 1/4 tsp of MC Turquoise. On the Noro striped vest, I used 1/2 tsp of MC Red Violet. On the ball of silk yarn (that was an ugly scarf), I used 1/4 tsp of 826 Deep Orchid.

Needless to say, I am so taken with the results that I have to stop myself from indulging in the urge to just overdye all of my winter sweaters. I still want to dye a couple more, but I want to be thoughtful about what colours I could add that will make the item more wearable. Now that the grey cardigan has dried more green (not 100% wool....lots of various fibres mixed together and the turquoise didn't seem to hold), I think I will give it another turn in the pots. But, for now, I need to focus on getting organized and packed for Vermont -- girls road trip starts early Thursday morning....

P.S. When I was in Southampton a few weeks ago, I added a new tool to my dye box - these silicone coated tongs. If you have dyed any amount of yarn with any other tongs, I'm sure you've been frustrated a time or ten with the strands getting caught and tangled around the clam-shells. No longer with these smooth blade tongs! IMHO they are worth every penny! :-D

when did you last visit the library?

2011-11-07T17:54:00.001-05:00

It's embarrassing to admit it, but I sort of forgot about our local library for a few years. Maybe it's because I virtually stopped reading, or because I was tired of paying late fees (and there were many!).....but whatever the past excuses, I am glad to be back there again.

When I did my big purge a few weeks ago, one of the things I did was to box up many of my books. I realized that I just don't seem to look at some of them much, or found the time reread them....and they were just taking up space (in my already too small place). Of course I kept all of my rug hooking books, art books, idea and inspiration sources....but I pretty much got rid of all of the other books and novels that I had already read once or admitted that I would likely never read. After a some family and friends picked though and chose what they wanted, I hauled the remaining 3 big boxes to the library to donate. (In my town, staff pick through the books and add to their collection where they can/need and the rest goes into a room at the front where people can 'buy' them for a small donation). For me, it was the ideal solution -- I didn't want the books to just go in the green bin, but I didn't really want to hang onto them, either.

In the years that I've been absent from my local library, a lot has changed. Not only do they continue to lend books, but you can quickly and easily renew them online or over the phone. They also have current movies that you can borrow, a selection of books on tape, lots of computers, and much more. For me, the most intriguing new service is e-books. Did you know that you can read e-books for FREE? Most libraries now offer this service, so if you are not already taking advantage of it -- and you like to read books on your iPad, Kobo, Kindle or other device -- you should definitely inquire at your local branch.

The system my library belongs to lets you borrow up to 5 e-books at a time. The lending period is for 7 days, and at the end of the 7 days you no longer have access to the book and need to borrow it again if you are not finished reading. Since many libraries share the same inventory of books, what you want to read might not be immediately available, but you can reserve up to 3 books at a time. When it's your turn, you will receive an e-mail and you have 2-3 days to 'borrow' the book before they offer it to the next person on the waiting list. Needless to say, I've been enjoying this new service quite a bit and it's helping me work towards my goal of reading a new book every 2 weeks this year (even if I am still a long way off!).

I also checked (on-line, from the convenience of my home) whether or not they had a documentary that I had heard about on someone's blog a while back (sorry - I couldn't remember where or when, just the basic premise of the film). To my surprise, they did have "Herb & Dorothy" in their collection....so off I went this weekend to borrow it, along with a couple of other books that were on the shelf nearby. (I will try to report back and let you know how I enjoyed them....sometime before they are due back in three weeks).

With all of the talk lately about libraries in Toronto, I think it's really important to support them if we want to keep them. I'm sure glad that I've rediscovered mine.

the lucky ducks

2011-11-03T18:15:00.000-04:00

Since my fish is still thawing out...I thought I would go ahead and do the draw before supper, and put an end to the suspense :-D To save time (and my own ink...LOL!) I printed off all of the comments at work this afternoon, so all I had to do when I got home was to fold them and put them into bowls.....and then fluff them up with my fingers before selecting just one.

So without further adieu, I'm pleased to present the chosen ones....

Sorry about the blurry, dull photo....but it's almost dark out already. In case you can't focus on the names they are....

Gayle ("I honestly can't remember how I found you - just bouncing around in the rug hooking blogging community I guess") will be the new owner of my collection of "The R.U.G. sack"

Michelle/midgeeteacher ("I love your purses and saw you at green mountain when you taught there and heard good things about you.") will be receiving the purse pattern of her choice.

Lauri/Miz T. ("I just returned from the ATHA biennial and has such a wonderful time taking classes and enjoying the show that I would hope to make it a biennial trip. The Green Mountain Guild Vermont show is even more amazing but that's close...not a vacation. I love the outside embroidery best with the beautiful birds.") will be receiving the beautiful "outside" embroidery I purchased from African Threads.

Claire ("I use mostly 6 & 8 cuts with wool, fleece and sometimes specialty yarns for a bit of bling.") will be receiving a copy of my "Amazing Matrix" booklet.

Barbara Kimborough ("Green, green, green and more green, yellow green, sage green, bronze green, lime green, evergreen green, pear green, grasshopper green, mallard green, teal, apple green, lime green, antique black green, grey green, chartreuse.... love, love, love it all.") will be receiving some slub yarn....in green, of course!

Congratulations ladies! Please send an e-mail asap to fisheyerugs AT hotmail DOT com with your snail mail addresses and full names...and I will get those parcels off in the mail to you quickly.

To everyone else who participated, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! It was so wonderful to get a flurry of comments....from newbies and longstanding supporters alike. Everyone who has a blog knows how great it is to get those notification emails -- and to me it never gets tiresome (hint, hint! :-) ) I won't promise to keep blogging for another 5 years, but I will say that if I do, there will definitely be some great prizes when I hit 10!

Happy weekend everyone. Enjoy your extra hour on Sunday.....I hope you use it to do something fun and creative. I'll be back next week with a whole list of things I've been wanting to share with you....

There is still time....

2011-11-02T09:17:00.002-04:00

I will be drawing for "5 years = 5 giveaways" tomorrow (Thursday the 3rd) after supper.....so it's not too late to get in on the action. Just scroll down to read all about it in the next 6 entries.

Thanks so much to everyone who's been participating so far -- it's been lots of fun to read your comments. Actually, it's been wonderful :-D

5 years = 5 giveaways

2011-10-25T19:35:00.001-04:00

In some ways I can't believe that it's been five years since I started blogging.....but that feeling quickly fades when I start scrolling back through the 675 posts that have been written since then. So many different projects, workshops, books, travels, colours, tools and ideas since that October day – it's almost amazing, in a way, that it's only been 5 years.

I had no idea when I started blogging how much I would love it. Or how motivating it would be. It's helped me to be more productive and encouraged me to take a lot more photographs than I ever did before. It's provided me with a tangible record of my making, doing, and thinking.....even though I don't always share everything here.

I don't really spend a lot of time thinking about who is reading my blog, so it amazes me that people from 108 different countries have visited here in the past 3 years. I am surprised every time I meet someone for the first time and they tell me that they read my blog. Somehow I tend to think that it's only just my family and close friends, and the handful of people who comment....although Google Analytics shares a different picture.

To help me say a great big Thank You to everyone who comes and spends a bit of time here, I will be giving away a few things at the end of next week. There will be 5 giveaways in all– one for each year of blogging – and each giveaway has its own separate post, below. Because I love comments and I want to find out a little more about you, the readers, you need to leave a comment and include your answer to the question(s). Readers are encouraged to leave a comment on any or all (or none :-D) of these giveaway posts....do as you see fit.

On Thursday November 3rd, I will randomly draw names for each of the five giveaways (using only the comments from the applicable post), and announce all the recipients names on Friday November 4th.

All readers are welcome to comment – the only thing that I ask is that you check back here on the 4th to see if you are one of the lucky ones. I want to get the parcels out quickly, so I will need the winners' mailing addresses ASAP (and I'd really like to mail any US parcels when I go to Shelburne the following week....for faster delivery and cheaper postage).

Good luck.....and thanks again!

Giveaway #1

2011-10-25T19:34:00.002-04:00

In my first year of blogging, I took a pottery class, knit my nephew a sweater, hooked several checkerboards for Christmas gifts, created new purse patterns, finished a couple of pillows, got a new to me sewing machine, finished another new purse, hand-wove some scarves, hooked another new purse.....along with many other things.

I was also still very much involved with the creation of "the R.U.G. sack" – a twice-yearly newsletter to record the happenings of the Spring and Fall gatherings at the Simcoe County Museum. The newsletter evolved over the 9 issues I edited and wrote between 2004-2008....and I think that the issues contain information and ideas that are still useful today. During the big purge a couple of weeks ago, I happened upon a 2nd full set of these newsletters that I would like to share with one lucky reader.

If you are interested in adding the complete collection of "the R.U.G. sack" to your library, please leave a comment and answer the following question: "How did you first discover this blog?" Did you happen upon it randomly, were you referred by another blog or link (where?), did you hear about it from me or someone else (who?).....I would really like to know how you happened to visit that first time.

• • • • • • • • •

On Thursday November 3rd, I will randomly draw for this giveaway, using only the comments recorded below. The lucky recipient will be announced on Friday November 4th.

All readers are welcome to comment on any or all of the giveaways – the only thing that I ask is that you check back here on the 4th to see if you are one of the lucky ones. I want to get the parcels out quickly, so I will need the winners' mailing addresses ASAP (and I'd really like to mail any US parcels when I go to Shelburne the following week....for faster delivery and cheaper postage).

Giveaway #2

2011-10-25T19:33:00.004-04:00

In my second year of blogging, I went on a trip to Nova Scotia with my mum and AB, we attended Deanne's 1st Symposium, I fell in love with the Snapdragon and demonstrated short-lived willpower, I saw lots of wonderful rugs at Hooked in the Mountains, I dyed yarn for whipping for the first time, I started hooking on my Carousel horse, I did a lot of dyeing, designed and hooked a larger purse, finally finished hooking my horse, started hooking on "looking west" and posted daily progress shots, attended my first OHCG Annual.....and I also launched my 3rd limited edition purse pattern.

All of those LE patterns have since reached their maximum number of printings and subsequently been retired....but I still continue to sell my original style of purses (also available in large size) as well as 5 different design options for my newer, Bala bags.

If you are interested in receiving a free purse pattern, please leave a comment and answer the following question: "Which of the available purse patterns do you most covet?" Please choose from any of the Bala bags (Henry's Pomegranate, Everyday Carré, Blank Canvas, Skeleflora or Bullseyes) or any of the designs in the Original (Ode to Kaffe, Hummingbirds and Flowers, Pinky Purple Peonies, Even a Fish) or Large (Birds of a Feather, Leaving Home, Ode to Kaffe, Cornflowers) paper patterns. Make your choice wisely, as your answer will determine your prize, should you be the 'chosen one' :-)

• • • • • • • • •

On Thursday November 3rd, I will randomly draw for this giveaway, using only the comments recorded below and choosing one entry. One lucky recipient will be announced on Friday November 4th.

All readers are welcome to comment on any or all of the giveaways – the only thing that I ask is that you check back here on the 4th to see if you are one of the lucky ones. I want to get the parcels out quickly, so I will need the winners' mailing addresses ASAP (and I'd really like to mail any US parcels when I go to Shelburne the following week....for faster delivery and cheaper postage).

Giveaway #3

2011-10-25T19:32:00.003-04:00

In my third year of blogging, there was a lot of stuff happening! Scrolling back through the entries, I can't believe I was so productive! In addition to designing and hooking 4 new Bala bags, I also created my first batch of silk worms, taught my first stocking workshop, met Heather Ritchie for the first time, rode the train all the way to Nova Scotia and home again taking pictures on my iPhone all the way, went to Cheticamp with my mum, cleaned my shelves for the ??teenth time, made my first Snow Folks, finally broke down and got a Snapdragon and stopped looking at frames, said farewell to a favourite uncle, did a lot of dyeing, had my first booth vending at the OHCG Annual, and dyed my first slub. And then I was tired!

Back at the very beginning of my third year of blogging, I was posted about my attendance at Deanne's 2nd Symposium, including a little post about African Threads.

While flicking back through my posts I realized that I still haven't done anything with these lovely embroideries.....and would like to share one of them with you (your choice).

Outside

Inside

If you are interested in one of the African Thread embroideries, please leave a comment and answer the following question: "If you're going on a holiday, which is the best rug hooking event to attend?" If you've been far away to attend rug hooking schools, symposiums or other events, I'd really like to know which one was your favourite. If you've not yet had the opportunity, what is your dream rug hooking holiday? (...and please don't forget to include your embroidery preference :-) )

• • • • • • • • •

On Thursday November 3rd, I will randomly draw for this giveaway, using only the comments recorded below. The lucky recipient will be announced on Friday November 4th.

All readers are welcome to comment on any or all of the giveaways – the only thing that I ask is that you check back here on the 4th to see if you are one of the lucky ones. I want to get the parcels out quickly, so I will need the winners' mailing addresses ASAP (and I'd really like to mail any US parcels when I go to Shelburne the following week....for faster delivery and cheaper postage).

Giveaway #4

2011-10-25T19:31:00.002-04:00

In my fourth year of blogging, I taught lots of purse workshops, I went back to Nova Scotia for a 4th time, to take a class with Doris Eaton, I did a treasured swap, I saw the wonderful old rugs in the Brick House at the Shelburne Museum, got a behind-the-scenes look at some of the rugs at the Textile Museum, and wonderful quilts, too, I discovered Uppercase, I went on a wonderfully fun trip with my niece to NYC, I became addicted to straight line hooking during the creation and discovery of my Matrix Mats series, and I started working on Jumbo ( I am still not yet finished with that phase -- and I'm not just saying that because Jumbo still isn't hooked yet!)

I want to share the love of straight row hooking.....

If you are interested in adding a copy of my instruction and pattern booklet, "The Amazing Matrix," to your personal library, please leave a comment and answer the following question: "What is your favourite cut size or material to hook with?" If you have more than one favourite....please list all of them. Or do you prefer to hand-cut your material....or not use fabric at all, but yarn? I'm curious....and I wanna know! :-)

• • • • • • • • •

On Thursday November 3rd, I will randomly draw for this giveaway, using only the comments recorded below. The lucky recipient will be announced on Friday November 4th.

All readers are welcome to comment on any or all of the giveaways – the only thing that I ask is that you check back here on the 4th to see if you are one of the lucky ones. I want to get the parcels out quickly, so I will need the winners' mailing addresses ASAP (and I'd really like to mail any US parcels when I go to Shelburne the following week....for faster delivery and cheaper postage).

Giveaway #5

2011-10-25T19:30:00.003-04:00

In my fifth year of blogging, I taught a lot of coin purse workshops, as well as my first week-long class, I splurged and bought Penelope, I worked on Jumbo A LOT, I went on a wonderful adventure to England, I did a lot of knitting, I pretended to be a quilter (oops! still not finished....), I finally started working on Jumbo's borders, I made some 'hooker jewellery', I came up with a new way to finish my rugs, I taught my first Matrix class, created a new label system, made my own rug hook, I hooked a bra, and I dyed a lot of wool and an awful lot of slub (thick and thin wool yarn).

I love dyeing slub, knitting with slub, hooking with slub, and even just looking at slub....and I think just about anyone would (at least anyone who is reading this! LOL!)

If you are interested in adding some of my hand-dyed slub to your stash, please leave a comment and answer the following question: "What is your most favourite colour in the whole wide world?" I know this is a toughie, but just think of in terms of what color of slub you would prefer to receive. Does that make it easier? I hope so..... :-)

• • • • • • • • •

On Thursday November 3rd, I will randomly draw for this giveaway, using only the comments recorded below. The lucky recipient will be announced on Friday November 4th.

All readers are welcome to comment on any or all of the giveaways – the only thing that I ask is that you check back here on the 4th to see if you are one of the lucky ones. I want to get the parcels out quickly, so I will need the winners' mailing addresses ASAP (and I'd really like to mail any US parcels when I go to Shelburne the following week....for faster delivery and cheaper postage).

true confessions.....

2011-10-24T22:06:00.007-04:00

I missed my 5 year blogiversary. Ooops!

My very first post was on October 6, 2006....but my first "real" post was on October 25th, 2006. So to save a little face, I'm going to consider tomorrow (October 25th) to be my 5 year anniversary of blogging......and I'll be back then with details of a little giveaway to celebrate. In the meantime, here are 5 things – one in honor of each year of blogging – that you might not know about me or maybe just didn't notice yet....

1. I recently cut off most of my hair (just last Wednesday, as a matter of fact). After 20+ years of dyeing it, I've decided to go au naturel and see what my hair really looks like underneath.

2. In spite of hooking for the past 12 years, I really only have four partly finished hooking projects on the go: Jumbo (of course!), Pets, Grandparents portrait project, and my very first rug (it's all hooked, but the edge has never been finished).

3. I am a little anal. Okay, maybe more than just a bit. I recently went through all of my England posts and replaced all of the photos and added some new ones. I just wasn't happy with the crummy quality of the editing App I used on the road and the newly updated pictures are bigger and oh, so much crisper. Check them out, if you care....

4. I am very behind in meeting my reading goals for the year. I'm also behind in updating my list of reads on the sidebar....but even when I do that, I will still be woefully behind.

5. I sometimes do silly, klutzy things. Such as forgetting my iPad in a bin, following my security clearance in Amsterdam airport (it was returned to me on the plane, TG).....Knocking my glass of water over in the middle of a paper-filled desk.....Tripping on imaginary rocks. You get the picture...

Report from Chantry

2011-10-24T19:05:00.003-04:00

I had such a wonderful time teaching at Chantry last year, that I signed up on the spot to return again this year as a student. In short, it didn't disappoint. Now here is the full report.....

It was a nice, relaxing weekend, filled with lots of visiting, a little shopping, some walking, and a small amount of hooking. I found it was especially nice to have the freedom that comes with being a student, and in all honesty, I really wasn't expecting to get a lot of progress made on my pets piece. Not only was the weekend my first continuous hooking stint in many months, I also didn't really want too intrenched in my piece knowing that I was going to be setting it aside when I returned home (and work needs to resume on Jumbo). So I guess you could say that I took it easy.

Here is the latest progress shot.....

Full Disclosure: Go-Go, the sheep was hooked about 8-9 years ago.....as was some of the border on Sammy, the snake :-)

Whenever I return to work on it again (it will be finished one day), the plan is to hook parts of 15 different pets that we've had over the years....drawing attention to any defining features. The spaces in between the black + white frames will be filled with echoing shapes in the hit and miss style, incorporating lots of colours and bringing in some reds, purples, etc. to add to the greens and blues used in the backgrounds. But for now, it will be going back to the bin for a little nap....and who knows when it will make its next appearance?! (hopefully it's not another 8-9 years, LOL!)

My teacher was Gayle Gunby from Orillia, and she treated us to a wonderful, well-planned class. I can't recall the exact title of the class, but it was something along the lines of Family Memories. We spent a lot of time in class sharing stories, and Gail shared several of her rugs with us along with a special behind-the scenes introduction to each rug. I've know Gayle for years, from R.U.G., and it was so lovely to be able to visit with her for a few consecutive days.

Many of these rugs were ones I had not seen before....and it's always wonderful to hear the stories and to see such variety in an individual's work. Thanks to Gayle for bringing them to share....and quickly agreeing to let me share them on the blog. All of the following rugs created by Gayle Gunby (Coldwater, Ontario)

Old family signatures transferred to fabric and sewn onto woolen hearts

The family flock of chickens -- including the one that would bite Gayle, when she was a child.

Gayle and her husband fantasy dancing.

Gayle administering the Spring Tonic to her 5 grandchildren.

Rug hooking as therapy, during Gayle's cancer diagnosis.

Transferring childhood art and stories into hooking.

Fun times in the Maritimes....Gayle and her husband.

Paying tribute to Gayle's Uncle, Mother, Father and Grandfather (?), who all served.

Winter fun with the five grandchildren.

It was wonderful to be able to reconnect with so many people that I had met last year. Being at an event likes this makes me long to belong to a group that gathers often....and really wish that I lived closer to more rug hookers. Thanks so much to Sybil and Vicki for organizing a great weekend, filled with lots of laughs. I hope can join you again next October....

I'm back....

2011-10-24T09:35:00.000-04:00

and just noticed that unfortunate technological glitch -- accidentally sent an e-mail to the blog that was just intended for me. Please don't call Marg.... :-)

I will be back tonight with a full post on the weekend.....

mini get-away

2011-10-20T13:05:00.002-04:00

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go to Chantry....or am I? Truth be told, I haven't hooked in ages, so I'm feeling a little out of touch and was at a bit of a loss for what to bring. When I first signed up for this class, I was planning on using it as a reason to resume working on the portraits of my grandparents (started at Hooked in the Mountains several years ago...and hastily buried after I returned home to too much critique in too short a time span). It's a project that I still want to get back to, but I just don't feel in the right mood to psych myself into tackling such a challenge.....

Luckily my conundrum of 'what to bring' was resolved last week. In the midst of a cleaning/purging of epic proportions (3 large boxes of books to the library, a full carload of stuff to the Sally Ann, and big bag for the food bank, not to mention many items passed along to friends and family), I happened upon another project from the past: family pets rug. It's still kind of related to the family theme of the class – not just because the two WIPs have been residing in the same bin for ages...LOL!.

I started the pets piece many, many years ago, in a class with Ann Hallet. It was probably 8-9 years ago.....and the reason it was set aside was sheer busyness - not that I fell out of love with my ideas. In fact, I modified my plan when I created "Hermiston Zoo" for my sister's family a few years later.

The list of pets is long gone. Same for the stack of blue and green wools that I had dyed for the backgrounds. So I was still scrambling a bit to get ready...raiding of my wool shelves for large pieces of blues and greens, 'borrowing' blacks and whites from Jumbo, and doing more than a little guesswork in pulling random bins of cut strips. I hope that I was correct in figuring there's a greater likelihood of finding what I need in there than in choosing a few select pieces from the shelf. It's so much easier to hook at home, where you have access to your entire stash....

At one point last night, I was briefly considering just bringing some knitting to work on....but I quickly reminded myself how rude that would be -- and really, all I am hoping to accomplish is to have fun, be social, share ideas, be inspired....and the hooking part is really secondary. At least it is for me when I'm a student in a class or at a school. So it doesn't really matter if I brought the right wool or not...right?

Back next week with pictures -- and not just of knitting! :-D

where the magic happens

2011-10-11T12:53:00.000-04:00

In addition to seeing all of the wonderful sights, getting lots of inspiration, and meeting many nice people on my holiday......one of the highlights was definitely Greencroft. In much of England, houses are named and Greencroft is where Heather Ritchie and her husband Les have made their home.

From the minute I stepped in the door, I knew that I had arrived somewhere very special. It's cosy, it's quirky, it's colourful, and it's filled with so many creative and handcrafted things. It's a place where you can quickly feel welcome and easily relax. I guess it's exactly where you would picture Heather living, once you get to know her....

Like many people who create, I am always fascinated by the places where people do their making (hey, there are even books an magazines showcasing people's studios....so I'm not the only nosey one! ;-) ), and Heather's rug making studio was no exception. I was in and out of the studio many times during my visit -- and noticed more and more things each time.

Heather says that I need to come back and spend a couple of days helping her organize.....and not that I would mind, but I love the character of it as is. With several very tall piles of rugs, you can easily tell that it's an active studio and that ideas are coming alive all of the time here. There is so much variety in colour, texture, fibre and materials, that you're tempted to just sit down and get to work – right in the cosy chair by the woodstove....

Heather was a wonderful hostess....just the right amount of looking after without fussing. It really was great to get to know her, and we had lots of fun together. I am thrilled that I had this opportunity....and must thank Heather and Cilla for inviting me and for taking such good care of me.

I am pretty sure it won't be my last trip -- I haven't cashed in my leftover pounds yet -- and I hope to see this smiling face again soon....

Day 15: Bath

2011-10-10T08:38:00.006-04:00

On my first full day in Bath, I left town. In my research before I left, I had discovered Mad Max Tours that offers bus tours departing from Bath and visiting Stonehenge, Avebury, Castle Combe, and Lacock. Since I wasn't planning on hiring a car, it was a perfect opportunity to go and visit the surrounding area.....

The tour was wonderful, and I would definitely recommend it. I thought it combined the right proportions of organized activities and freedom to do your own thing. There was always time for you to wander about and look more closely at whatever interested you. Plus, there was a good mix of people (13 in our group, including several others travelling solo).

When I arrived back in Bath at the end of the afternoon, it was a big rush to try and take some pictures before evening....

My time in Bath passed by very quickly, and the next day I left wishing that I had at least another day to explore the town.....and two or three more days would have been even better.

painful reintegration

2011-10-08T10:36:00.003-04:00

I'm having a hard time readjusting to normal life, following my fabulous trip. I'm finally sleeping in the right time zone, but I can't believe it's taken me all week to post! Yowza. I'm hoping to finish off the last of the daily trip posts (2 to go) this weekend.....and get back into the swing of things.

In the meantime, check out Tammy's recent post for two great links, and treat yourself to a mini escape and, hopefully, a little inspiration.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Day 14: London + Bath

2011-10-02T20:08:00.011-04:00

I arrived home, safe and sound, on Friday night....and I'm slowly readjusting to real life. Fingers crossed that by tomorrow I will wake up in the right time zone :-).

=============================
My final morning in London was spent at Hampton Court Palace....entering another world. As an avid fan of The Tudors, I was familiar with the place, and eagerly awaiting my visit. Since it was just a short drive from where I was staying, it made sense to leave it to the last day.

I arrived early, so I think I might have been the first visitor to pass through the gates once it opened. In fact, they were still unlocking all of the doors, etc., so it was a little wait until I was able to put my bags in a locker....but all worthwhile in the end. It was a peaceful day, and apart from several school groups in some parts of the Palace, it was quite quiet (in complete contrast to almost everywhere else I visited in London).

The grounds and gardens are equally lovely....and I had a nice walk around outside. I also went in the historic Maze....and was quite worried for several minutes that I might not find my way out in time to make my train! Eventually I found the wheelchair exit, and decided to cheat and use it instead rather than risk getting really lost.

Before I knew it, it was time to catch my train to Bath. Within minutes dropping off my bags at my hotel in Bath, I was wishing that I had allowed more time to explore the area. The short walk to the Roman Baths was quite pretty....

And once I started my self-guided tour, I really felt as though I was stepping back in time. I think the Roman Baths Museum will be the place that I really came to appreciate the audio tour (prior to this I didn't really have much patience for them, and seemed to abandon them quite quickly -- when I even bothered to pick one up....). I think that the main difference here was that there were frequently several options to choose from, and once I had sampled the Bill Bryson commentary (and loved it!), I was hooked and only choose the red squares from that point on....

The Roman Baths was yet another reminder of how much history proliferates England. Canada in comparison is such a new country, that something or somewhere that has been around for 100 years is considered historical......whereas in the U.K., many places have been around for several centuries and some for millennium.

Following the advice of the innkeeper, in the evening I sought out the Mayor's Walk -- a free guided walking tour of the town which is held daily, and a few nights a week as well in the summer months. Even though it got dark early on in the tour, it was still quite worthwhile and a great way to learn more about the development of the town. I would have loved to have been able to take in a daytime tour and get another person's take on the town (all of the walks are conducted by volunteers and influenced by whatever questions are asked...so I imagine that no two would be the same).

A lovely first day in a lovely town.

Day 13: London

2011-09-29T11:52:00.002-04:00

Monday was my last full day in London....and it was sure another packed day. I walked over to the Tate Modern from the train station, and wandered around. I had big expectations for this site, and sadly I left feeling a little disappointed.

There were some interesting paintings and photography on show, to be sure....but just not quite as much as I was expecting and fewer pieces that I really loved (especially in contrast to MOMA in NYC). And there were lots of wide open spaces that seemed to require a lot of unnecessary walking (given the amount of walking I still had to do that day!).

They did have a really awesome book shop, though, so that was a definite plus! :-

From there I walked across Millennium Bridge, crossing the Thames and heading for the Tower of London. Once on the other side, I decided to save my feet (and some time) and cheat a bit by taking the Tube.

The Tower of London was really fabulous! In spite of the crazy admission prices (£18), it was totally worth for me. Steeped in history, there is so much to see and explore.....aside from the various rooms and buildings themselves, I was able to see the spectacular Crown Jewels and amazing armour and weaponry from several centuries (including various pieces from Henry VIII). With so many diverse exhibits, and the ability to wander at your own pace, I easily spent about 4 hours there.

There are also really great views of Tower Bridge from here. Sadly I didn't end being there at the right time to see it lift open....but still an impressive sight none-the-less.

When I left, I was thinking that I should go and do a bit of shopping (I was still hoping to find a couple of gifts), but while I was considering my options on the map, I was reminded that I hadn't yet made it to the National Portrait Gallery. So I made a mad dash over, and in hindsight was thrilled with my choice.

I was only able to take a handful of snaps before I got into trouble.....ooops! ;-)

As with most galleries and museums in England (the only places I visited where I had to pay were: Courtland Gallery, Tower of London, Hampton Curt Palace and Roman Baths Museum in Bath), the National Portrait Gallery is free. There were lots of wonderful old portraits of the Tudors which I particularly enjoyed seeing. Not having to pay to get in definitely helps to keep expectations in check -- my only regret is that I didn't have more time to explore and that this is one of the (seemingly few) places that doesn't permit photos.

Day 12: London

2011-09-29T11:50:00.002-04:00

On Sunday I started my day with a trip to the V&A. It's a place that's been on my bucket list since I read Kaffe Fassett's early knitting and needlepoint books, while I was still in high school.....and it did not disappoint. I think I could easily fill the rest of my day hooking all of the rug ideas that I had while wandering the halls of this inspiring place. It's definitely the type of place that you could visit over and over, and not run out of new things to see.

Again, I took a lot of photos, but found that I had to remind myself to concentrate on what I was looking at -- seeing it while I had the chance to really look, rather than focusing on trying to capture shots of everything before me. It's such a challenge for me, especially knowing that I might not return again. Here are just a few of the interesting things I saw....some of the other pictures I've taken might inspire some future rugs (and I will share the source then) :-)

What really impressed me about the V&A was it's a ability to mix the old with the new. They have several contemporary features mixed in with all of the wonderful decorative arts of the past....including a really neat display of fabric designed with an iPad (along with stations set up so that you could try your hand at the same) and garments and furniture made with said fabric. Very cool.

There were also some very interesting and attractive contemporary works by Hadieh Shafie that I loved upon first sight. So many wonderful colours in these pieces and others on her site....it makes me want to hook a cat's paw rug. Right. This. Minute.

I was there for hours -- probably twice as long as most museums I visit -- and left with some areas still undiscovered. There are just sooooo many things in a place this size, it's just not possible to take them all in in a single visit.

The next stop was Harrod's....just so that I could see it and say that I had been. To be quite honest, I was a little disappointed here -- IMHO it's just like any other high end department store, such as Sak's 5th Avenue in NYC or Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street in Toronto.

From there, I headed back to Liberty to pick up a little bit more fabric (I was afraid I had been a little stingy the previous day)....and also took a bit more time to wander around the whole store. They have a lovely area filled-to-almost-bursting with rugs and carpets....a real treasure trove.

From there, I shopped a little more in the area, as I made my way to the train station....and went home to rest my weary feet.

Day 11: London

2011-09-29T11:47:00.003-04:00

Wow! I can't believe I got so behind in my posting! Right now I am on a train, heading back up to Heather's after spending a couple of wonderful days in Bath. So now I am rewinding the clock back to Saturday...

I started off the day on Saturday with a trip to the British Museum. Although I saw quite a bit of it (Rosetta Stone, Mummies, Ancient Cyprus, Roman Empire, early North America) I still left quite a bit to discover on my next trip. The museum reminded me of the Metropolitan Museum in NYC, with lots of Egyptian artifacts and many other very old things. I felt like there were design inspiration everywhere I looked...and I was grateful that I was able to take photos in most areas. As with most such places, I seemed to "max out" after a few hours and my brain needed to have a bit of a rest.

I have admired Loop yarn shop in Islington from afar for quite some time....and naturally it was near the top of my list of things to do.

What I really wasn't expecting was to feel so overwhelmed that I was unable to choose any yarn. The problem was that everything was so nice--I just couldn't make up my mind. Plus, I was suddenly struck my an inability to remember all of the different things I want to knit in the near future. I even left the store and walked around for a bit, but when I came back, I wasn't really any better off. I finally settled on a couple of new (to me) magazines and some beautiful buttons....so I will have a little momento from my trip, even sans yarn.

I must be a glutton for punishment, because when I left Loop, I went to Liberty. Talk about being surrounded by lovely! Lucky for me, they had bundles of coordinating pieces of Tana Lawn available -- not a fat quarters, but just random widths of 10-12 different fabrics, making up about 2m. Since the minimum cut off of the bolts is 1/2 metre, the bundles were quite appealing for the sheer variety factor. The challenge was in choosing my bundles (no two the same) and a bit of coordinating fabric.

The Tana Lawn is so luxurious feeling. No doubt about it, it was a big splurge. But I have no regrets. Plus it was much cheaper to buy here than at home, and a more complete selection of prints and colours. (Wow...it sure sounds like I'm justifying... :-) ). I know that when I get quilt made, it will be a lasting, lifetime momento of my trip.

I did a bit more window shopping around the Oxford Circus area, but started to feel a little claustrophobic. Not only were there a lot of people milling about (just like most places in London), but it was also a little disappointing to see do many familiar shops. I guess the big US shops have invaded more than just Yorkdale!

Day 10: London

2011-09-26T18:06:00.007-04:00

On my first full day in London, I took the train into the city (from my dad's friends place -- it's about a 30 minute ride)....and spent the full day exploring in foot.

The first stop was the Courtauld Gallery. A nice, small gallery....where I could easily look at everything before I started to feel overwhelmed and as though my head was going to explode from too much stimulation. There were lots of wonderful paintings on exhibit - here are a few of my favourites...

And the gallery itself was quite pretty, too.....

I headed out from there towards Trafalgar Square, stopping at the National Gallery along the way, and then headed down see Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament Buildings, etc. By the time I made my way back to Waterloo Station, my feet were more than ready for a rest! :-)

In London

2011-09-24T13:32:00.002-04:00

Everything is fine. I've been busy in London for the last couple of days. Taking lots of pictures and seeing lots of sights...and doing a little bit of shopping, too :-)

I will try to get back to posting multiple photos soon....

Day 8: York

2011-09-22T12:42:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, Heather and I headed over towards York by Car, and finished the last bit of our journey by train (to avoid a bit of a crazy drive and crazier parking). It was another wonderful day — and I know I keep describing everything as " wonderful", but truly it has been ;-). Perhaps I should be using the term "fab"....LOL!

We boarded a double-decker bus right outside the station and started touring around the city. Our first stop was the Jorvik Museum, a really interesting site based around the discoveries of an ancient Viking settlement in the heart of the city.

It was a very different experience for me -- unlike any of the other museums I've been to before....and the information presented seemed to be new and different from what I've learned of the other ages. Of particular interest were the samples of wool (obviously new) dyed with madder, weld and woad. I've obviously heard of these, but I don't think I've ever seen samples up close before....

Next up was a walk through the Shambles. Very unique spot with lots of old shops - formerly butchers, etc. with increasingly larger upper floors to provide shade. In some places, the buildings come awfully close to touching....

Lots of wonderful shops, and Heather and I had a great time checking things out...and adding to our wardrobes.

I also visited the Minster, a very large Cathedral in York. It was easily the largest church I've ever seen, let alone been inside. Lovely stained glass windows, beautiful patterns and designs throughout. Definitely a lot of inspiration here....

We finished off the day by continuing our bus tour. I especially loved the wall that surrounds the (old) city...

Day 7: Swaledale and Wensleydale

2011-09-21T16:39:00.003-04:00

Heather took me on a wonderful road trip yesterday. I can't remember all of the names of the various villages and hamlets we drove through....but it was all very interesting and picturesque.

We stopped to see several James Herriot landmarks - including this one, called "the Splash". We visited Swaledale Woollens (and I must confess that I bought a lovely pair of sheepskin gloves--so it will be all my fault if it snows early this year!) and had a tasty lunch in a local pub. I love the pubs (and the sticky toffee pudding! Mmmmmm.....)

Since we are in the middle of a National Park, all of the new buildings need to be made of stone, and in a similar style to the old. So for the newbie, everything looks very old (and most of it is...), and of course, it's all very lovely. I did notice some differences when we drove further away -- more bricks, siding, etc. in the buildings.

In the afternoon, we drove over to Bolton Castle....and explored around a bit there. It is HUGE! (although not quite as large as the Minster Cathederal in York - where we went today). It is so amazing to be around buildings so old. We have absolutely nothing to compare it to in Canada....

After the Castle, we continued on to the Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Shop to visit friends of Heather's and do a little bit of shopping. Afterwards, the owner's husband took us to see the sheep. They are soooo cute...and even without the super-long fleece, they are still very curly and silky looking. I just wanted to reach out to pet them (but of course every time my hand snaked out, they skittered away....)

Today we went to the historic town of York -- another fabulous day! I will hopefully be able to blog about it tomorrow from the train (I'm leaving here and heading south to London).

Day 5 + 6: Reeth and Grinton

2011-09-19T11:41:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a busy day in class. I ended up staying late and chatting with the ladies, and enjoying a little G+T (thanks again, Brenda!). I was so busy that I didn't have time to take a single photo, until I realized that was the case. So here is the lone photo from yesterday - taken in the classroom...

And here are all of the finished projects. The ladies did a wonderful job, and were so lovely to have in class. I really enjoyed myself this weekend. Wonderful place, wonderful people, good food, gorgeous views. Really great.

I've taken individual shots of all of them and will post then later, when I have more spare time. Sorry the snap is a little blurry....I didn't realize until I'd uploaded it....
• • • • • •
As promised here are the two auction acquisitions. This lovely proddy mat is intended to be sat upon. It was created by Sue Gilmartin.....and I love it. The colours, mix of all different fabrics, not to mention the technique itself, is so typical of this area. It will be a great keepsake, and it's so bright and lovely and comfortable — I know that I will be using it a lot when I get home.

I also happily succeeded in bidding on this great book. I thought it seemed familiar at the time, but I couldn't quite figure out from where. Last night, I was catching up on a few blogs, when I realized that I had seen Sue Dove's work before on Deanne's blog. It sure is a small world!

• • • • • •
Thanks to Irene for sending me the following photos she took during our class. Maybe I will have to hire her to accompany me to all of my future classes -- I almost always forget to take many photos.....

Day 4: Reeth

2011-09-17T17:39:00.003-04:00

Another wonderful day in Reeth! Although it was busy all day, up at Grinton Lodge, I did get out for lovely walk along the moors and took lots of snaps. I will post a few quickly now and then more in the morning if I have time (I'm tired and just want to go to bed ;-) )

Day 3: Reeth and Retreat

2011-09-16T17:32:00.003-04:00

After a glorious (and surprising!) TWELVE hour sleep, I awoke to gloomier weather today. I wrote a few post cards and then walked across the green to mail them at the post office....

The morning was relaxed, and then we headed up to Grinton Lodge right after lunch. Apparently it's an old shooting/hunting lodge that was built as a wedding gift (nice gift!) It's a wonderful place, filled with more wonderful views. Hopefully the weather will be better in the coming days and I can take some more snaps.

Class started this afternoon....and today we played with colour. It was lots of fun, and, of course, everyone is lovely and nice :-)

The next few days will be busy with class....but hopefully I will be able to get a few walks in and take some pictures....

Day 2: Reeth (more photos)

2011-09-16T05:52:00.003-04:00

I was having trouble uploading my post....I timed out last night and again this morning when I tried again. I finally got smart and removed a few of the pictures.....success!

Here are the rest of the photos....

Day 2: Reeth

2011-09-16T05:39:00.004-04:00

I can hardly believe that I am finally here -- I practically need to pinch myself! Not surprising that I feel that way, considering that this was the view from my bedroom window at Heather's this morning....

Today was a pretty low key day. I had a good night of sleep and woke up feeling rested and (fingers crossed) as though I made a smooth transition through the time zones. Hopefully after tonight's sleep, it will be a done deal!

Much of my day today was spent exploring in and around the village. I did a bunch of walking, a little bit of shopping, and had a great time getting acquainted with the surroundings. It truly is a beautiful place....

Day 1: Amsterdam

2011-09-15T06:01:00.004-04:00

Within the last 24 hour period, I've travelled by car, plane, train, tram, bus and foot, while happily avoiding getting run over by numerous bicycles and scooters (although I did cause several bells to ring!) And did I mention that I only managed to get about 3 hours of sleep on the flight (and not all of them at once)? Needless to say, I am feeling (and worse, looking) a little tired...and crossing my fingers that I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow tonight at Heather's.

So here are the highlights for today..... My first stop in downtown Amsterdam was the Van Gogh Museum -- and after several false starts and feelings that I was lllllllost, I thought that my first stop at the museum should be the cafe for lunch! Once I was refueled, I set out to explore this small museum.

I met someone in the airport last night who had been before and she said that her favorite part was the chronological exhibit of a number of Van Gogh's self-portraits ('you could almost watch him go crazy..." she told me), so I was a little disappointed that the self portraits were not displayed in this way. But all was not lost-- everything else was wonderful...and I was so fascinated by how unfamiliar I was with his work (apart from the well known pieces) and his life (not counting the ear amputation).

In addition to the permanent collection of paintings that are displayed chronologically (which was so neat to see his progression as artist, notice the different styles, techniques, colours, etc.), they also had a special exhibit where they, in a sense, CSIed some of his works and discovered that some past assumptions (regarding when they had been painted, who subjects were, etc.) had been incorrect. It was very interreting. Also interesting were a couple of things that might be particularly interesting to rug hookers: (1) he had purchased an inferior supply of paint at one time and the pigments had faded to practically nothing over time (but these were more pinks, reds and purples -- not the blue that is more common in rug hooking), and (2) he kept a special box with balls of yarn inside and he supposedly wound up these mini balls of different colour combinations to see how they would influence one another (e.g. Same yellow with a variety of different purples to choose which one he would use in his painting), and be able to reference it. Kind of a neat idea, I thought....

From there, I made my way up to the Museum of Bags and Purses. After accidentally discovering that such a place existed just a couple of short weeks ago, it was instantly added to my itinerary. :-). What a collection! It made for a very interesting stop, filled with much eye candy. My only regret is that they (as well as the other two museums that I went to today) prohibit photography...so I will have rely on my memory (and careful reviews of each places website for gentle reminders).

My final planned stop for the day was the Anne Frank House. A very worthwhile stop and I found (again) that there was much I didn't really know - apart from the basics. I was glad that I didn't really do a lot of research and study beforehand because I wanted to be able to experience it first hand and with fresh eyes. Mission accomplished.

I was a little disappointed that I didn't make it to the Ryjk Museum. But by the same token, I would have been only able to see a small portion of it before I ran out of time or ability to receive visual stimulation. Instead each of the 3 places I went today were small enough that I left feeling as though I had had a complete experience.

Although I still had a little more time I could spend downtown, I was feeling a little spent, and so decided to come back to the airport early instead. The next two weeks are going to be busy enough....so I'm trying to pace myself. Having an extra 1/2 hour at the gate helps explain why this post is so lengthy! :-)

The latest...

2011-09-12T10:28:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I received a call from a neighboring rug hooker named Barb who was getting ready to move and needed to downsize her stash. I was more than happy to come to her rescue.

When I first started rug hooking I would latch on to just about anything and everything to do with the craft...but as time has passed - and my collection has grown - I find that I need to be a lot more selective.

The sum total of my new acquisitions is visible in the previous photo. A stack of interesting and useful textures (mostly recycled, but with all of the work already done), a neat enamel pan with lid (does anyone know what this might have been in it's previous life?), and a very old book.

The book is neat....and one that I don't remember seeing before. Although many of the images are familiar, there are some new ones, too.

It's fun to add to the collection...and I've already cut up some of the wool to add to the border on Jumbo. No regrets about any of my newest acquisitions. I just hope that Barb is feeling the same way...

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
In preparations for my trip, I've added a couple of new apps to my iPad to help me blog en route. The are Touch Up Pro (for cropping and shrinking photos) and BlogPress (for composing posts). This entire post was created using the two new apps. Uploaded the photos straight for the SD card, and everything. I'm sure that by the time I am home again, it will all be .'old hat', but for now I'm just happy that I got everything to work :-)

from drab to fab....

2011-09-10T09:03:00.001-04:00

Remember this?

Last night while sifting through a pile of papers (that was literally a foot high!), I stumbled upon a my printed pattern for September Circle. Since it's September - and I was more than ready for a break from paper shuffling - I decided to look and see just how little I had left to knit. I was amazed to discover that I was just 10 rows away from being finished....so I quickly pushed some of the piles aside and sat and did just that......

I still wasn't happy with the colours. They would be pretty on someone, I am sure....but just not what I would wear. Buoyed by my successful wardrobe updates last weekend (involving 3 t-shirts and a tin of Dylon dye), I decided to just tint the whole thing. Within 5 minutes of casting off, the cowl was in the pot, along with about 1/8 tsp of PC Deep Orchid 826. It was not enough....so I added some more dye, for a total of a very generous 1/4 tsp. Finding some bits a little too golden, I finished off by adding 2/32 = 1/16 of Deep Purple. This is what it looked like this morning.

Oh, I think I am going to get a lot of wear out of this baby....and I hope that every time I do, it reminds me of how quickly I can fix little problems like the wrong colour.

back in the saddle again

2011-09-06T07:51:00.004-04:00

I hooked last night for the first time in almost 3 months. Because I definitely don't want a repeat performance of my shoulder problem, I am pacing myself. Yes, I can hardly believe it while I type it.....but it's true! I sat down at the frame last night for just an hour, focusing on my posture the whole time.

I will try to hook for just one or two hours a night for the rest of this week and assess how I feel before I start upping my 'mileage'. It almost sounds like I'm training for a marathon....but I guess since the project at hand is Jumbo, it is somewhat true. Except maybe a bit more like one of the ultramarathons I was reading about yesterday morning.....

dyeing wool while the wind blows....

2011-08-29T08:11:00.004-04:00

Who knew that bees like Eucalan? This fellow was captivated for more than 20 minutes...

After spending 12 hours working (my real job) on Saturday, I was looking forward to having a whole day of being lazy on Sunday -- until I looked outside and saw how fiercely the wind was blowing. Dyeing up a bunch of slub this Summer has been on my list of things to do since Spring. And just being on my list is pretty much as far as it had gotten.

Slub yarn that has been dried in the wind is fluffier and softer....and just plain better than when it dries in the sun or with my big fan blowing on it. The difference is considerable -- and I really wanted to take advantage of the windy day. You can see how much it was blowing in this picture....

By the time I stopped to rest, I had dyed over 15lbs (50+ skeins) and all but these last few hanging up were already completely dried.

Of course, there was still a lot of mess to clean up.....but that's when I am awfully thankful that bleach was invented. It makes the job soooooo much easier!

Although I don't really keep detailed notes of what and how I dye each time, I have started taking quick snapshots of the colours I'm combining. That's about as detailed as the notes get, though....so I'm still on my own to guess at quantities, lingering shadows in the pan from the previous batch, last minute tweaks, etc. I tried keeping meticulous notes once....but found that it took me 5 times longer to dye -- and made it a lot less fun. Perhaps if I had an assistant.... ? ;-)

still here

2011-08-22T08:11:00.007-04:00

I've just been busy planning my trip (just 3 weeks away now)....and planning my wardrobe! Although I am planning on packing light, I still want to bring some handmades and hand-knits to wear along the way. Since most of my sweaters are classified as "winter", it was time to knit something new. This is where I gush a little bit about Ravelry....

If you haven't already heard about it, Ravelry is a wonderful community site for knitters. After you join, you can search for pattern ideas and even buy individual patterns on the site (some are free). The possibilities really are endless. Once you settle on a potential pattern, you can easily look at pictures of finished versions of the sweater (that other people have posted), see the various yarns people have used, read about modifications they made, discover any errata (a general lack of errata is a great thing I've noticed about downloaded patterns vs. those in a book). In fact, you can even search by yarn type -- to see if anyone has knit your desired sweater in your desired yarn yet or not, or to see a list of all projects that people have made using the yarn in your stash.

The best thing about Ravelry for me, is that I am a lot more confident about my knitting projects. Being able to see so many versions of the same sweater pattern (on all different body shapes and sizes) helps me to make better choices and thus have better outcomes (i.e. sweaters that I love, and that look better on me than most other sweaters I've made in the past). If you knit and you haven't checked it out yet, you definitely should....

So now back to the knitting. I love Veera's designs -- this is the 2nd of her patterns I've knit and I'm pretty sure that my next sweater will also be one of hers. That is, when I can decide between all of those I love..... :-D What can I say -- the patterns are just the right combination of simple with a few twists, and the fit really works for me.

This was a very fast knit for me -- not counting the days I had to take off to wait for my new needles to arrive, it was less than two weeks. The yarn is Madeline Tosh Merino Light in Cousteau, purchased from Julie at The Needle Emporium. I love it....and just want to make sure that it wears okay before I stock up on more.

My little mountain of sweaters waiting to be blocked has now grown to three....so I had best get busy. It's just hard to make it a priority when it's been so nice and warm this summer. In the meantime, I discovered some CP prototypes in a basket yesterday, all abandoned due to some problem encountered during the finishing...and I'm hoping to have them all finished up in the coming days. Will post pictures soon.

voila!

2011-08-08T08:13:00.003-04:00

One quick, last-minute run to the fabric store for elastic later, it's all done. And I couldn't be happier. Well, maybe there are one or two little things I'd change next time.....but there probably won't be another next time.... :-D

almost

2011-08-05T08:16:00.005-04:00

There were a few more start and stops.....but I really do think that I am starting to get the hang of this FMQ (free motion quilting) thing. Of course, I also recognize that a class or two would help tremendously. Not too shabby though for my first efforts, but I guess the true test will be how it wears.

The piece is fully quilted and trimmed, the binding is cut and pressed, the wool lining is chosen....and now if all goes according to plan, my iPad will be sleeping in a cosy new bed tonight.

more playing

2011-08-04T08:12:00.005-04:00

I'm starting to get my groove back. I ordered some pretty teal yarn and bought a new pattern yesterday. So now the rush is on to finish the iPad cover before it gets here.....and I get lost in the knitting. It would make a great September in England sweater, non?

After fluttering about for most of the night, I finally settled down to sew a little bit before bed. Truth be told, I was a little hesitant to start again - worried that I had waited just a little too long to get playing again. Not being able to remember which foot (of 2) I had experienced the most success with on the weekend didn't really help me feel confident....so I just guessed. I was lucky.

The overall size of the piece I'm quilting is going to be plenty big enough this time around (I wasn't going to make that mistake again so soon)....and I'm hoping that I will be able to finish off the rest of the FMQ tonight, playing a bit with some other threads in my drawer to add some more colour on the topside.

I'm still debating about how the assembly will come together in the end.....but luckily there is still a bit of time to decide. I dug out my favourite travelling purse last night and happily discovered that my iPad will fit inside, so long as the sleeve is not too puffy.

how to: turn a belt into a purse strap....

2011-08-02T19:45:00.006-04:00

Sometimes it can seem impossible to find a good leather purse strap. In many of my purse classes, we've discussed how to make a purse handle/strap from an old belt....which is a great way to re-cycle or up-cycle something that is just collecting dust. In response to a recent e-mail request for long straps (which I no longer carry, as they've been discontinued), I decided to write it all down to share. And so now I'm sharing it with you.....

I hope it makes sense....please don't hesitate to get in touch should you have any ?? or need clarification. If you click on the picture above, it will display larger and should be readable.

beaucoup*

2011-08-01T18:55:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago, at the local Muskoka Arts and Crafts Summer Show, I was fortunate enough to meet Arounna of Bookhou. Mind you, I had heard so much about her from Christine, that I almost felt as though we already knew one another, but it was wonderful to meet her and see all of her lovely work. I purchased a few things - a tea towel for me and some other gifts for others - and we got to talking.....

Somehow the topic of my coin purses and a possible trade came up. I sent her some pictures a week or so later, and I was thrilled to receive a parcel of wonderful items in the mail on Friday. Sometimes Canada Post can be super speedy -- both of our parcels were delivered the very next day! I can't share everything - again some are gifts for OP, but here is a peek at the things I am keeping for myself....

It's a step in the right direction towards my desire to have a home filled with only things made by hand. The tea towels are all washed and ready to be put into action....definitely the nicest set I've ever had! I still have to decide what is going to go in the storage tote. Perhaps some knitting - I am in between projects, after all! :-)

Trading seems to harken back to an earlier time, when bartering was commonplace. People exchanging goods in lieu of cash. It also reminds me of all of the unique gifts my mum would give at Christmas -- products of her own trades when she was doing the craft show circuit and items that she would likely never have purchased with money, regardless of how much she may have loved them. It's such a win:win scenario. I hope there are more trades in my future....

* not sure if I'm right, but that's how I imagine sounds when spoken aloud....

P.S. Underneath the items is the beginnings of my iPad Sleeve, version 2.0

playing

2011-08-01T08:52:00.006-04:00

What a great weekend! It combined just the right amounts of sleep, swimming, eating, reading and making for me. After finishing off one sweater on Saturday, I finally dug Juliet back out again and was delighted to discover that instead of the days of knitting that I had imagined, it only required a couple of hours. So I'm happy to report that I finished knitting two things this weekend. Pictures to come soon.... (To be completely honest, I still need to find buttons for one, sew the closure onto the other, sew in the tails on one, and block both....but really, that's nothing, right? ;-) )

(Practically) finishing off a couple of things gave me free license to start a new project. So yesterday I dug through my fabric basket and settled on a piece of batik to form the basis for my iPad sleeve. Once decided, I was very keen to get going, so I quickly figured out a pattern, found some batting, pressed a piece of wool for the inside.....and started sewing. I sewed, and swore, and sewed, and smiled, and sewed and swore a little bit more. It's not always easy to learn a new thing -- especially when you are trying to teach yourself. Just when I was starting to get in the grove and feel like I knew what I was doing, I decided to 'try it on' my iPad. Big mistake. In my haste to just get started, I didn't allow enough surplus for the shrinkage that resulted from all of the quilting. In short, it's too short.

So needless to say, I will soon be starting over. A new print, a new (larger) pattern, and a new sense of understanding of how to bring my vision to life. It's a new week, after all :-D
I just need to figure out what I'm going to do with my WIP....

back to normal?

2011-07-27T17:40:00.008-04:00

I don't know about you, but I've found that it's taken the last few weeks for the postal system to get everything sorted out, following the labour dispute. Much of my mail has taken longer than usual (like 10 days for an envelope to go from Parry Sound to Huntsville - normally a 1 hour drive by car). Maybe it's just the summer....and little bit my imagination, but everything seems a little sluggish lately, including me.

In need of a little pick-me-up, I placed my first order with Alewives a few weeks ago. I've visited their site many times to gorge on the lovely eye candy, but I always seemed to feel a bit overwhelmed by all of the choices and had a hard time deciding what I really wanted. It's difficult to complain about having too many beautiful fabrics to choose from......but I do find I get easily overwhelmed by attractive selections -- finding the rose among the thorns is so much easier!

In any case, I finally took the plunge, chose 10 different batiks and placed an order, and the slow-poke mail service finally delivered the last of my fabric at the end of last week. It's been spread out on either the counter or the coffee table ever since, and cheers me up each time I look over at it. There is so much promise in a pile of fabric...

Meanwhile I'm busy planning my trip to England, hence the book that's usually by my side. It's hard to believe I'll be leaving in less than 7 weeks -- there is much to do between now and then. Including finalizing where I am going, staying, seeing, etc. Any and all recommendations welcome for Amsterdam (I a 12 hour stopover en route), London, Yorkshire, _______ (anywhere else I should go for a good 3-day adventure in September? Scotland? Wales? _____?)

Once I finish knitting my new sweater (hopefully this weekend), next up on the project list is sewing a pocket-protector for my iPad. I love the thick felt Christine used for hers, but I think I will try to make something from my stash - either wool fabric with batting and then contrasting free-motion quilting or maybe a little pieced top using some different batiks.... Luckily there is still time for me to decide and/or come up with a new plan :-D

Dear Blog

2011-07-18T15:23:00.007-04:00

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry I've been neglecting you of late. Did you know that it's summer around here? Not only is it Canada's shortest season, we've had some of the nicest weather in years (don't worry, I've crossed my fingers crossed to avoid a Jinx).....so I really want to take full advantage.

Instead of hanging out at home, making and creating, I've been spending more and more time away from home. I've been laying in the sun, swimming in the lake, floating on the water trampoline, eating lots of summer = barbecued foods (bacon cheese dogs are the best!), reading magazines, sleeping lots in my new tent, discovering funny pictures on my iPad (like the one above) when I get home, shopping at the farmers market, gorging on cherries, trying to roast a perfect marshmallow, reading, knitting a bit, and living a new adventure at work, every day (it's our busiest time of year, after all).

Not to worry, it will be Fall and then Winter soon enough and I will retreat inside and have lots to blather about then. In the meantime, I will continue to pop in when I can, if I have anything of import to say.....and I'll try not to feel too guilty about the lack of posting on all of the other days.

Back soon,

love, me xxoo

P.S. Mum and I had a quiet day at the beach and went for a nice paddle boat ride around the lake on Saturday. Hopefully these snaps will help to explain my absences....

making a sandwich....

2011-07-05T11:52:00.002-04:00

I did manage to work a little more on my table mats on Thursday night. I still have one top to piece, but I was so eager to see it come together that I started assembling the first one. I am by no means a expert when it comes to quilting -- I've just learned from observation and experimentation. This makes for a fairly relaxed way of working, but there are always a few bumps along the way (sometimes literally!)

I sewed a few pieces of blackish denim together for the back...and then taped it down on the floor. Laid the batting on top, and then taped the pieced "top" on top of that to make my sandwich. Thursday's quick visit to my local quilt shop yielded some great curved safety pins for basting it all together -- as well as a really cool tool to help push the point through the fabric and then lift it up to close the pin (without hurting your fingers!). Both a time and a sanity saving tool wrapped up in one! :-D

I did start quilting a bit, but have loads more still to do. I will work on that tonight....

from 'funk' to funky....

2011-06-30T08:36:00.001-04:00

Things have been a little quiet around here lately. Sorry about that. This is one of those times of the year when things are crazy busy at work, I end up staying a little later than usual, and arrive home feeling (more than) a little fried. So there has been a lot of laying about reading, playing Catan on my iPad, watching movies, napping (!), and not much of anything else.

I was reflecting on my sorry state the other day, and realized that I was in a funk, to be sure....and then I got to wondering whether my recent lack of hooking might be to blame. Just because I couldn't hook didn't have to mean that I couldn't do anything else in the creating department....so I resumed knitting on Juliet. Knitting is is definitely a slow practice for me, and one that usually conflicts with my need for some instant gratification and real creativity (unless I'm mixing lots of different yarns together -- and I'm not on Juliet).....so it helped a little bit, but not enough. Enter: the sewing project.

We bought some new furniture for the family Campsite this year....including two new glass topped tables for dining, game playing, etc. While more durable (and way prettier!) than the plastic ones we had before, we've come to realize that the glass is not always the most practical. The idea of making some extra-large, table-sized placemats was born, and I volunteered to make them. I started sifting through my fabric stash and found my pile of Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably prints -- a little on the bright side for inside my place, but very pretty and perfect for the summertime.

The stack was washed, some charcoal/black denim was purchased, and I started cutting and sewing and pressing. My initial plan was to keep things simple and just have varying widths of strips, laid in stripes along the tops (which will each be 40" by 70")......

But then last night, after struggling with figuring out how I was going to measure and cut my too-big top to be a perfect fit for the table top, I decided to cut up each one into more strips and then sew them back together. I like it much better (you can see a sneak peek up top) ....but at the same time I am realizing that it's a whole lot of work for what started out as a quick and simple project. I could almost combine the two mats and make a quilt top.....but then I would have to go and buy something else to make the table mats, and what would I do with the quilt? Hmmm.......

I am resuming work on it when I get home tonight, so I still have a bit of time to decide :-D