OFF TO THE OLD FORGE HOOKIN IN OTTAWA…

Welllll, spring has finally arrived. I know this because THE ICE IS GONE. This is the latest we have had ice on the lake but it finally turned to slush and sank on Saturday. It was soooo lovely to drive around the bottom of the lake and see reflections on the water instead of just mushy looking ice. Of course, the loons are out and about again at 2 in the morning, the geese are honking and ohhhhh we saw a wonderful beaver swimming right up against the shore line in the bay. Blackflies have not started YET so it is lovely to get out and clean up some of the winter mess (in between hooking!!!).

And with the advent of spring of course many shows are coming up in the next few weeks – both rughooking, general fibre as well as some non fibre shows. So I thought I would take this opportunity to share a few with you…

This Saturday is the Old Forge Rughooking Guild’s annual hookin in Ottawa. I know some of you will be there – this is always a fun hookin with lots of great show and tell and I believe 7 vendors this year.

The Saint Henry Rug Hookers are hosting their exhibition again this year… Every two years this prolific group has a wonderful display of hooked rugs and punch needle pieces…

Although this has nothing to do with rughooking, my friend Sheila is hosting a fun day in her lovely gardens with 13 artists in attendance – a lovely opportunity to pick up something unique for your garden…

 

May 25 is the date for the Prince Edward County Fibrefest in Picton Ontario. You can find more information on their website – tons of vendors and activities and demos and workshops – a fun day for all… http://fibrefest.ca .

A few finished pieces to share – Cynthia finished her punch needle of one of the Karla Gerard patterns I sell – this was her first piece and it turned out beautifully…and Louise finished binding her lovely leaf rug – her own design… 

THE ANNUAL..

Was such fun. Lovely location, lots of beautiful rugs and great vendors. There were even pop up classes run by some of the newly certified OHCG teachers which allowed people who were unable to get into the previously advertised classes to partake in the fun. Unfortunately, I had only about 20 minutes to quickly see the rugs and no Gord to take pictures. Pictures with my iPad were hmmm, not good enough to be shared. I am sure the newsletter and the website will be sharing some of the beautiful rugs that were on display. I am already looking forward to next year to again hopefully, be a vendor and see so many people I only see once or twice a year. Next year – same weekend but at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville Ontario.

I do have a few pictures to share and a few new Karla Gerard patterns which you will find in my online store – Rughooking patterns:

Heather was almost finished her Peacock rug (one of my Briarwood Folkart patterns)…

OFF TO LONDON FOR THE OHCG ANNUAL RUG SHOW…

Should be a wonderful weekend. This is always an exciting show – hundreds of beautiful rugs to inspire, classes to help us hone our technique or learn something new and!!! Vendors! Vendors! Vendors! and who does not get excited about adding to their stash.

So I hope to see some of you there – if you are looking for me, I can be found one level below the rug show in the Royal Palm Court along with many other exciting Vendors and YEAHHHH, THE SILENT AUCTION!

And to get you thinking about trying something new – my friend, Linda, bought a carved goose at the thrift store and promptly went home and hooked, prodded, painted and glued her a lovely nesting area…

 

Cynthia finished punching her first piece, Karla Gerard’s Primitive Blooms…

and Jill finished her Pileated Woodpecker. This piece is for sale – it has a beautiful quilted edge.  Jill is asking $350.00 so if you love Woodpeckers you can have one roosting in your home…

 

 

 

RVBB AUCTION…

Every April, for MANY years now, our guild and its members has divested themselves of lovely donations of rughooking (and other crafts)related items by holding an open auction. We donate most of the funds back to various charitable organizations. It has always been an exciting day – who will get that prized piece of wool, or that amazing used cutter or frame, or even that beautiful almost finished rug! Two of our wonderful members have provided us (and everyone who joins us for the day) with their delicious home made chilli and biscuits. This year, sadly, we will not be holding our auction. We feel we just don’t have enough items to make it a worthwhile trip for those who have come from far and wide to join us for the last few years. We hope to accumulate enough great items to hold our auction again next year so mark your calendars – 3rd Thursday in April 2020! I will miss the excitement and the fun (and the delicious chilli!) and all the folks who have come in the past to add to their stashes. Hope to see you all at another event. Possibly!!! our OHCG Annual rug show in London Ontario at the Lamplighter Inn April 13-14!!!!

A FEW RUGS ETC! TO SHARE AND INSPIRE YOU…

Allyson finished her first punch needle – one of my Karla Gerard patterns – and did an amazing job…

Chris’ lovely dancing ladies – a Deanne Fitzpatrick pattern which she adapted to include her rughooking group…Linda finished a few lovely hooked, punched pieces…and sent me pictures of some of the pieces she carved and painted…Jill’s completed Lisa Ferguson Pileated Woodpecker – I love this pattern and the way Jill hooked it. We have these amazing birds around our place – they are soooooo prehistoric looking…and Wendy’s lovely Owl… Diane’s finished scrappy rug…

and Karen’s wool bag with her punch needle piece attached – what a great new way of showcasing our punch needle pieces!!!!….

REBEKAH L. SMITH…

As a former quilter I did a lot of appliqué. I love hand stitching so all my appliqué was done by hand – cutting out, turning under the edges and then appliquéing with fine, invisible stitches. Years ago I discovered a wonderful magazine called Folk Crafts. Each issue was devoted to approximately 5 different types of traditional folk art – rughooking, punch needle, feather trees, tinwork, carving etc. The article would cover the process in detail and the artist would always include a pattern. I fell in love with the history and process of wool appliqué/penny rugs when it was featured in one of the articles. It had warmth, texture and seemed to work up so easily – no turning under and yeah, stitches that were supposed to be seen!

Recently, I decided it would be fun to add something new to the studio so a few months ago I started carrying some wool appliqué patterns by Rebekah Smith. (#rebekahlsmith) – her work is so lovely and has that same warmth and aged look that I love. A few new patterns will be available come April 19! I will be carrying some of these as kits (wool and pattern). In September, I will be teaching her wool appliqué mittens as one of my workshops at Fibrefest in Almonte.

Here are the new Rebekah Smith patterns being launched:

and the mitten workshop I will be teaching…