Brrr...but not for long!

This was the temperature this morning on my way to work -- by the time
I was out at the highway, it was minus 28!

Right now I'm sitting in a hotel room in Toronto, waiting anxiously to
head off on an adventure tomorrow...and although I plan to try and
post the odd picture while I'm gone, things might be a little quiet
for a few days. In the meantime, any guesses as to where I am going?

Hints: It's a wonderful place to visit at Christmas time...even though
there won't be too much snow (if any). It's not too far away. And,
the forecast ranges between +2 and -2C.

If I've already told you, your guess doesn't count... ;-)

a quick comment about comments...

Apart from the fact that I love them....and I want them to continue, I do have a couple of other quick things to say. I've been getting hit with spam lately, particularly on the older posts....so I've enabled comment moderation for all posts more than 10 days old. You are still welcome to comment on any and all of my posts, but if you leave a comment on an older post, it won't appear right away (until I've had a chance to approve it). I really don't want to bother moderating all comments - not do I want you to have to decipher code in order to leave a comment...so I'm crossing my fingers this resolves the issue quickly and painlessly.

Oh, one other quick thing....if you ask a question in the comments and you don't click the box "email follow-up comments to" and leave your e-mail address, the answer will just be left in the comments - so you will have to check back later. If you do click the box and provide an address (only visible to me - not the whole wide world), I will e-mail you directly, as soon as I'm able ;-)

P.S. I'm pretty sure I've deleted all of of the spam comments, but please let me know if you run across any strays. Thanks!

P.P.S. It's snowing again! The snow chicks are finished, my presents are wrapped....and today I'm going to hunker down at home, busy clearing out my inbox, writing my Christmas cards, drawing a couple of patterns and (hopefully) making a last-minute hooked gift. Wow, that sounds pretty ambitious - wish me luck!

Still snowy...

Yeah, it's looking pretty wintery and Christmasey outside...but I think the roads will be okay later in the day, so I will venture out to get the necessary supplies to finish off these guys.

In the meantime I'll be stitching away, sewing the backs on these chicks....

Keep warm.

Snowed In

We were the recipients of about a foot and a half of snow last night...and everyone continues to be advised to stay home and off of the roads to let the snow plows do their work. I don't remember EVER seeing so much snow fall in such a short amount of time. It is really crazy. Even crazier is that they are saying that we could receive another 50cm again before morning. Yikes! I was already planning to take the day off work today, but now I've been able to do it free from guilt! ;-)

So Santa's workshop is back in full swing...and so far today I've finished a hat for Sienna, Leah's stocking, and zigged around the snow chicks. This evening I will start sewing them together....while I cross my fingers I'm able to got out tomorrow - I desperately need to buy some much needed filling for the ladies, in order to finish them....

I've had some questions about the stockings of late....so thought I would give some background. The Christmas stockings were designed by my Auntie Jean (Jean Armstrong) and they are the reason I started rug hooking in the first place. AJ made stockings for my sisters and I in 1977...and continued to make them for our entire family, including husbands and wives, and babies and more babies. We were afraid that the tradition would be lost....and so I was nominated to learn how to make them, and took over as the "official stocking maker" about 10 years ago. To date, I've made 22.


A year or so ago, with AJ's permission, I taught a one-day workshop on our family's stockings...and in the process created an instruction booklet and paper patterns. A supply kit soon followed.


Both are available for purchase. The instruction booklet is $18 and the kit is $50. Pattern includes all the tools needed to create your own similar stockings...detailed instruction booklet with colour illustrations, charts for hooking a variety of decorative bands, full-size paper sewing patterns. Supply Kit includes pattern on burlap, pre-cut wool in 15 colours and pre-cut lining/backing fabric (enough to make two stockings....with leftover wool for more). Please note: the instruction booklet is not included with the kit.

This stocking I made earlier in the year for Evan was hooked with the kit colours....

My new Lite

A couple of weeks ago, Tony mentioned this on his blog.....and instantly I wanted one. It was such a bargain - what hooker could resist? Luckily I was going to be driving through Barrie just a few days later, and I figured that I would stop at Costco and pick one up. I went to Costco in Barrie, I cruised all the aisles, I asked several employees, and I even went to customer service to have them check the computer....but still, I came home Lite-less - and more than a little disappointed.

I contemplated putting out a call for these cheap Lites, in case it was just a Montreal thing....but figured I would give it another shot first, since I knew I was going to Toronto this past weekend. Success! They had a whole skid full of them at the Costco at highways 400 and 7, and somehow we found room in our already packed car for four of them! (only one is for me - and I bought one for Wendie. My mum bought the other two -- she claims one is for my Dad...) As with most other things at Costco, I doubt this will be a regular item....so if you want one, you should really try to go soon.

They not only plug in, they also work off of an internal battery (which is said to last for 3 hours)....which is perfect for days when your hooking is portable. I don't think that anything will replace the fancy OTT Lite I have at home, but I'm really loving the idea of this portable Lite. And, at just $26.99, you can hardly go wrong. Can you?

Lazy Sunday

After a busy couple of days in Toronto, I've been enjoying a day of
hooking today. The Snow Chicks are hooked, pressed (and laying to
dry), and now I'm hooking a stocking. With any luck, it will be
hooked before bed...and the assembly of both can start tomorrow.
Fingers crossed!

little shawls...

Progress on my Snow Chicks has been a little slow the last few days - I've been distracted by setting up my new computer (Ho, ho, ho - Merry Christmas to me!) Everything is ready to go now....so I should be back at Santa's Workshop tonight.

In the meantime, here is a quick picture of the shawls I've been knitting. They are getting easier - and looking better - the more that I do. Here's what I've learned...

• Always slip the first stitch (I really wish I had learned this early on, so that it was a habit for me - it makes a world of difference and the top edge straight)
• Cast off on the wrong side, using the knit stitch - it stops the edge from rolling up (the one in the centre bottom needs some serious blocking - can you tell it was one of the first ones?)
  
• 3.5mm needles and leftover bits of Noro Kureyon Sock work well together for these shawls

The pattern is very simple....

1. Cast on 3 stitches
2. Slip 1, YF, K1, YF, K1 (= 5 stitches)
   
3. Slip 1, Knit or Purl row (WS)
   
4. Slip 1, YF, K1, YF, Place Marker K1, YF, K1, YF, K1 (=9 stitches)
   
5. Slip 1, Knit or Purl row (WS)
6. Slip 1, YF, knit to marker YF, place Marker, K1, YF, knit to last stitch, YF, K1 (=13 stitches)
   
7. Repeat last two rows until desired size is reached

If you alternate between two balls (or both ends of the same ball) every 2-4 rows, you can achieve some great transitional stripes (with Noro). You can also play around with varying between garter stitch and stocking stitch. Just experiment....and have fun! :-)

Martina's finished...

....and she did a lovely job.
I just love it when people use different colours - it's so fun for me! ;-)

Is it here to stay?

Well, the forecast of flurries for four of the next five days would indicate "yes"....but we will just have to wait and see. All of this snow is definitely helping me get in the Christmas spirit....

I've been working away on my Snow Chicks. I'm on my 6th mini-shawl and almost have 4 bodies hooked. With any luck, they will be ready to go early next week - and I can start work on something new. The prospect of having a little play is motivation enough for me to get these girls done....and there'll be no last-minute Lucy this year. Hurray for that! ;-)

Taken on my drive to work this morning....Hello Winter Wonderland!

M.P. by O.P. - Bala Bag Finishing Class (Part II)

I must have been sleepy last night when I wrote my post - I forgot to add Kim's picture. Kim is a new hooker, and she's chosen a purse as her first project. She didn't get her hooking done in time for the class (life happened), but she was happy to come out and spend the day hooking with us. She got quite a bit done. Yay Kim!

Jan send me a couple of snaps today, and you can see her and her purse in this photo (first on the right). I love the effect of the black/cream plaid used in the background. I cannot get enough of those black and white tweedies. Mmmmmm.

(I'm holding Martina's purse - she was downstairs with a customer)

M.P. by O.P. - Bala Bag Finishing Class

I've been really blessed the last couple of classes - they have been filled with some amazing ladies. And some pretty great rug hookers, too! ;-) The only reason I haven't yet posted about my class in the Lower Diamond Barn (even though it's vying for the spot of favourite class ever!) is that I forgot to take pictures. Not a single one. I guess I was just too busy having a wonderful time, that I plum forgot....and I apologize ladies. I will be happy to post any pictures that you send and it would be great to see your finished bags (hint, hint!)

I did remember to take some pictures yesterday at Martina's though (even though it was great day, with nice people)...but I am missing one of the bags -- and almost all of the others had to be unpacked for their photo op.

Sewing a purse together involves several steps and completely finishing a purse in one day is pretty ambitious -- not because it's hard, but because your fingers get tired and maybe a little sore (from all of the fine hand sewing) and you need to take a break. The participants all made some good progress on their bags....and will hopefully be sporting them around town very soon.

Sylvia's Pomegranates

Clare's Bullseyes

Martina's Pomegranates

Jacki's Pomegranates

Pat's Skeleflora

my new book

I am pleased to say that my paperwork baskets are empty once again. Well, almost empty. I did end with with a few cards and such that I didn't really have a better place for, and since they are things I want to keep and remember... this way I'll be able to revisit them the next time I sort out my baskets. How is that for justification? ;-)

Do you get swept up in the fear that a new notebook is too good to use or that you're going to ruin its perfection with the first entry? I often suffer from that problem -- as evidenced by a lack of full notebooks (and more than a few empty ones). I rediscovered this cute book in my basket...


So I customized the front cover (since I gave an identical book to my mum for Christmas last year)....and started combing through my little notes and slips of paper, copying down all of the interesting bits -- right into the book!


The book is covered in Amy Butler prints and there are lots of her doodles and designs in the inside pages, too....but I think one of the best parts is it's size - small enough to fit in my purse (especially since I'm using a Bala bag these days :-) ), yet big enough to write in. I also love that the lines are drawn, as opposed to ruled. The colours are pretty nice, too, and very calming.


So far, I've used it two days (out of only two), so I'm batting a 100 already! ;-) I hope I can keep it up -- and I think that writing the date "Winter 2010" on the outside will encourage me to actually use it -- and not just save it for the really, really important or particularly good stuff. Fingers crossed that I am write. (sorry...could not help myself!)

there's just no escaping it...

Yep. My basket of paperwork had already spilled over into another....and now the second (bigger) basket was full. Since I got my H1N1 shot the other day - and my arm has been too sore to hook since - I decided that I couldn't procrastinate the paper work any longer.

I started sorting it all into piles....bills, receipts, pictures, recipes, instructions, important notes, sketches, etc. Actually, I really started by pulling my recycling bin out from under the sink, and placing it right beside me! It's amazing how many things I collect in my basket(s) - some because they are actually important papers....but often I put things in there just to get the out of my way (because I can't decide what else to do with it or where else to put it). So it's always a little bit of a surprise when I finally get around to sorting it all out.

Because I've been remiss on updating the books for my little business....and the stacks of receipts and sales had been growing since September, I'm sad to report that the saga will continue again tonight (oh, if only I could afford to pay someone to take care of these pesky details....) Luckily it shouldn't take too long, since I also need to do a few last-minute preparations for my class this weekend at Martina Lesar's. Speaking of Martina's, Wendie did a great post on her recent visit to the log cabin studio -- you can check it out here.

Catching Up

It seems ages have passed since I've had free time and not been working with with a deadline to get packed, finished, mailed, or cleaned. So it was great to be able to take the weekend to attack a bunch of small jobs that have been lingering on my list -- some for months.

Friday night I focused on hats. I've been knitting these out of some of my own dyed slub Yearn to give as Christmas gifts. It's one of a select few hats that I've ever tried on that doesn't look ridiculous on me, so I'm really hoping that it works for some of my friends, too. I had a couple of hats that needed ends sewn in and the tops pulled together, one that had been cast off with only 7 sections instead of 8 (duh!) that needed an extension, and one still one the needles. I now have a happy pile of 6 finished hats.

Saturday morning I decided to tackle some revisions to Henry's Pomegranate. I had used it a few times and it had travelled quite a bit stuffed into various luggage. When I was putting it away the other day, I questioned why I haven't used it more. Then I discovered the handle needed some additional stitches to hold it more securely in place. So I cut out the lining, re-secured the handles (by not only adding a piece of fabric to the back side, I also crisscrossed the stitches from side to side at the top), sewed the lining back in place, added a couple of snaps to one of the pockets (attaching one side right through the lining, to the hooking), and I also added a few anchors to the tops of the pockets (securing the lining in these places to the backing behind). Thesse anchors really help make it easier to access the pockets and find what I am looking for - I can't believe I didn't think of it before!

I also fixed up my February Lady Sweater on Saturday. I had finished the knitting weeks and weeks ago. It was blocked for the first time before I went to Nova Scotia -- but it was waaaaay too big. My mum tried blocking it again, but smaller.....and while the body was a better fit, the sleeves were still too long. I ripped back several inches on both arms and re-knit the binding. Another job done -- and I can finally wear my sweater!

Other things I did on Saturday included: parceling up some patterns, tidying up my hooking closet (so the door shuts again! ;-) ), writing my Christmas crafting and shopping list, catching up on missed episodes of Supernatural, organizing my pantry, getting rid of an old sewing machine and table, aborting an old rug project (started 7 year ago - and keeps popping up like a bad penny to haunt me. I have no desire to finish it....and it was time for it to go. Straight to the curb!), making a few over-due phone calls....and around 8pm, I started hooking. It was great to get back to rug hooking -- and I just love my new frame and both of my new hooks.. With any luck, I'll get a few snow chicks hooked in time for Christmas.


On Sunday I headed up to my parents to help my mum start work on my Christmas present – she's making me a quilt! We had bought a couple of different Bali Pops on our travels, and wanted to supplement them with some of the other favourite batiks from our boxes. We pressed our other fabrics and cut more 2.5" strips. Choosing which prints made the cut (sorry! ;-) ) was a challenge - they all look so pretty. Once I started laying the strips out on the dining room table, I was initially diappointed with how they looked together....until I realized what the problem was: too many different colours and values. It was a rainbow. After eliminating all of the lightest pieces and all of the gold pieces, the remaining fabrics (purples, reds, blues, greens – in a range of values) looked much better. I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's sewn (and I hope I don't have to wait until Christmas!)

I also spent part of Sunday doing boring housework, grocery shopping and laundry....but it was kinda fun to fold my newly washed wool (from our recent visit to Dorr). I am really enjoying small-scale textures these days - especially those I can use as-is.


It sounds like a crazy busy weekend, but I was really quite relaxing -- and what a relief to get all of those tasks done. From my long list of jobs for the weekend, the only thing I didn't get done was my book work. As I'm already a couple of months behind, I don't thing a few more days will make much difference.... ;-)

SNAPpy service

My beloved Snapdragon hooking frame did not survive the flight home from Nova Scotia quite as nicely as I did. I contacted the manufacturer by e-mail and they could not have been more pleasant, more helpful or more speedy in fixing my problem. If I wasn't already totally in love with their product, this recent experience would definitely give me a big nudge in that direction.


My new parts - including a new set of legs (the "slant" just wasn't working for me when I was working on my couch - the top was too close to my face, so I also ordered different legs to lower the height of the frame) - arrived while I was away.

Apart from holding my backing tight-as-a-drum, my second favourite feature is the ease with which it's released - and the fact that the wool yarns and fleece I've been hooking with of late don't get all shredded and fuzzy on the back (since the tension is completely released with a snap of the paddles - not by pulling it off of the gripper strips, like with other frames).

I can't wait to try it out this weekend, along with my pretty new hooks....


They were purchased from Molly Colegrove (who is in the process of setting up her web-site, so please check back....)

Faces by Diane Phillips

I've long been a fan of Diane's work....and I was curious to see what would be on display at the show, since Diane was one of the featured artists. Amongst the work in the show were several of her marvelous hooked faces. Here is a sampling....













....and I saved the best for last -- this beauty currently resides with me! (Diane and I made a trade, and I couldn't be happier.)


Seeing all of these faces has ignited a bit of a spark in me to get back to work on my grandparents project (hooked portraits which incorporate pieces of each of their clothing). I took Diane's class a few years ago and started by hooking my Nana....but I really struggled with the eyes (and my family all agreed that it did not look at all like her. I think it was due to the pop-eyes, as the hair and the face were pretty good). Maybe it would make a great project for the new year....and I can put to use some of the things I learned while hooking Dapple Aimee?

more from The Brick House.....

As I mentioned the other day, we were so lucky (and grateful!) to be able to see inside The Brick House on Saturday. Here are a couple of quick snaps from outside....




My pictures of some of the rugs inside the house were hampered by a bad camera setting (night shots, from trying to capture the sunset the evening before)....so please forgive the less than stellar shots. One thing that I noticed was how timeless nature of so many of the geometric rugs. Truly wonderful - and overwhelming - to be able to see (and walk on!) all of these wonderful rugs. Enjoy the show....


























I know that theses rugs will be a source of inspiration for me in the months ahead -- I can't wait to see what they inspire....