New Tool!

Two new tools actually! My birthday was June 1st and my in-laws spoiled me with a new hooking frame. I have a lap frame, that is still up for sale as it didn't sell on ebay by the way, but wanted something a little bigger and I fell in love with my friend Kimberlee's frame. Here is the frame I now hook on. Isn't it beautiful?!?!  It is handmade out of beautiful wood. It adjusts in a few different ways and it's even tall enough for me which has been a concern with my lap frame. I'm about 5'9" and find myself hunching over my lap frame.





With some birthday money from my Aunt I purchased a small gripper frame for doing miniature punch needle. I've been using a hoop, but even the non-slip hoops have to be adjusted constantly it seems. Maybe I'm just not strong enough to get it tight. I bought it from The Bee Skep and they are handmade there by Bob. He did a fantastic job. : )  I can't wait to get punching again!




~Michelle

For Sale- Rug Hooking Frame

I'm selling my Morton rug hooking frame. I got a new one for my birthday. : )  Please check out my listing on ebay for details.

~Michelle

Portage Trail Barn Sale

It's time for the Portage Trail Barn spring sale! I'm lucky to have Mary Beth living right down the street from me in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. She has a sweet yard for her chickens, dogs, and boys to play in.

  


Her barn is packed full of handmade goodies from local artists and a few from out of town. She loves to create from items that would normally be thrown out. I went to her holiday sale in December and snagged a few goodies for Christmas presents.

Visit Portage Trail Barn's Facebook page for preview photos of this sale.

Here are a few shots from the holiday sale....

.....and a few from the previous fall sale.

                                                Spring Barn Sale- May 17-19
                                    Thursday 5p-8p
                                    Friday and Saturday 10a-3p

Look for the blue house with the sign out front.....

Then follow the signs on the fence to the barn!

Have fun shopping!

A Question About Linen

A friend of mine bought 11 yards of what was called primitive linen for rug hooking on ebay. When she got it, she quickly realized it is not for rug hooking. What in the world is she going to do with this linen? Any ideas? She said it would be great for stitcheries and is selling some on ebay in small pieces.




http://www.ebay.com/itm/Primitive-Stitchery-Linen-Make-your-own-stitchery-FREE-ORIGINAL-PATTERN-/290707609121?pt=US_Fabric&hash=item43af861621


~Michelle

Major Minor...or Minor Major?

I had a little bit more to show you from the Berlin hook-in, but I had a scheduled minor procedure on Wednesday that turned kinda major. I will save you all the gory details, but I have a 2 inch incision with two layers of 20+ stitches. Yikes! Needless to say, I haven't been doing much. Thursday and Friday I was on vicodin and in lots of pain, but starting Friday I was just on ibuprofen. Thank goodness. I don't like taking heavy drugs. I managed to go to work the Friday evening, only because I have a desk job and don't have to move around. I'm still very stiff and a little sore, and need helping getting undressed, showering, etc., because I can't raise my left arm higher than my shoulder. I was not expecting this at all! I went in for a minor procedure and it turned it 1-1/2 hours and lots of stitches, lol.

I also dragged myself to Hartville yesterday with my hooking buddy Kimberlee for a lovely hook-in with Marilyn Willmore in a beautiful shop called Pine Tree Gift Shop. I will post pictures later this week. We had a great time and ate way too much. It was a good day. :)

~Michelle

Berlin, Ohio, Hook-In...Part 2

The moment you have been waiting for....The Rug Show! So much talent in one room. Amazing! The lighting was great, but I only had my cell phone to take pictures. Here we go!

This was my favorite of the show. My husband swore it was a quilt when I showed him the picture. Unfortunately this was the first photo I took in the show and I forgot to take a photo of the label so I don't know the designer or hooker.

Hooked by Annelle Muller - Adapted from Maggie Bononami

Flag/Summer Hooked by Teri Hedrick - Designed by Donna Bennett/Crows on the Ledge

"Never Enough Wool" Hooked by Stacie Sidie - Designed by New Earth Design.
This is one of my favorites and hopefully someday I will hook it too.

"Isobel" Hooked and Designed by Karen Detrick.
Not my favorite colors, but I love sheep and swirls, so this is one of my favs too!
How the colors fade from dark to light throughout each swirl is so neat!

"Folk Art Rug" Hooked by Joy Troyer, designer unknown.
I loved this one too. Reminds me of a quilt.

"Flag" Hooked by Norma Wagner - Designed by Polly Minick

"All American Proddy Sheep" Hooked by Debra Pavlock - Designed by Alice Fraizer.
Such a fun rug! I've never seen a rug edged with proddy too.

Here is a different view of the Proddy Sheep so you can see the different textures. Debra even hooked the sheep's head a little higher and with a fun textured wool to give more dimension. Love the bell!

Hooked by Nancy Roshon.
Sorry about the weird blur across the bottom. The only label on this rug was the hooker's name.
I know I've seen this rug before so if you know the designer please let me know so that I can give them credit.

"Acorn" Hooked by Shari Stout - Designer not listed

"Three Flowers" Hooked by Julie McCoy - Designed by Primitive Grace

"Five Sheep" Hooked by Dianne Wright - Designed by Melody Hoops

"Pomegranates" Hooked by Dianne Wright - Designed by Edith O'Neil

Weren't the rugs beautiful?!?! I didn't take photos of all of them. I wasn't sure how I was going to remember all of the names and didn't want to write them all down as that would take me forever, so I snapped a photo of the rug and then took a close-up of the label with enough of the rug showing so that I could make sure to know which label went with it, though the name of the pattern helps too. So that's my tip for you the next time you are at a rug show. : )

The featured artist was Sibyl Osicka. She does fine cut work. Her rugs almost look like paintings! We are at different ends of the rug hooking spectrum (I love primitive), but I can admire the talent that's for sure!

I have a few more pictures to show you tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the rugs. : )

~Michelle

Berlin, Ohio, Hook-In....Part 1

Yay! I went to my first large hook-in event Saturday, April 21st. It was so much fun! I went with my friend Kimberlee who I met at the local library hook-in that is held once a month. We have been hooking, dyeing, and thrift store shopping ever since we met. : )  I also got to meet online friend Alice Fraizer from Folk Art Primitives. The day flew by so fast that we didn't get to say much more than "hello" to each other, but it was nice meeting face-to-face.

So this happens to everyone, right?

The night before (yes, super procrastinator here) I was trying to get a simple flag pattern drawn out so I would have something to work on. Nope, haven't finished that darn cardinal rug and it's giving me fits so I decided to start something new. Made sense to me. : )  The minute I put the linen down the animals think they have a new place to sleep. Seriously?

Okay, on to the hook-in!

There were six vendors there: Mad Hen Primitives, The Shepherd's Wool, Spruce Ridge Studios, Perennial Blessings, Crows on the Ledge, and The Rug Bug. I believe 11 were on the list to come, but the weather hasn't been great and I know things happen. I bought my favorite magazine (Primitive Quilts and Projects) from Mad Hen Primitives, I have two patterns on my wish list from Crows on the Ledge, and bought some dyes to play with and wool for my flag project from Spruce Ridge. Boy did the money go fast! I did come home with some because while my husband was very sweet and gave me money to spend, I just couldn't spend it all. I'm a saver, he is a spender. : )

Mad Hen Primitives

Spruce Ridge Studios




Crows on the Ledge. Don't tell Kimberlee that she is in the corner of this pic!

I can't remember whose booth is here in the front, but the other side was Marlene Troyer's booth. She had some adorable kitties stitched that I so wanted to take home with me. I passed this time, but I know where to find her! She works at Country Craft Cupboard.



The Shepherd's Wool. Beautiful wools!



The Rug Bug. Have you ever seen so much wool?!?

Here was my view of the room. There were about 115 hookers in attendance.


This is Deb. She had on the cutest pin! She said that her father is a wood turner so he made mini rug hooks for her and then she embroidered her name onto wool to make a penny rug. Some of the ladies at her table had them on as well. I wish I would've gotten her phone number. So cute!

Deb and her cute pin.

 This is my hooking buddy Kimberlee : )  She always wears a cute apron with a sheep pin to keep her clothes lint-free while hooking. Gotta be stylish that girl.

Kimberlee

The event was held from 10-3 and then we went shopping in Berlin after. The event technically was held in Walnut Creek, just down the road, but who is really checking. : )

Okay that's it for Part 1. I will post photos from the Rug Show Room tomorrow.

~Michelle