Coldwater is hot stuff!

A bit of a cheesy title, I'll admit.....but also v. true!  Needless to say, I had a wonderful couple of days in teaching at the Purple Sock in Coldwater, and everyone was very warm and welcoming.  And, I am sure you will agree that their projects are pretty awesome, too.

I was so excited to see everyone using my basic methods, but coming up with finished pieces that didn't look like I made them.  They were uniquely theirs – and that is a great thing!   Nothing pleases me more than people making things their very own....from choosing their own colours, to freely modifying techniques and putting their own spin on ideas to suit, and ending up with a finished product that reflects themselves.

On Monday, people started with a fairly simple first project, creating a smaller 'gem' and turning it into a pin or necklace.  The ladies made spectacular progress and most everyone left with their jewellery finished.  I think almost everyone come to class on the second day wearing their necklace or pin they made the day before.

On Tuesday, people worked on a more complex piece....and pretty much just ran with their own ideas for filling in their frames.  It was great!  Of course there was the familiar chatter and sharing of ideas all day long.  Some of us were a bit better at focusing on the project at hand than others....but as long as everyone has fun, it's really all that matters.  Plus those with a little left do finish can accomplish that quite quickly at home. 

Watching everyone's projects come to life over the last couple of days in Coldwater has just made me more excited about the workshops to come where I can share more of my ideas on making hooked jewellery....
October 31 to November 3rd   • Hooked in the Mountains held this year in Stowe, Vermont
November 15 to 17  •  Deanne Fitzpatrick Rug Hooking Studio in Amherst, Nova Scotia

I really must recommend Lynn's shop, The Purple Sock, to anyone within easy driving distance - she has a great selection of wool, lots of project ideas, delicious teas, unique products, and such a cosy atmosphere in her shop, that you will want to stay all day.  She also blogs here about upcoming events, new products, etc.  I know that both Wendie and I enjoyed shopping there this week... ;-) Just don't arrive on a Monday or Tuesday...she's usually closed at the beginning of the week. 

Welcome July!

May and June just zoomed right on by.....and it's hard to believe that it's already July!  In just two short months, it will be Labour Day.  Fall will follow, and the desire to burrow at home with my hook and frame will be strong.  I have already picked out my Fall project - and I am very excited about it.  I was up visiting artist/friend Bobbi (R.W.)  Haviland a couple of weekends ago and fell in love with a big canvas painting.  The dimensions are about 3' by 4', and I am planning on adapting and hooking it the same size, using a mixture of yarns and various fabrics.  So in between the summer camping, crazy-busy work life, and preparing for the Farmer's Markets and Fall workshops (more on those upcoming events below....), I am going to be planning the project...gathering up supplies...and trying to draw an outline for the pattern.  If you are in the Huntsville area over the next couple of weeks,  she currently has a show mounted inside the Algonquin Theatre (until July 30th).....and it includes the painting I will be adapting (with permission, of course!), Borodin Ponders.

LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET...
Despite the quiet on the blog, things have been busy for the last several weeks.  Neighbours have organized a new Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, and I have committed to having a booth on July 20th (Cancelled - sorry!)and August 3rd, from 9am-1pm.  Depending on how they go, I might add another weekend or two.  I have been busy making Ewe-Fuse hot pads....and I am going to start making more jewellery this week.  I figure I won't know how it will go, unless I try.  I also want to try to set up some sort of an online shop, but that will probably have to wait until the markets are over.  I will keep you posted....

TEACHING THIS FALL...
I have had amazing response to the jewellery I shared here a while back.....and several inquiries for workshops (thank you! ;-) ).  Some of the details and dates are still being worked out....and some of the classes will be exclusively for a particular group, but there are a few that are 'open'.  I will share what I know now, and when more are added, I will update here on the blog. 

I am thrilled to announce that I will be heading East this Fall....for more than just feasting on seafood!  ;-)   In mid-November, I will be teaching three different one-day classes in Deanne Fitzpatrick's Studio in Amherst, Nova Scotia.  Coin Purses on November 15th,  Hooked Jewellery on November 16th, and Christmas Stockings on November 17th.  All of the details, including registration information can be found on Deanne's site here.   It seems like ages since I was last there, and I am really looking forward to going back for a visit.

But just before that, I will be teaching at Hooked in the Mountains, to be held in beautiful Stowe, Vermont, again this year.   This will be a three day class on all sorts of small-scale projects (jewellery belts, etc.) ....and there should be ample time for everyone to finish at least a couple of projects over the course of the weekend.  The dates are October 31st to November 3rd, and more information can be found here. 

VENDING THIS FALL...
The next R.U.G. will be held on October 5th,and I will be bringing some of my wares to sell.  I have also been invited to have a table at the Powassan Hook-In on October 26th.  

Report from Chantry

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....

mini get-away

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

the charm of Chantry

I'm back home from a wonderful week at Chantry. Everything was wonderful: the people (friendly and very welcoming), the food (delicious), the students (enthusiastic and fun), the organizers (so helpful and well, organized!), the helpers (friendly and eager).....and the town itself (picturesque and chock-a-block full of neat stores, with great stuff).

I had heard mention of this school many times, and though it was my first time there, it definitely won't be my last! I am already signed up to be a student there next Fall – and it's a good thing, since all of the classes are already full! (There is a waiting list, though....and spots do become available, so anyone who is interested should contact Vicky Cooper: vicky AT bmts DOT com for more information and details).

I didn't take a single photo in or of my class....in fact the only pictures I took all week were taken down by the lake one morning before class. I don't think I could ever tire of looking at water and waves....

A beautiful day in Belfountain

Jen and Jan

On Saturday a lovely group of ladies got together and invited me to come down and help them complete their purses. They had finished the hooking part beforehand....so we spent the day doing all of the hardest steps in the assembly. By mid-afternoon, we were all starting to feel a little maxed out and decided to call it a day. Although no one left with their purse entirely finished, most everyone is very close to being done and they should all be easily able to finish the last couple of steps at home.

This is the first time I've taught a purse class that is focused on the hands-on finishing of the purses.....and I wasn't quite sure how it was all going to unfold. We had plenty of sewing machines and irons and more sewing supplies than we really needed. The only thing we could have used was a second zipper foot.....but it all worked out in the end. It always does, doesn't it?

Jen & Bonnie (with Lynn working hard n the background)

As per usual, I forgot to take pictures throughout the day (thank you Jan for sending the above pictures!), but I did manage to snap a few towards the end of the afternoon. Here are some the purses people were working on (a couple of ladies had left before I could capture their purse).....

Sue's Cornflowers

Jan's Birds of a Feather

Lynn's Cornflowers

Jean's Birds of a Feather

Bonnie's Leaving Home

The workshop was held at Martina Lesar's log cabin studio in Caledon....and it's a wonderful place, filled with lots of beautiful wools and materials and many hooked rugs and some cute footstools. I couldn't resist so much temptation.... and came home with a couple of skeins of yarn and some dyed fleece.

I never made it....to Manistee

After talking about going to Manistee for many months, I'm now home from my trip -- and I never actually made it to the town. Instead I saw many other beautiful and interesting places in the County....and I guess I will just have to visit Manistee (the town) on my next trip! ;-)

In spite of not making it to Manistee, it was a whirlwind trip....and a very full one. Each afternoon, following class, there was an opportunity to visit the area. One night we drove down to the channel connecting Portage Lake to Lake Michigan, and walked through the sand to the causeway in Onekama (oh-neck-ah-ma, not one comma).....





Another night, we visited the local quilt shop (I bought some lovely batiks, but haven't yet taken any pictures) and drove to Franfort for a lovely dinner at The Fusion.


On my last night, we went on an adventure, travelling further up the shore....


...to Empire and climbing (just a small portion) of the Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Hi Joanne! ;-)

The pictures are deceptive -- it's steep and quite difficult to climb. My hips were humming later that night and into the next day (and I was feeling very much in need of returning to the gym!)


Following a fortunate detour, we also stopped in for a peek at Leland and its historic Fishtown marketplace, before continuing on to Traverse City. What a neat place! Of course, everything was shutting down for the day (and the season)....but I would love to return there again.

Michigan really surprised me. It is very much like Muskoka - minus all of the rocks, of course! I had a lovely time, met lots of wonderful people, ate many delicious meals, and left with a desire to return. I can't really ask for more...and must give a huge thank you to everyone for making my stay so delightful, and extend a special thank you to Alaina and the two Jims for their gracious hospitality and Joanne for playing tour guide ;-)

workshops

There's been a flurry of interest in workshops and teaching in the last few months.....and I've been remiss in updating my schedule. I've added a few things tonight, and there are a few more for Fall 2010 that will be added just as soon as they are confirmed.

Looking at the list makes me feel very excited about what's to come....albeit a little nervous about how I'm going to fit it all in with my regular life (and my job!). I surely won't be bored ;-)

class with Heather Ritchie - day one

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

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

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

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


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




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


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