A Big Rug Finally Completed...

More playing around with the camera.....I finally finished binding this rug. It's wonderfully big & deserves a good spot in my home (if I can keep Tigger from deciding it's her's!).

Bears & Pottery

I love my iPad....
just playing around with my newest app, Snapfish.

The sunlight was playing over two of my favorite pieces of Ephraim Faience one recent morning so I grabbed the only camera I had available at that moment...the iPad. Sadly, the results were less than stellar.

But, in learning to use this new app, I came up with this moody rendition of a photo....


The large piece (and it's very large) is one of only 5 made in this design and I'm fortunate to have it in my collection.



New Patterns!

I've just added several inspiring and fun new patterns to my website! These are just a small sample......


"Ballerinas"

  These joyful dancing sisters are as light as air.....


"Naughty Dolly"









And, do you wonder what Dolly has done to merit such a look?

Both of these designs, so full of life, are designed by Sharon Smith.
A link to Ballerinas
And a link to Naughty Dolly

"Sheep Houses & Moon"


And this is my current project....
"Sheep Houses & Moon", a Karla Gerard design. His Quilly hairdo is inspired by the many bolts of natural textured wool that I keep in my studio for dyeing my custom line of hand dyed rug hooking and applique wools.
He's currently pinned to my design board patiently watching over the studio because life has gotten in the way of rug hooking lately. I'll get back to him eventually!


Quillies Inspired by Natural, Undyed Wools

Save The Date..... October 27, 2012!

Wine Country Rug Hookers

Harvest Hook-In & Rug Show
                                                           ….In the Heart of the Wine Country

When: October 27, 2012 from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM
Where: Liberty School Community Center, 170 Liberty School Road, Petaluma, CA
What:

• VISIT with old and new rug hooking friends while spending a joyful day (or weekend!) in the wine country.
• HOOK in a spacious setting with tons of good light; there’s even a lovely open patio area to sit outdoors and enjoy our spectacular fall weather.
• LOOK at beautiful fall and harvest- themed hand-hooked rugs (bring your rugs to display in the rug show!)
• SHOP for wool, supplies, gifts and special TBA surprises from our vendors.
• EAT tasty food.
• WIN door prizes

More information to come!

Contact our co-coordinators for more information & registration (we’ll even suggest lodging in case you want to spend the weekend in the Wine Country):

Nada Ferris Email: 1987enc@comcast.net
Marita Friedman Email: maritasews@earthlink.net

Purple Rain Progress

I've been making progress on the great pattern, Purple Rain, that I took down to Cambria Pines Rug Hooking Camp in June. Would you believe that I'm finding the hills more challenging than the women's clothing?
I have no idea what colors I will be using for the rain drops hence the odd color place holders....

Thankfully, I can get away with "no face" faces on this rug!

A Day in the Studio...Making Rug Hooking Kits

A typical day in the studio....hooking, shipping, dyeing, tons of emails and, ocasionally, days devoted to making up rug hooking kits.
Good kits require a lot of time and planning but can be fun and creative too!




This beautiful collection of about 70 different colors and textures is destined to be hooked in to the wonderful Poppies design by Sharon Smith that I carry on my website.
This picture was taken during the later stages of planning....when I'm choosing the colors it's a much bigger mess. Wool everywhere!

All packaged up and ready to send off to the hooker who will turn this into a lively rug....

Project Planning

It's been so long since I've blogged.... you've probably thought I've forgotten all about you. Terribly embarrassing, but life just stays so busy!! I'll try to be better....

Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to go down to Cambria Pines Rug Hooking Camp for the first time. What a great week! Three of my friends from the Wine Country Rug Hookers ATHA Guild went as well and we had a fine time hooking, visiting and making new friends.

I chose one of the new patterns from Off the Hook Rugs that I'm carrying on my website, Purple Rain, to hook. You can find the pattern here: Purple Rain

Of course, this meant I had a lot of planning and preparation to do during the week before camp.

First, I photographed the pattern and printed out the photo. Next, I pulled out my trusty box of art pencils and, pretending to be a kid again, colored in most of the clothing. Then I spent an unusual day in the dye pots dyeing colors just for me! (I call this unusual because most of my dyeing is done for other people....it's rare that I take the time to dye specifically for myself.)

For the rest of the week, I pulled out different combinations of colors to use elsewhere in the rug, changing my mind frequently and heading back to the dye pots a couple more times. By the time I got on the Amtrak train to head down to Cambria I had a general idea of where I would start with the rug....

but there's always room for change!