Lots of Pictures of the Holland Rug Camp

There are only a few hours left in July before we turn the calendar page forward to August.  I think I love August because it means we are closer to September...which means cooler weather and Fall is on its way!  But I couldn't let July end without posting my pictures from the fabulous Holland (Michigan) Rug Camp.   I absolutely love this camp and hope that I am invited back another year to teach again.  My students are always the best!

First of all, we found out that Fran turned 90 in mid-July.  Well, I must say I would have never, EVER guessed that Fran was 90 years old, or even close to that age.  My, oh my, she is a wonderful rug hooker with a kind and gentle personality to match.  When I grow up, I want to hook like Fran!

 Fran was hooking a version of a Magdalena Briner rug.  Her leaf was stunning!

Here is a general idea of the main hooking room at the Holland Rug Camp.  It's a bee hive of activity!

 

 And now for some of the rugs at the rug show which took place on Wednesday (July 13th):

 Ah Tis Spring, a Notforgotten Farm adaptation, hooked by Sherry Dart.  She hooked this last year in my class.

 Sunflower Witch, a Notforgotten Farm adaptation, hooked by Dawn Walczak.

 Jane Miles hooked Brave Hunter, which is a Barbara Carroll pattern.  Jane hooked this last year in my class.

 Emma's Garden hooked by Judy Malarney and designed by Kris Miller.  Judy started hooking this rug earlier in the spring during a one-day workshop I taught for her rug hooking guild.

 Give Ye Thanks hooked by Kathleen Keithly.  This is another Notforgotten Farm adaptation.

 Dawn Walczak hooked Glad Tidings in my class last year.  This is a Notforgotten Farm adaptation.

Marie McDonald hooked this rug in a class with Susan Feller.  It is Kissin' Wears Out, a Notforgotten Farm adaptation, but Marie personalized it for her anniversary.  What a great idea!

Sheila Murphy Russell hooked this purse in my class last year.  It is a Merry Hooker pattern.

Arlene Johnstone hooked this Keith Kemmer pattern called Red & White Oak Runner.

Kathy Purk hooked this in my class last year.  I believe it is a Diane Kelley pattern.

Marg Talbot hooked this in my class last year.  It is designed by me and it is called Juanita's Roses.

This is Sun Flower, a PJ Rankin-Hults adaptation.  It is hooked by Sue Russell.

 Judy Colley hooked my pattern, Bird of Paradise.  It was on a table at the rug show and I couldn't get a whole picture of it...but I think I like Judy modeling the rug better!

Now here's what I love about rug hooking...I have color planned this design a couple of times as a wide-cut/primitive rug, but Judy's version just blows me away!  It is fine-cut with shading and dip dyes...and equally as stunning this way!  Thanks for honoring my design in such a beautiful way, Judy!
~~~

And now on to the "Throw Down.."

If you don't know what a throw down is...well, it is when all the students take the rugs that they have been working on all week and lay them out on the floor or the ground outside (it was a beautiful day for this), and show off what they have done.  It's always a big highlight of the week for me.

Since we were out in the bright sunshine with a little bit of shade thrown in, my pictures were less than optimal.  Here are just a few of the rugs.  Please excuse the shadow of my arm!

 Smell My Feet (Notforgotten Farm adaptation), hooking by Donna Gardella.

 Herb Angel (Notforgotten Farm adaptation), hooked by Barbara Moran.

Holly & Ewe, designed by Kris Miller and hooked by Sherry Dart.

~~~

A very sweet picture of my class (I love these gals to pieces):

The highlight for the students is the grand prize drawing on Thursday at 7 pm.  Nancy Blair draws a student name and that person wins 10 yards of overdyed wool.  And the winner was:

 Judy Truax! 

I think there was some kind of wonderful Karma attached to my classes here at Holland because my students won the wool prize both of the years I taught!  Quite a thrill for me!  I was very honored to help Judy pick out her wool colors along with the help of Judy's teacher back home in Indiana, Arlene Johnstone.

Judy's fabulous armload of wool!  A good way to wrap up a week at rug camp!

~~~

Wonderful Charlevoix

 I'm looking forward to spending my week-end in Charlevoix, Michigan at the Castle Farms Fiber Arts Festival.  It's Saturday July 23rd and Sunday July 24th.  I'll be located in the West Garden Room (which is in the back hallway), booth #40.  I hope you'll be able to attend too!  Stop by and say hello!  It's a beautiful setting in Northern Lower Michigan and I've heard the weather will be cooler there (low 80's). 

I took this picture last year.  It's really the back courtyard of the complex but beautifully picturesque.  The grounds are perfectly manicured.

This is our booth last year.  The show is indoors and air conditioned!  The building we are in has beautiful slate tiled floors and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling with large windows running the length of the hallway.

I think I've used the word beautiful three or four times in this post!  There's no other way to describe it...you will just have to see it for yourself!

There are so many wonderful vendors selling all kinds of fiber related products.  Buttons, yarn, roving, clothing, books, anything for knitting, spinning, weaving, needle felting, and rug hooking.  I've got a collection of brand new patterns, lots of textured woolens and a few new products.

See you there!

Pictures of Rug Camp

In the beginning of June, I had the pleasure of traveling to Libertyville, Illinois to teach a 3-day workshop.  These girls were not only talented but a lot of fun!  As typical for me, I did not pull my camera out until the last day (too busy!) and snapped a few pictures.  I wish I could have taken photos of all the rugs...but here is a good sampling:

This is Karen Maddi's rug.  It was her design (inspired by Klimt) and her color choices.  I mostly offered my opinion.  This is going to be spectacular, folks!  I can't wait to see the finished rug.

  Carol Waugh was hooking my Liberty design.  She had started this at another camp and continued to work on it while I was there.  Another gorgeous rug and a great color plan.

Betty Miller was working on a new Lori Brechlin adaptation, Lori's Flower Basket.  She revised the pattern, hooking the name and birthdate of her new granddaughter.

 Workshop participants come in all shapes and sizes!

Liz Abel was working on Emma Lou's Antique Floral Runner.  Whew!  This is ONE BIG RUG!  But we got it all color planned and Liz is a pretty fast worker so she'll have it done in no time.

 This is Lauren, busy at work.  She hadn't hooked in a while so she was getting back into the swing of things.

Here is Lauren's beautiful rug, a Lori Brechlin adaptation, Sunflower Witch.  This is turning out fantastic!  Part of my workshop demonstration was hooking eyes...I hooked one eye and Lauren did the other one...bet you can't tell who did which (or should I say "witch") eye?!?

 Some of the rug hookers, busy at their frames.

On the last day of class, there was a house fire across the parking lot.  I had never been this close to a house fire before and it was interesting and horrifying at the same time.  Here's a shot of the firemen trying to break in the back door.  You can see flames in the front; this was a car that was on fire too.

It was a fabulous camp and I was impressed by the hooking abilities of all the ladies.  Thanks so much for choosing me as your teacher!

Blog Wool Sale

Here are a few woolens that did not sell out at my Tent Sale so I am offering them for sale on my blog.  Quantities are limited and shipping is extra.

 Light olive green/blue plaid

$12.00 per yard 
only a few yards left..........

 Maroon/Taupe check

lovely to overdye

$8.00 per yard
Sold Out!

Large Purple plaid-looks much better in person

If you love purple, you will love this one!

$12.00 per yard

Light blue/dark blue/with maroon line

$10.00 per yard
Sold Out!

Large plaid-rust/black/oatmeal

Another perfect wool for overdye

$8.00 per yard

Tealy-blue plaid with magenta line running through it

$10.00 per yard
only a yard or so is left........

~~~

Please contact me if you are interested!

Michigan residents must pay 6% sales tax

A Wonderful Day

Thank you to all who came out to my Tent Sale and Open House yesterday.  Despite the weatherman's prediction of 60% chance of rain, nary a drop fell and it turned out to be a beautiful blue-sky day.  I enjoyed seeing all of you and we had a fun day!  I snapped a few shots at the beginning of the morning:

 My dear friend Donnie and my son Stephen took charge of the check-out table.

Tables of goodies and vintage treasures are waiting for the first shoppers to arrive....

10 am sharp!  Dale snaps up some great deals in a bargain bin.

~~~

Shall we do this again next year?

Rain Or Shine

A few little rain drops won't dampen our day of fun....

See you at the Spruce Ridge Studios Tent Sale & Open House tomorrow, starting at 10 am!

New Book!

I'm selling a new book here at Spruce Ridge Studios, for a limited time.  It's the newly published Fleece And Fiber Sourcebook and if you are a fiber aficionado like I am, then this is a must-have for your library!  Not only does it cover sheep and goats, but also rabbits, llamas, camels, and other fiber-bearing creatures.  All are precisely catalogued in visually stunning chapters.  What I really like about the book is that each breed is shown, along with pictures of its raw fiber, processed or clean fiber, and sometimes spun and woven fiber.  The authors even cover other useful facts such as the fleece weight and characteristics for each breed along with tips for dyeing, spinning, knitting, crocheting and weaving.  It is a hefty 438 pages but a wonderful resource guide for knitters, spinners, and weavers.  Even rug hookers will find themselves thumbing through the beautiful photographs again and again.

If you love sheep, if you love wool, if you love anything "fiber"...this book will be the ONE for you!  The price is $35.00 and worth every penny.  Please contact me if you want one, or pick up a copy when you are here for the Tent Sale, or when you see me in Charlevoix at the Castle Farms Fiber Festival!

Eight more days!

You snooze...you lose!

Don't forget about the Spruce Ridge Studios Tent Sale and Open House!

Saturday June 18, 2011

10am to 2 pm

No early sales please...sale begins promptly at 10 am.

I'm gathering together a collection of clearance-priced wool, patterns, and other fun rug hooking and fiber merchandise!  I've decided to add some antique furniture and other collectibles.  I'm still looking around for sale items so who knows what else I will find!?!?  All sale items will be located outside under the tents.  My studio will be open (inside) for your regular shopping needs so if you've ever wanted to stop by and shop....NOW IS THE TIME! Visa and Master Card is accepted for tent sale items as well as regular priced items.

 See you on Saturday June 18th!

Where has May gone?

Busy is good.  I say this to myself all the time.  I like to stay busy.  But busy also means that the time flies by and one day you wake up and wonder where it went.  That's the way I feel today.  Somehow May flew by when I wasn't looking.

I traveled down to Odenville, Alabama to teach for the Wool Sisters a few short weeks ago.  I love these gals!  They are so talented and just a little bit crazy too.  We tease each other about our accents and then I always learn a new Southern "phrase."  This year it's "coldrank" and "eatersnacks" and "hose pipe."  The food is all made from scratch and it's good old Southern cooking...biscuits, grits, cornbread salad, barbecue brisket, and chocolate sheath cake and banana pudding for dessert.  Yum!  No wonder my pants are tight.

  And I've got lots of pictures to share.....

Just a section of the wool I brought...I always bring too much.

 Show and Tell time....this is a wool quilt that Sheila made...

...and so is this quilt.  This one has a cute story behind it.  Last year, Sheila asked each workshop participant to draw a sheep and then she made each picture into a square and assembled it into this Wool Sisters quilt.  Awesome!

 Show and Tell again...this is Ruth's rug from 2 years ago when I taught for the Wool Sisters.  I couldn't wait to see it!  This was adapted from a black and white photograph of her family.  Each person has their own distinct personality but without a lot of detail.  I love this rug!

Here is Wendy Miller holding up a new design she calls her Prairie Series.  *sigh*  I love Wendy's style!

 These two smiling faces are Bobbie and Ginger, real life sisters who run the workshop.  They both just wrote a book about string quilts so I felt like I was in the presence of famous people!!!

 More students in my class, working hard on their projects. (ah-ha!  I see some "eatersnacks" on the table!)

 Ali Strebel was the other teacher at the workshop.  She was teaching all kinds of fun and creative techniques in her class.

 More of Ali's students.

 Here is Nancy Wiley.  She was working on a pillow to give to her nephew, who is a hockey player.  He is depicted in the design, with the Colorado mountains and some trees in the background.  It is really turning out great and I know her nephew will be thrilled with this gem.

Here is Ruth.  I think she is the queen of photographic hooking.  This is a view of a street in San Juan, Puerto Rico and it is turning out FABULOUS.  She is hooking in 3's and 4's so I am impressed with how much she got done in 3 days!

(When I got home, I was disappointed to find that I had not taken any more pictures of my students rugs...I am sorry for that and I hope that they send me pictures of their rugs soon).

 Diana McMichen brought in a fabulous estate sale find....rug hooking retreat paperwork and photos kept by a rug hooker named Edith Wood.  The top picture is the front of her Retreat notebook.

 This is the letter about the retreat.  We chuckled about the sentence telling the ladies what to bring....and check out the cost of the 3-day retreat....

 Here is the gathering of rug hookers at the retreat.  Note that all are wearing dresses and sensible shoes...

Another group pose with their rugs.

 I found these three pictures to be quite interesting.  They were inside the retreat notebook and colored carefully with colored pencil.  Lessons and notes about shading.  I found myself wishing that I could have known Edith Wood and I probably would have asked her what a rug retreat was really like back then.  I think she would have been surprised to hear about our rug camps 53 years later...that we don't wear dresses much anymore and we don't have to bring our own sheets and towels!