Greetings from Vermont

Greetings from Vermont!

We hit the road early this morning, when it was still dark outside. It really feels a little like we entered a sort of weather time warp over the course of today – going from this….(in Algonquin Park, around 8am)

To this…… (just outside of Bennington Vermont, around 5pm)

We took a different route than usual, and it was nice to see some different scenery along the way. This is the first time we’ve used the GPS for such a long trip….and it has already noticeably reduced the tension between driver (me) and absent-minded navigator (my poor mum). I think it will have to tag along on all of our trips together from now on…..

After finding a place to stay, we had a great supper at the Madison Brewing Company, here in Bennington. The food was delicious, but definitely the highlight was the beer sampler – 4 oz samples of their 7 most popular brews. Mum and I shared it, and had lots of fun discussing (in a very inexpert way) our thoughts on each one. The final conclusion: 3 were excellent, 2 were quite good, and 2 were not finished.

Our plan is to hit the road fairly early in the morning, and head east through the National Forest, stopping at Dorr (I have a funny feeling that my self-imposed wool diet will soon be over in a very big way) and a few fabric stores along the way, and eventually looping our way around to Lebanon.

Back soon…..with more from the road….

the sweatshop reopens....

Since Sunday, most of my spare time has been spent in production mode, getting more patterns and new linings ready for some upcoming workshops. It's not hooking, but it's the next best thing...and this way, nothing should stand in my way of getting back to hooking on Jumbo again, as soon as I'm back from Vermont. Speaking of Vermont, I can't wait to see what fun and interesting batiks I can find on my trip next week -- you can never have too many pretty batiks! ;-)

substantial Selvedge savings

I promise not to gush about just how much I love Selvedge, but I do want to pass along some information about new Canadian subscription rates that make it a little more reasonable and result in substantial savings.

The new Canadian rates are the same as the previous US rates, but in Canadian dollars. You can find out more details here.

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....

MP by OP • Karin's Bullseyes

I am outta here for a week or so.....I will try to post from the road, if I can. In the meantime, I want to share a pretty picture I received this week. Karin recently completed her Bullseyes purse -- and I think it looks gorgeous! Good job Karin! ;-)

P.S. MP by OP = My Patterns hooked by Other People ;-)

lucky me!

I've been fortunate to have many pairs of socks hand-knit for me.....but of all of those pairs, my absolute favourites have been knit with Noro Kureyon Sock yarn. Not only are they beautifully colourful, they also felt just a wee bit upon washing, so that they become the most comfortable handknit socks ever (IMHO). I don't feel any ridges under my feet with these socks, and I can comfortably walk for miles in them.

They are so much my favourites, that I really don't like to wear any other kind. The only problem with this preference has been a lack of supply. I only had 4 pairs – and one pair had sprouted a hole.

With winter on its way, I asked my mum if she would knit me a few more pairs – if I bought the yarn. I delivered 3 balls of yarn sometime in August...and my mum quickly got to work knitting the socks. There is enough yarn in one ball to knit 3 socks, so she had quite a selection of yarn leftover when she was done. She mixed it with some other leftover bits and also frogged the shawl I had been knitting on....and ended up making me six more pairs, for a total of NINE new pairs. Plus, she was able to repair the holey ones, so I have lots of socks to keep my feet warm this winter -- and I won't need to wear anything else but Noros.


Since Noro yarns are self-striping, she separated the leftovers into colours and divided each of them in half, forming two balls (one for each sock). To join the strands, she knit several stitches with both -- and since it's a fine yarn, it is barely noticeable. Some of the pairs have the same subtle changes as the original balls....and others have more dramatic switches.


As the leftovers were getting used up, it became more of a challenge to choose the colours. There are a few pairs that are more lively than the others....which will be great for the dark days of winter than lie ahead. When things are looking gloomy, I can always look down at my feet for a smile ;-)

what's been happening in the sweatshop....

I've managed to sew a couple of CPs together, and prepared about 45 patterns.....and now I'm fully immersed in sewing linings. AB's machine has been a real lifesaver.....and honestly, I don't know how I'm going to like going back to using my clunker when it's fixed. I think there is going to have to be a new sewing machine in my future....I would also like to have a seamstress on retainer, but I think a new sewing machine is a more realistic prospect.


As I cut and sew these fabrics, I am falling in love all over again with some of the batiks. I've been tempted to cut off a special section for colour planning inspiration many times, but so far I've resisted that urge. When they are all sewn into linings (very soon, I hope!), I hope that some will inspire others in the same way -- minus the cutting, of course!


Since I'm having a double-weekend (Monday is Thanksgiving and I'm also taking Friday off to get more done and hopefully preserve my sanity)....I am really hoping to have all of my workshop prep finished by the end of the weekend. I'm dangling the notion of being able to do some fun hooking as my "carrot" ....so hopefully it all comes to pass -- and I will have more fun stuff to share soon....

Just discovered....

I just happened on a new (to me) site called Imprint about half an hour ago, almost by accident. If you have some free time....check out these cool articles about the Wonderful Colour Wheel through the ages (here are links to part 1 and part 2).

I can wait to see what else I can discover there....it's a pity I don't get paid for surfing.....LOL!

a request....

I received an e-mail today from Carol, reminding me that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and requesting that I bring a bit of awareness to a recent post of hers. Carol talks about a fellow rug hooker in Missouri and how she and her wool have been inspiring.

Carol had ordered a pattern from me a while ago, but I had no idea she has a blog. There is lots of eye candy there....both rug hooking and also many beautiful Hermes scarves. It's definitely worth checking out for more than just the linked post!

last few days...

I've been keeping my head down and my butt up for the last few days....hooked two more medium-sized coin purses and started getting patterns ready for classes. My poor sewing machine was working very hard yesterday – and didn't appreciate the sweat-shop like conditions. The feed dog gear (that orange wheel) is missing quite a few teeth on the top. Grrr!

I just got back from dropping it off in Orillia for repairs....and am now busy crossing my fingers it will be ready for me to pick up when I go to RUG on Saturday. If I though praying might help, I'd do that, too!

On a more positive note, I am loving my two newest coin purses.....


Each one is like it's own mini-experiment in colour and design....which make them so fun - and quick - to hook. Now if only the finishing were happening with as much speed and enthusiasm....hmm, I guess I will need to work on that as soon as my machine comes back (I was in the middle of sewing linings when it died).


In the meantime, I'm going to change gears (no pun intended) and get to work on assembling my ideas for my upcoming inspiration and creativity class. I've been planning it all in my head for months....but now that it's fast approaching, it's time to organize them in a useful way.

last night

These are not only fun to do, they are the ultimate in quick hooking projects. Off to try and hook another one tonight.....

weekend hooking

When I wasn't knitting (or unravelling knitting or re-knitting or just being frustrated by my silly knitting mistakes – are you sensing a trend?) this weekend, I was hooking....


I designed and hooked this little clutch on Saturday and the teeny Klimt coin purse on Sunday.

There is still room on my backing to hook a few more, so I will wait until those are done and assemble them at the same time. I'm really excited about the baby coin purse and can't wait to get one finished (so that should be good motivation, in and of itself to get the rest hooked ASAP). It's smaller than the owl one that I've been using since March – definitely more of a "coin" purse than a wallet.

These little projects will help me practice assembly and also serve as demos in the classes I'm teaching in early November. At the pace that September is zooming by, it will be November before I know it....

a little buying binge

Some of you might recall that I put myself on a wool buying diet at the start of the year. For the full year, I would endeavour to not buy any wool yardage. I was/am feeling like I already have enough for now.....and seemed to be accumulating it at a much faster pace than I use it.

I've been able to live up to my personal pledge, up until last Tuesday. Yes a few pieces of wool have snuck in throughout the year....but always as a prize or gift. Of course, wool yard does not count! ;-)

Already on a bit of a shopping high following our visit to Passionknit, I just couldn't resist picking up a couple of pieces of wool when we stopped at Martina's.


The wool on the left is called "Tomato Soup" and it's a very worthy name -- not just because of the colour, but because of the feel of the wool: it's snuggle-soft and comforting. I just know that this is the sort of wool that you can never have enough of......and I will be wanting more long after it's all hooked up.

The other two wools are not quite as soft, but the colour is wonderful. The middle one is a beautiful green with hint of blue....and the autumn plaid will be wonderful for Fall. It reminds me of a scrap I had once and used up quickly.

When I first started hooking, I was encouraged to buy wool in 1 yard or 3 yard pieces (sufficient for a background). I don't subscribe to those "rules" any more. I would rather have several smaller pieces than one big piece, any day -- there is always more beautiful wool to be discovered.

Usually I will buy just 1/4 yard or 1/2 yard pieces of wool and I generally only buy 1 or 2 yard pieces when the wool is truly wonderful -- the feel, the feltedness, the colour, the weave, and the price are all perfect. Since it can be so difficult to predict how a wool will wash up, it's better to be left wanting more than to be left with a pile of wool you can't/won't hook with. Bolts are really just reserved for known staples, like oatmeal and natural or a neutral herringbone.

While I am a little bummed that I binged on my wool diet, I have to be honest and admit that I'm surprised I managed to hold out for eight and a half months. Plus, I will soon be heading down to Dorr, so I can just regard this little blip as a warm-up....and keep my fingers crossed that it's taken the edge off so I won't go totally crazy when I'm there. Who am I kidding? ;-)

My new baby....

I didn't think that I would ever find another cutter that I love as much as my Bolivar. That was, until my new Bolivar arrived last week.....


Shortly after I started hooking, I added my name to the list of people wanting a Bolivar. The wait was expected to be a couple of years, and while the cost was steep, I figured it was cheaper than buying 3 Frasers (most hookers I knew then had multiple cutters, to avoid having the change the blade). For those of you who are new to hooking, this was before Townsend and others started making cutters with a similar cutting action....it was the original Cadillac of cutters.

My first cutter came with 3 fixed blades: 4, 6, and 8 cuts. It has served me very well and cut many bolts worth of wool over the years, without complaint and without any issues (so long as I periodically cleared out the lint).


I never begrudged the money -- not once over the past 6-7 years. I've also never felt the need to splurge on a Townsend – although I did try one in Vermont years ago. There was nothing wrong with my Bolivar and I didn't really need - or use - any other cuts. Plus, I was more than happy to buy Canadian (but that's a rant for another day....)

The only regret that I had was that I didn't know about the extended cutter heads when I ordered my cutter. The longer heads effectively allow you to cut twice as much wool at once (e.g. a standard blade cuts 3 #8 strips vs. an extended blade cuts 6 #8 strips).

When I started cutting the Crazy Eights this past Spring....I longed for anything that would speed up the process of cutting those many yards and yards and yards of wool - and then I remembered the extended cutter heads. I almost ordered one many times, but I kept reminding myself that I didn't really need it, I just wanted it. But when my Crazy Eights bags started selling like hotcakes, that want turned to need and I could finally justify ordering my baby Bolivar, with the #8 long cutter head (which is about 90+% of my hooking, anyway).

Again, there was a wait, but a mere fraction of my original waiting time. I was thrilled to receive my new baby last week.....and I've already given it a workout. I can't believe how much faster it makes cutting wool. It's literally twice as fast!

If you're like me - and have one cut that predominates - I definitely recommend splurging on a longer cutter head. I also like the smaller size and lighter weight of the single base. Perfect for travelling! No regrets, just love.

Colour planning Jumbo....

I received a couple of e-mails and comments requesting more information about my colour plan for Jumbo. It's not really very scientific, but here's what I'm doing....

With a project this size, I am hooking it knowing that I need to love it forever. Since I (hopefully) have more than half of my life still ahead of me, forever is a very long time. I intentionally tried to stay away from a trendy colour scheme, while at the same time including a lot of different colours (so that it can be matched to many different decorating schemes, I hope), but all colours that I love (note the absence of yellow - ha ha!). Darks are many shades of black, brown, charcoal, navy, plum, teal, green....there are also pinks, reds, purples, and a bunch of light neutrals. I've made a concerted effort to add in the lighter colours.

In the centre section, the only real value rule I've been using – other than including a wide range of light to dark – is to alternate the outside of each main shape between lighter values and darker values. These main shapes are somewhat stepped (on a slight diagonal), so the edges of the darker shapes are always butted up against lighter shapes.

Within these main shapes, pretty much anything goes. There is no formula for light, medium or dark within each of the main shapes – I just want the overall effect to be random. I try to float the colours and textures around....and to have a noticeable change in value. Sometimes I'm successful, and other times not so much, as you can see in this greyscale version of the previous post's picture.....


Due to the scale of the shapes (the outside section is about 1/3 of a square foot, which translates into about 1/6 of a yard of wool), I don't want to have to worry about having enough of any one wool for a section, so I choose a main piece/colour for each section and supplement it with leftover cut strips from my bins. The amount of supplementing varies, depending on my mood, the colour, the size of the piece of wool , etc. Not only does this method eliminate the fear of running out, it also makes it more interesting to hook and adds some nice subtle movement....


I also think it will add some great camouflage, when it's in service on the floor! :-)

I am still uncertain about the borders. I was planning on moving the pinks, reds and purples out into one of the borders (still debating about whether or not it will be wide as I had originally planned or narrow), using the dark and medium blues, blacks, browns and greens in a wider border, and also thinking about maybe having a skinny, 3" or less black and white (i.e. light and dark) border. My ideas are definitely changing as I hook. It's very difficult to imagine the scale. Alas, there is still lots of time to figure out the borders -- I still have 18.75 square feet to hook in the centre section first.

week 15: 27.4 square feet

If nothing else, this week's incredible progress demonstrates the importance of goal setting. I am definitely the type of person that works best with a deadline (it's all my mum's fault!) -- even when it's self-imposed. When I did the math, I was amazed to discover that I hooked the same amount in 1 week as I had in the previous 8 weeks combined. And, I had the aching hands to prove it!

Seriously, thought, it was really easy to keep motivated to keep hooking the last bit on the weekend. I was very eager to unroll it and see everything I have hooked, at once. When the time finally came, I could not have been happier......


Seeing it on my floor, I just wanted to keep on hooking....and so I did just a little bit more, finishing off a partial shape on the other end. I would have loved to keep on going yesterday, but my hands really did need a rest and now that I had reached my goal, it was a good time for a break. I will definitely be eager to get all of my class prep work done, so that I can return to hooking on Jumbo. In the meantime, I will enjoy being able to tidy up all of the piles of wool and strips from the floor, table, couch, stool......yep, they are pretty much everywhere with a project like this....

P.S. The RHM is just to help you envision the scale. The actual measurements of the hooked area is 60.5" wide by 71" long at the longest point (vs. 63" by 75", which are my charted dimensions). It currently weighs about 20 lbs.

week 14: 22.25 square feet

Sooooo close to finishing off this end of the centre – and I would be even closer if I hadn't decided to add another couple of rows onto it! Basically what you see before the bottom roll is all that is left to be hooked.

I still haven't given up hope that I will meet my self-imposed deadline of finishing up this end by Labour Day, but I have recognized that it's unlikely unless the weather is really crappy on the weekend. It's been so lovely here the last few days, I've been up at the lake camping and taking full advantage of the last bit of summer. I don't think that I saw a single cloud yesterday....and I've got a red nose to prove it! ;-)

week 13: 21 square feet

Progress last week was hampered by the fact that a yarn order arrived and most of my free time was dedicated to knitting.....but I can't complain, since I was at least productive and working with colourful wool all the same ;-)

Seeing this picture, I wish I could play hooky from work this afternoon and just stay home and hook -- I would love to finish off this row....but alas I must go and finish up the payroll, instead.

yum yum silk

When I first discovered sari silk ribbons several years ago, it was love at first sight. Not only was it something new and different, but it was also such an interesting texture and sheen, which added great contrast against more matte wool. I especially loved the shiny factor and that almost every strip in the skein was unique and different. The rare striped and brocade pieces were always a special treat.

In the last while, this attraction has been waning and I've become a little disenchanted by the ribbons that were available. It seemed to change from something unique to something mass-produced, less silky, a little dull....and oh, so fuzzy and hairy. (I had a really hard time with the hairiness.....and spent way too much time cutting it off!)


So I was thrilled to find a new source for the ribbon recently that is more like the ribbon I first fell in love with.....and I'm giving it a second chance. Of course, the new skeins are bigger (100g) and they only come in assorted skeins, but that's no biggie, there's just more selection. And, each skein practically comes with the promise of being perfect for several projects!

I cannot wait to start playing around with it in my next batch of clutches and coin purses – it's almost like getting a new box of crayons or coloured pencils for back to school! ;-)

Yarn Cakes

In early July, I headed down to the "Circle of Friends" hook-in, for the first time. It was a lovely day spent with friends....and a great weekend of shopping. I only bought a few things at the hook-in, remaining true to my personal pledge of being on a wool diet (I am not to buy any wool yardage this calendar year). This resolution luckily does not apply to yarn.....and I was happy to score some "Yarn Cakes" of handspun from Sandra Marshall.


The small balls and mini-skeins are just the perfect size for adding a flash of colour or texture to a mat. I picked out most of these with little landscapes in mind. But for now, they are just serving as eye candy and inspiration. So pretty.

I also purchased a wonderful felted bowl from Sandra, and I've been using it for the past week to collect my snippets. So far, so good. I especially like that the bits of wool tend to stick to the inside, so when it falls (as it inevitably does at least once a day), very little falls out onto the floor. But, it's still very easy to empty out when the times comes, and it's soft and squishy, so I don't need to worry about it getting damaged if I'm travelling. I cannot recommend it enough.