A little progress on Gainesboro this summer.  As I look at the photo I can see a couple places that need to be fixed.  A swirl that does not swirl enough, some shadows needing more depth.

A camera is a great tool to find the little things requiring a small and easy solution.  Try changing the setting to black and white to see dramatic lights and darks in your own rugs.  You will be able to  visualize any values that are too close and don't show up.

Now, on to the next scroll, and finish that rose in the middle!

Gainesboro will be my summer project - too hot to dye, too hot to be outside.  So with the AC and a fan I will be hooking this large 60 inch round pattern.  I purchased the Pearl McGown pattern drawn on burlap and transferred it to linen. Not an easy task.   Using the "Scrolls are Easy" book by LaVerne Brescia I decided to dye my wool with the formulas in the book.  Dip dye, swatches, painting.  I began hooking this with Sally Ballinger in February this year.  I hope to post weekly updates as the summer goes by.  

Right out of the dye pot and ready to go to Punta Gorda next week to the Searsport Harbor Hookin'.

Stop in my booth and say hello!

These sweet little snippet baskets are made in the USA!  Just the right size to put on your frame and catch all those little snipped ends.  The baskets are 3" x 2.25" and have a magnet in the bottom so it stays in place.  

The hooking is done and ready to be made into a little tote bag.  The pattern is San Miguel, a 12" x 12" spanish tile design available from Honey Bee Hive Co.  Some of the wool is my own hand-dyed, some I purchased from another teacher, and I used Noro Silk Garden yarn also.  The yarn gives the inner border a little more texture and sparks of color.

The back of the bag will be this fabric woven on my rigid heddle loom.  The warp is 8/2 unmercerized cotton.  The weft is my own hand-spun art yarn.  Wool, silk and some other fiber.  I played it with a shiny metallic embroidery thread for more sparkle.  The fabric will shrink a little when I wash it and that will give it more texture, and hopefully be the right size for the bag. 

The hooked piece and woven fabric look pretty together.  

Now for a trip to the local yarn shop for the wonderful handles.

I hope to have this completed in time for the fashion show at the Spring Fiber Fling in March.  Click on the Spring Fiber Fling tab for more information.

A couple cooler mornings here in Florida means I can get the dye pots out and start filling my shelves with colorful hand-dyed wool!  Here are some seasonal colors to start with, ready to go to the Strawberry Rug Hookers event in Tampa next month.

Exciting vendors, educational demos, beautiful rug exhibit,  wonderful location and hooking area.  Did I mention they are providing desserts?! 

The Belleview Florida  library asked me to bring in some of my items for display for the month of September!.  Some of my hand-dyed wool is on the bottom, a few rug hooking pieces are hanging and on the shelves.  I took my gold scarf that I made on my rigid heddle loom.  A knitted felted bowl (finally learned the double pointed needles so pretty happy with that).

If you are in the area stop in and take a look!

We were in Alaska on an EPIC adventure!  Here is one of the bears we saw on our way to Denali.  Kind of a friendly guy, though I think getting out of the bus would be a bad idea!

All orders placed while we were away will be sent out this week.  Thank you for your patience.

Thank you to all who have registered for the Spring Fiber Fling!  It will be here before we know it!

More pictures coming soon, we have so many to sort out.

A small mat, only 9" x 14", that can be finished in time for winter.  A few decorative stitches and sparkle will make this project fun!

I hooked Flaky with a dark blue and green plaid background, no moon out tonight!  Giant snowflakes and star accented with some sparkly yarn.  

I will have the pattern available on linen the first week in September!  

What was I thinking when I started weaving a scarf when it is over 100 degrees outside?!  I have had this pretty yarn for about 8 months and this week I wanted to use it in a project that I could start and finish in a couple days.  The yarn had some sequins built in and I was worried about it being scratchy, but after a quick soak  in lavender scented soap it came out extremely soft and I think it will be perfect for a Florida winter.

Here is a reminder of Spring Fiber Fling 2016.  Look at all our guests enjoying time with friends, working on their current project, and having fun shopping, learning great new techniques during the demonstrations, viewing the wonderful fiber and rug exhibit..... And, of course, waiting for the door prizes to be announced! 

Lunch this year will be catered by Hardwood Smokehouse in Ocala.  Award winning BBQ! 

To register click on the Spring Fiber Fling 2017 tab on the tool bar. 

Pumpkin Patch at Night appliqué kit is back in stock.  This little kit is a great sampler for all the embroidery stitches you have been wanting to learn!

I attended North Central McGown Teachers Workshop in Newton Iowa last month.  My class focused on surface embellishments used along with rug hooking.  This is my original design.  The main background is hooked with #8 cut strips of my own hand-dyed wool.  Included in the surface embellishments are needle felting (eagle), knitting (tree), beading, appliqué with Texture Magic and Tyvek, embroidery stitches with ribbons and threads, hooking with silk fabric, roving, yarn and added some charms.  I also used a Lucet tool to create a square cording for a nice sharp finish on the edge. Students were busy all day with learning new techniques, using new fibers and materials, and creating their own design.  

First stop was was March Madness in April Hook-in, Franklin TN, by P is for Primitive.  I was privileged to hear first-hand Lisanne's' announcement about her purchase of Cushing rug hooking business!  Congratulations!  

Next stop - a few days with my dad near St. Louis.  Of course we head for the wood working shop to make our lightweight collapsible footstools.  These are the tops all stained and top coated, drying outside the garage.

Footstools are finished and back in the store.  

I always stress good posture for any fiber artist.  Using a footstool helps to sit up straight and keeps back and shoulders comfortable.

At the Hook-in St. Louis I gave away gift bags to lucky winners!  Here are some of the winners!  Thanks for visiting my booth!

Another winner at Hook-in St. Louis!

It's been a busy week in the wood shop for us with my dad.  He makes my footstools, yarn bowls, and covered magnets.  This week we have been making footstools for the fiber artists.  You can see the tops are cut, stained and a light finish on them, drying on the driveway.  We all need to perfect our posture so we don't end up with sore shoulders and backs as we enjoy our rug hooking.  Feet on the floor and straight backs.  Use a footstool!!!  These are great because they are lightweight and portable.  The legs fold back, and there is a handle !  It will fit right into your hooking supply bag and you will be comfortable where ever you are hooking!

I will have them available at the St Louis Hook-in Saturday April 23rd!  

The hook-in room is ready for everyone to come in, and they are waiting in the hallway!  It looks like some of my tubs still need to be unpacked and displayed in my booth.

Some of the guests actually did get some hooking done during the March Madness in April!  

I was delighted and surprised to see my fellow South Eastern McGown Workshop teachers!  I first met Rhonda and Tammy in Ashboro, NC several years ago at the workshop.  Wonderful ladies, friends, and teachers.

What a great turnout for the 2016 Spring Fiber Fling!  85 registered guests, plus vendors, plus volunteers, plus a few who walked in just to shop!  

Perfect weather, lots of parking, great lighting inside, room for all our stuff!  Thank you to all the vendors who came from as far away as Wisconsin, and Missouri!  

Door prizes were hand made by my co-chair, Mona Robles.  Vendors also were generous with patterns, tote bags, and wool for more door prizes.  Lunch was great, demonstrations were wonderfully educational.  

Food drive/stash builder was a hit.  179 non-perishable food items were donated along with $75 cash.  Thanks to everyone who participated.  The food drive benefits the Interfaith Emergency Services Food Pantry in Ocala Florida.