Shady Hill Rug Hooking Blog

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Wed

15

Mar

2023

Surprise!! Finally finished the big rug!

Finally, it is complete and with a nice label too!  I began this rug in 2017 with Sally Ballinger with the goal of learning her technique of fine shading flowers and scrolls.  Flowers used 8 value straight gradation swatches.  Scrolls used dip dye over 6 pastel wool strips.  

60" in diameter, #3 cut.

Gainesborough OSV #440 by Pearl McGown.

I purchased the pattern on burlap  at garage sale and transferred the design to linen.

I only wish I would have finished it sooner to show Sally.

Wed

15

Feb

2023

Cutest little loom!

This is a little Beka rigid heddle loom, with a 4" reed.  It came to me with a broken back beam, and no reed.  Of course I had to fix it, and purchase the #10 dent 4" reed.

Then learn to use it, thanks to youtube videos.  I wove a hatband for the hat I wear to keep the blazing sun off my head.

Always good to try new tools and techniques.

Wed

15

Feb

2023

FTWG is on one month!

The Florida Tropical Weavers Guild annual conference is in one short month.  It will be here before we know!

Sun

20

Nov

2022

Holiday Sale is in two weeks!!

The Weavers of Orlando Holiday Sale is only TWO weeks away!  

This is the place to be for your shopping this Christmas season.

December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 2022

At the Donnelly Building in Donnelly Park in beautiful Mt. Dora Florida.  Every  artistic gift item is handmade - creatively, one of a kind.

 

I hope to see you there!

 

 

ANOTHER HUGE EVENT IN MARCH 2023

Florida Tropical Weavers Guild Annual conference will be live and in person  in March 2023!!

 

We will be at a new venue, the Wyndham Orlando Resort/conference Center in Celebration Florida.

Registration is open, check out the classes and schedule and come to join us!

 

I am honored to be teaching a rug hooking class at the conference.  All about hooking landscapes with mixed media!!  So many fabrics and fibers to explore during class, and some special techniques also.  I can't wait to be there in person!

 

 

Thu

15

Sep

2022

Two finished items!!

Americana and flags are popular all year round.  I won this pattern, by Debra Schrang, at a hook-in several years ago.  Using my own hand-dyed wool in  #10 cut strips on linen using a fat hartman hook, I got it done this week.  Pulling wide strips through the linen was hard on my hands even with the fat hook.  Plenty of hand stretches, and only hooking for short times helped.  

I made a covered cording to finish and sewed it on by hand.  Nice little rug, 24" x 18.5",  extremely soft and squishy!

 

My first ever overshot on my Baby Wolf floor loom! 

I signed up for an online weaving class with Kelly Casanova weaving school.  8/2 natural cotton for the warp and tabby.   Navy 3/2 cotton for the pattern weft.  Slow but sure, checking and rechecking all the steps along the way.  Weaving was faster than warping the loom!  Unweaving is slower.  

It looks nice on the table with a Blenko hand-blown glass vase.  Finished size is 48" x 20".

Tue

02

Aug

2022

August is hot but no hurricanes in sight

Time for a summer update.  It is no cooler here on the shady hill than anywhere else. 101 degrees early this afternoon. My dye kitchen is in the garage so no dyeing here until the temperatures take a dive. 

 

The Greenway Fiber Arts Society is meeting again although not at my home.  The sheriff station has a community  room available so we use it on the first Friday of each month. If you are in the Ocala Florida area and interested in  the fiber arts  send me an email and I will fill you in on all the details.

 

Update on Gainesboro:  Only one rose to hook, and one tulip to fix.  Then done.  Did I mention it is hot here?  Too hot to have the big rug in my lap, even with A/C and a fan.  It will wait until winter.

 

The rug pattern here is in my online store along with many other Pearl McGown OSV patterns on rug warp.  All are big, and beautiful and in  stock.

 

 

Mon

30

May

2022

What a fun find! Before and After

 

 

 

 

 

This is the before picture of a chair picked up on the side of the road during an adventure with a friend.  Nice and sturdy and even comfortable to sit in.  I will keep it in the studio.  However the seat needs a make over.  I thought about weaving fabric in my own design, and colorway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what I came up with!  A tie-dye hand-dyed wool to cover the seat.  It has  been hanging around the studio for awhile because it is too pretty to cut.  Due to the stretchiness of hand-dyed wool I ironed adhesive fleece to give it some stability as it is stretched around to the back.  

 

Thu

19

May

2022

New rug hooking project

Sea turtles are up next on the frame!  My collection of "water" keeps growing as I throw new fibers in the over flowing bag. It's flooding with cotton batik, silk sari ribbon, chiffon ribbon, several hand-spun and  hand-dyed yarns, and a bit of hand-dyed wool.  Mixed media for this one!  We were in the Florida Keys last week and I do believe I have the right colors for the glorious water we saw.  Now, the search for finding visuals and supplies for the cutest sea turtles.   Design by Carolyn Stitch, I have a couple for sale in my store here!  Take a look at all the patterns.

Only one rose and a  small bit of scrolls on Gainesboro rug.  I have dyed the yarn for whipping the edge, so I am ahead with that.  Steaming a rug 60" in diameter might prove a challenge!

Fri

15

Apr

2022

Great News!!

Save the date!  March 16 thru 19, 2023!!

 

My class proposal for using mixed media in rug hooking a small landscape has been accepted by Florida Tropical Weavers Guild and I will be teaching at the 2023 annual conference!!!

All the details are at FTWG.org.

 

The photo shows a sample of what can be hooked, other than wool.  Sari ribbon, silk, velvet, novelty yarns, hand-dyed rovings, curly locks, fabric, hand-spun art yarns, and more!!!  All these will be available during class for students to sample in their project.  So many possibilities!!!

 

 

 

Sat

05

Mar

2022

More hand-dyed wool listed in the store!

New wool has been added to the Shady Hill Rug Hooking on-line store!  Check out all the colors of my hand-dyed wool.  You can tell I like to dye using the spot dye formulas! 

Wed

23

Feb

2022

This makes me happy!!

Mon

17

Jan

2022

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

 

I am still working on my Gainesboro rug.  And am determined to get it done by June, 2022.  Summer and fall are too hot to have this large rug draping over my lap.  Now that the weather is cooler I can work on it more often.

Sat

16

Oct

2021

Upcoming Events!

The Strawberry Rug Hooker group from Lakeland Florida is again hosting their annual hookin!!  Always an exciting event to look forward to in November each year.  Friday, November 19th at the Hillsborough county fairgrounds in Dover FL.  Check out the information on their facebook page Strawberry Rug Hookers!!!

 

Another terrific event for everyone looking for hand-made items for gift giving this year!!  The Weavers of Orlando  2021 Holiday Fiber Arts Show and Sale!!! 

December 3rd, 4th and 5th of 20201 at the Donnelly Building in Donnelly Park, Mt. Dora Florida  (530 North Donnelly Street)

Hand-made one of a kind gifts and pieces of art! 

 

I look forward to seeing you all at both events!! 

Mon

05

Jul

2021

July update, waiting on the storm!

It's seems kind of quiet around here but there is a lot of planning happening!  We were away recently for a couple weeks to finally visit one of our new grandsons, born during the pandemic.  Great trip!  Home in time to wait for the tropical storm Elsa!

I have a new supply of colorful Sari Ribbon which I will post on the website soon, as long as the power stays on!  Sari ribbon can be used in rug hooking and weaving projects.  It is versatile for fiber artists.  This order came quickly, which I am happy for.  Ordering and supply, and shipping is still a challenge for everyone.

 

My hooking slowed down for May and June.  Still working on the huge one, Gainesboro.  Only a couple roses and scrolls left.  I have been hooking the background as I go.  I am always happy to not have background left at the end.  I do find it hard to have a large heavy rug on my lap during the summer.  Picture will be soon.

 

My next rug will be sea turtles designed by Carolyn Stitch, available at rughook.com, Honey Bee Hive rug.  My collection of wool, sari ribbon, yarn, hand-spun yarn, roving and more is over flowing in a large bag, ready and waiting.  I throw things in and take something out.  I know I need contrast, definite light and dark values.

 

 

Thu

18

Feb

2021

Organization time in the studio

February is almost over and way past due to really clean up the studio.  The wool wall is refolded, restacked, reorganized today.  The picture shows only a portion of the wall.  The rest will be done later this week, at least before March rolls in.

Fri

05

Feb

2021

Weaving a little bit for now

I enjoyed taking an online weaving class to learn overshot technique on my rigid hedddle loom.  So many patterns to learn when I made some adjustments to use a 4 shaft pattern!  Cant wait until I find the perfect yarn for the scarf pattern in the class.  Class by Kelly Casanova weaving school.  I highly recommend.

Until the yarn is chosen I will get back to hooking my large rug.  Making progress with hooking an hour a day.  Hope to be done by my self imposed June deadline.

Tue

08

Dec

2020

Brrrr.... It's cold here in Florida!

One way to stay warm!!!  Hook a large rug that covers your lap, and all the way to the floor!  This picture is a month old so there is more done now.  

I probably should take a break and put up some Christmas decorations.

Tue

29

Sep

2020

Blue, Red and Purple wool now in the store!

Lovely purples, radiant reds, and a brilliant blue, herringbone, tweeds and plaids.

 I washed these so you don't have to.  You can start your project right away!

 

Available in my website store!

Mon

28

Sep

2020

More wool listed in the store!

Wow!  Can you imagine a rug braided with these three!  I can!

 

They are listed in the website store ready to ship out to you!  I washed all this wool so it is ready for you to use right away.   

I will be adding more in a couple days!

Mon

28

Sep

2020

Done Braiding, and I like it!

Wed

02

Sep

2020

Braiding a new rug, perfect practice butting

I started this a week ago as a gift for our daughter.  Polka dots and zigzags are the focus in this rug.  I am using darks and lights to have great contrast for the design to show up.  The pattern comes from Nancy Young, a well known braiding teacher in Maine.  This is her Killer Chair pad pattern.  I understand the "killer" now, as each row is individual, and therefore, butted.  9 rows here, 9 times to perfect the butting.  

This measure 18" in diameter now.  I would like it larger.  The decision to make is what color row next.  Yellow and light green?  all three?  I will braid some samples to help make up my mind.

Wed

08

Jul

2020

Use up those noodles!

The noodle bags are overflowing like a cascading waterfall!  This little round footstool has been wanting a new cover, so it's time!  A few tips and techniques to help you.  When you want to use up noodles for a hit & miss project I find the finished piece easier to look at when you make a rule or two to follow.  My rules beyond using only noodles, were 1.  use lime green for the center of circles.  2. only use blue to red on the color wheel for the circles.  red, red violet, blue violet, blue. 3. use all lightest pastel values, any color.

Now I have a plan, ready to sort the leftover strips and begin.

I used a rummage sale footstool.  Kind of old but solid and sturdy.  The hardware was in good shape so I was able to reuse it.  The legs do need refinishing but it's way too hot to work in the garage, so will wait til winter.  When I finished hooking I put cording on top of the backing right next to the hooking and whipped with two strands of wool yarn.  Then measured how much backing I needed to fold to the back..  Remember to measure twice before you cut!  I left the old cover on so I did not have to add layers of padding.  The cording did cause a bit of waviness at the edge, so on a future round piece I will consider a row of chain stitch instead.  Staple the backing on, stretching from side to side.  Add the liner to cover the raw edge of backing and tack in place leave space for the leg braces.  Screw in the leg brace.  Using a screw through the layers of fabric caused a problem.  The screw snagged the liner and the linen backing pulling threads unevenly.    I had to use sharp pointy scissors and exacto knife to cut tiny holes to make space for the screw to not catch any threads.  Are you ready to tackle your footstool project?  Have fun! 

 

Sun

24

May

2020

May Show and Tell

Happy Memorial Day everyone.

I have been quiet here since March and you might think I have not been creating anything.  Here are some pictures of a few things I have actually finished during the last three months.  A few new techniques to learn that took some time to figure out.

The cotton baby blanket was sport weight cotton woven on my 32" rigid heddle.  I learned double weave... two heddles, two pickup sticks, two layers to weave through so I  was able to weave a 40" wide fabric.  The cotton was super soft after washing and drying.  The new baby girl (niece) will like snuggling under it on cool summer evenings.

The pinwheel braid had me going in circles!  So many color changes to make the pattern spin!  The knitted crescent shawl using Blue Heron yarn.  Beach towels on the bed do work for blocking.  Not much of a knitter, but it works.  A bit of weaving using bits of fun fibers, from wool locks, to sari ribbon and velvet, novelty yarn.  I lined it with cotton fabric, a pocket is inside, and a magnetic snap to close.   Silk scarf dyeing with ice was interesting.  It was so difficult to wait overnight and not peek or stir the pot.  Water was muddy in the morning, but look what came out!  This will go with anything anywhere!

And rug hooking.  Finished the welcome mat with a braid border, always a nice finish.  The Multicolores design is bright and cheerful.  

I am still working on the huge Gainesboro rug.  More on that later.  The next two weeks are dedicated to that 5 year project.  

I simply can not wait until we can all get together in person for a show and tell marathon!

 

Mon

30

Mar

2020

March is over already?

Many thanks to everyone who came to the Spring Fiber Fling two weeks ago. We had a great turn out!  We all liked the new location for space to spread out, parking, lighting, and the patio outside for picnic lunch!

 

 

Mon

09

Mar

2020

Pack your go bag for this weekend!!

Pack your go bags everyone!  Remember to bring finished items for the fiber exhibit, a wearable fiber art for the fashion parade, a pet supply donation to the Humane Society of Marion County, a project to work on for the day, rug hooking, spinning (a spinning vortex will be in the middle of the room), weaving, knitting, kumihimo, any fiber art is welcome!  We will be at the Klein Conference Center at the College of Central Florida in Ocala Fl.   Pre-registration required at ShadyHillRugHooking.com. 

Fri

06

Mar

2020

Spring Fiber Fling Pet supply collection for Humane Society of Marion County

Sat

22

Feb

2020

Spring Fiber Fling update!

Less than one month away!  We do have a few spaces available for the Fifth Annual Spring Fiber Fling in March.  You can pre register by clicking on the Fifth Annual Spring Fiber Fling on the tool bar at the top of the page.  Remember to check out the mini-classes on Friday afternoon.

Bring finished items for the fiber exhibit.

Bring a wearable fiber art for our fashion parade.

Bring a donation for the Humane Society of Marion County.

Bring a project to work on.

Shop with the terrific vendors!

Meet a new fiber artist and share ideas!

Enjoy the educational demonstrations!

Maybe win a fabulous door prize!

 

If you would like to come to only shop you may purchase a shopping pass at the door after 11 am.

 

Contact me if you have questions.    I can't wait!

Wed

05

Feb

2020

Door Prize for donation to the Human Society of Marion County

This year at our new larger location for the Fifth Annual Spring Fiber Fling we will be collecting pet supplies for the Humane Society of Marion County.  When you bring a pet supply donation at the Spring Fiber Fling you will receive a chance to win a special door prize surprise!!!   Take a look at the wish list for the Humane Society at thehsmc.org/wish-list.    The adorable friendly pets will certainly appreciate your donation!

Fri

31

Jan

2020

Check out new vendors for the Fifth Annual Spring Fiber Fling!

Our newest vendor is Alaina Trout, owner of the Wooly Trout, specializing in hand-dyed wool for rug hooking and wool appliqué!

Also,  Brigitte DeMaster, owner of Bahr Creek Llamas in Cedar Grove Wisconsin will be joining us again.   Brigitte was a vendor at our very first event way way back in 2016.  Welcome back Brigitte!!

 

Check out the whole list of exciting vendors by clicking on the Fifth Annual Spring Fiber Fling tab at the top of the page!  

Mon

16

Dec

2019

Spring Fiber Fling is only THREE months away!

The Fifth Annual Spring Fiber Fling is only three months away!  Be sure to register before the space is filled.

We have added a new mini-class on Friday afternoon for the rug hookers.  Carol Shewan from willowcreekrughooking.com will be joining us to teach a color workshop.  Untangling Colour!     Click on Fifth Annual Spring Fiber Fling on the tool bar above to find out more details and register.