Happy New Year Wishes...

Best Wishes to you and yours for a Happy, Healthy, Bountiful New Year!
I've been busy catching up on lots of unfinished projects. The new scanner is...well...shall I say...difficult and uncooperative. I need it to work so I can proceed with many website updates...and finish my design of the 2009 LJF Rug Project.
So rather than whine about it while I wait for hubby to perform miracles...I've been working on tidying up around my loom...it has been a storage area for way too long. I've knit a few pair of socks...finally made myself a Christmas stocking...something I've been meaning to do for years! I made hubby's in 1994 and son's in 1996.



And today I painted up a box for my stitching stuff.

I use a beeswax-mineral oil finish on my painted pieces...so as soon as it's dry I'll loading it with all my stitching treasures!


It's amazing how many things I've found under my loom...and NO...I won't show you a picture of that room! I want to get the loom warped to weave some towels. I wove about these 12 years ago and they are just starting to wear out. I remember my son was 6 months old and would sit on my lap and pull on the beater bar...such fond memories!

We live a pretty simple life...but a couple luxuries I enjoy are hand-knit socks and hand woven dish towels.

May you all be blessed...

The Cold Wind Blowing...

Even tho' winter doesn't offically start for a few days, it's been feeling like it here for weeks. We are hunkering down for another blast this weekend. Perfect stitching weather!!! And I've got plenty to do...last minute gifts and finishing touches. I stitched up the candle mat above a few years ago...just love this saying...it is "sew" true!

After I finish up on Christmas projects, baking, wrapping, and the start of the 2009 LJF Rug Project...I'm going to work up some new stitching patterns...some based on my old rug designs...some new designs...some just stitching...some with wool, too!

Whatever your weekend brings...I hope your warm and happy! L

Brrr...

Yes, this pic looks warm and cozy...but it's been freezing around here the past few days!
Don't you just love this sweet Penny Tree? It's a great pattern by my friend Cathy of Hooked on Primitives. I hooked it up using all left over strips from various rugs...just love the scrappy feel. I was in a hurry to get the sample made...could have taken a bit more care when stuffing it...so...it has the kind of "Who-ville" feel to it...but no Grinches here...everyone loves it!

To warm up the studio a bit today, I fired up the dye pots...dyed up a bunch more wool scarves that I'll be embellishing. I've got a few on Etsy right now...think I'll put the new ones up on eCrater in a few days.

Busy with lots of last minute holiday elf duties...the spiced apple jelly turned out great...

More soon, L

Have you ever felt this way???

I had such high hopes of updating my website this past weekend...to be ready for "Cyber Monday" or "Black Monday"...what ever it's called...LOL...anyway...DH decided to install the new printer/scanner/fax that has been sitting in the box for months...yep you guessed it...nothing is working right at the moment. So...fingers crossed...hopefully this will get thru!

Now I don't mean to whine and complain...because I have been getting a bunch of stitching, knitting and hooking done! And slowly all the NEW things that have arrived at the studio WILL find there way to the website...until then...my mantra is...PATIENCE!

Hope your aren't running in cirlces and that your day is bright and sunny!
Check out the bottom of this page...I just added some goodies to my Etsy shop...

Wooly hugs, L

Thanksgiving Blessings

Just a short note to wish you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving Day...
I've been so absent from the computer...so many things to update...and that is my goal for the coming weekend...it's GOOD to have goals...
For today...I hope you are wrapped in the warmth of family and friends...enjoying the SIMPLE things...good food...laughter and love!
Wooly hugs, L

♥ Be Ye Thankful...

So many blessings I have to be thankful for...

I’m blessed that my job is to do what I love...play with wool everyday!

I’m thankful for my friends...old and new...

I’m thankful for my dear Husband, my Mother, Father and Sister...my Sisters & Brother –in-laws...Nieces and Nephews...family is So very important!

And most of all I’m Thankful for our son...now 12...but 9 short years ago he brought home this picture from pre-school...

I just had to make it into a rug!

Wishing you all the best...and I hope you'll count your blessings, too! L

A New Day IS Dawning in OUR Land!

Thursday Eve...

It's good to be home...sorry I've been away from the computers for sevral days...my Mother-in Law passed away and we we're in SD for the funeral. She was a very sweet lady...we will miss her so...

For now I need to focus on our annual fall hook-in on Saturday. I am so NOT ready. Between an audit by the state sales and use tax department and loosing Mom...well I have much to do tonite and tomorrow...so I best get to drawing the patterns. The pic above is the fourth part on this year's rug project, "Under the Sun". The kits are sold out...so I'm going to make the linen patterns available as of Saturday's show...if I get them done in time...

More soon...L

Thanks for the Honor...

Two sweet friends have honored me with this award...Thank you so much Betty and Kathy! Along with the honor goes the task of honoring 6 others...there are so many GREAT blogs around this will be fun...and I promise I will this weekend...as soon as I have the time to blog hop!

Things have been hectic around The Rug for a few weeks...I'll be back to blog~land soon!

Enjoy the Autumn breezes...Wooly Hugs, L

Tonite's Class...

We're hooking up some Indian Corn tonite...
I hooked these 10 years ago...and while looking for something fun to offer for classes this fall...I remembered them! Of course, when I originally hooked 'em...I just DID it...no notes...no pattern...
Seems like I always work this way...kind of backwards?!?!

For a class it's not a problem cuz I'm there to talk people thru the process...I had no idea that putting the picture on the web class list would attract so much interest
...Well...I finally wrote up the pattern. So if you can't join in on the hookin' here tonite...you can now order the pattern!

Hope you have a GREAT day,

One loop at at time, L

Finishing Hooked Rug Class Tonite!

Happy Monday Everyone,
Just thought I pop in to say Hi...Hope you all had a great weekend!
I'm prepping for a finishing class tonite...click on over to my PictureTrail album to see several great ways to finish off your hooked pieces...not quite like joining in on the class...but close!

Wooly hugs, L

What's New...

Happy October Everyone...
I've spent the morning adding lots of goodies to the website...

I've had these Apple Pin Cushion kits and patterns available for several years...just never got around to getting them up on the web...but these cool, replica antique vices finally arrived last week and I think it's just the perfect addition!

If you have a minute...hop on over and see all the other fun sheep and wool goodies, too!

Hope you are having a GREAT day...it's a cool, crisp sunny one here...

UFO Finished!!!

Yippee...the Speckled Hen is done!

It sure feels good to have this completed and down on the floor! Now onto the next one...

Freebie for the First Friday of Fall...

Grab your scrap baskets and hook up some fun fall pins!
My gift to you today...
3 of my Autumn pin designs and easy directions for how I make ‘em!
Happy Hookin, L

You will need:
* Monk’s Cloth, Linen or Burlap backing
* Red-Dot tracer (optional way of transferring design to backing)
* A variety of wool strips…perfect way to use up odds and ends!
* Small scraps of coordinating wool for pin backs
* “Wonder-under” fusible web
* Marking pen (Shapie permanent marker)
* Fray-Chek and craft glue
* 1” or 1 1/2"metal pin back
* Hook, frame or hoop and scissors
* Steam iron and towels

These pins require only a small amount of foundation fabric. I like to save the “trimmings” from larger rugs and machine stitch them together in a patchwork/crazy quilt fashion to make a large enough piece of backing to attach to my hooking frame.

To transfer the designs to your foundation you can either cut out the shapes and trace then on using a marking pen…OR…Using Red-Dot tracing fabric, trace over the designs, then lay the “Red-Dot” fabric on your backing and trace the image again. The ink will go thru the tracer fabric to your backing.

Hook the pins. These small shapes hook up best in a #5 to #6 cut, but you can always hand trim wider wool strips. After hooking, use heavy towels and a steam iron to block the ornaments. Let dry.

Cut a scrap of wool a bit larger than the pin size. Following manufacture’s directions, fuse “Wonder-Under” to this piece of wool with an iron. (Craft glue may be used in place of fusible webbing, but leaves a hard stiff finish.) Allow to cool, and peel off paper. Place web side down on back side of pin and fuse. Let cool. Using a small sharp scissors, trim backing close to last row of hooking.

Using a permanent “Sharpie” marker, go around the edge of the pin to color any light foundation that shows. Apply “Fray-Chek” to seal the edges. Let dry. Glue or sew on metal pin back.

Reflections while binding a rug...

Some people dread the finishing steps at the end of a project...and binding a rug is the one complaint I hear the most...but I find it as soothing as pulling each loop in creating the rug!

My mind quickly wonders away...sometimes it goes to the news of the day ~ oops...then the tension might get a wee bit tight...sometimes it’s prayerful ~ for all those in need...but today my thoughts were on how very small the world really is...and how connected we all are.

In my short time here in blog~land, I have met some incredibly wonderful and talented people...Just one of them is Karen at My Yellow Farmhouse. Many of you know her and her great blog! I met her a few weeks back when she contacted me after being given my name from another designer as a source for hand-dyed wool. She was getting ready to leave town, but ordered a sample card and said we’d connect after she returned home. In the days that followed I started this blog...while following up with comments left on my first few posts, I visited several fun blogs...and Karen’s name kept popping up...What a small world indeed! Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting her and a few friends in person when they came to the studio to pick out wool for a fabulous project! I felt like I already knew her!

Well...Karen has just launched her new website Farmhouse Woolens, and she’s offering this fantastic Block of the Month wool appliqué project! I’ve had so much fun working with her on this and she’s got some fun ideas for future projects, too. Please stop by and visit her new site...and tell I said HI!

So...back to the rug...this Speckled Hen is almost bound...a finished picture to come real soon!

Hope this first week of Autumn has been a good one for you...L

Autumn Blessings

Hello Dear Friends...
Autumn winds are blowing...but the temperatures are summer like here in Minnesota...undoubtedly this is my favorite time of year!

Haven't had much time to blog lately...busy at the dye pots and prepping for fall classes...also trying to finish up my UFO challenge rug...

...actually I'm a bit farther along than this pic...but being lazy...didn't want to take it off the frame to take another...but I will soon!

Ideas are spinning in my head...so many things I want to stitch and hook...but making myself focus on finishing this first...

Hope where ever you are you are enjoying the change of season...L

Hook GOOD Rugs...

Today I’m catching up on computer stuff...just added a bunch of wool to the website...it came in late on Friday...lovely textures...some are calling me to the dyepots...but that is for tomorrow!

For now, I’ve been working on my notes for classes. This week is the start of my ThursDAY hooking...6 week sessions for those with previous hooking experience.
Along with guidance on current projects or help in designing or color planning new ones...we will be exploring...What makes a good hooked rug?

Along the way I will share bits –n- pieces of our discussions with you here ~ and of course, I’d love to hear your comments!

“Use your imagination, ingenuity, and skill in creating design, expressing it in color and executing it through textured technique”
~ Stella Hay Rex from Choice Hooked Rugs ©1953

Hope you all have a GREAT week! L

End of Summer Sweetness...

What a bountiful year...I beat the raccoons to the vines this year and oh my...I must have picked 30+ pounds of grapes! I share them with my neighbor Anna...my son likes her jelly better...go figure?!?!? They taste the same to us...we’ve thought about just swapping labels...he’d probably never know...LOL! So...that’s how I spent my Labor Day...steaming up an already hot ~ humid kitchen with the sweet smell of 27 jars of jelly!
There are more grapes still ripening on the vine...but I think I’ll leave them for the critters!

The weather turned “fall~like” yesterday...my favorite...sweater weather! Now it’s off to the studio and the dyepots for me...Wooly hugs, L

What a SWEET Surprise...

My friend Ginger at Primitives by the Light of the Moon has given me this award. I’m so honored and well...surprised...since I’m so new to this whole blogging thing! THANK YOU GINGER!!! I’m sure many of you are familiar with Ginger’s blog and you her fabulous work...but please take a moment to hop over and visit her...it’s one of my favorite places to visit!

Along with this honor you place the award on your blog and pass the honor on to 7 other deserving folks...

♥ Maria at Star Rug Company

♥ Jacque at The Doodles of My Mind

♥ Paula at October*Moon

♥ Karen at My Yellow Farmhouse

♥ Bren at That Thing I Do

♥ Kathy at Rugs of Mine...In Time

♥ Sherry at From Sherry’s Heart

This was hard tough choice, as there are so many GREAT blogs out there...Grab a cup of tea and enjoy your journey!!!

Summer's Glory

Sunflowers always bring a smile...they are such "happy" flowers...Who doesn't smile when seeing a sunflower?!?

On our drive to the Black Hills we always pass a huge field of sunflowers...it's along I90, just east of the Missouri River. One of these trips I need to get off and take some pictures!

So...as the Summer days dwindle...and the crisp breezes of Autumn fill the air...may you SMILE and...

Tho' time passes so quickly...

I hooked this rug back in 2003 and it seems like I just finished it...oh how the days fly by...Enjoy your day, today my friends!

Apple~tyme

There is nothing in the world more peaceful than apple-leaves with an early moon.
Alice Meynell~1847-1922

...and nothing so sweet! Oh how I love this time of year...the Honey Crisps will soon be here...our favorite apple orchard said they should be ready Labor Day weekend!!! In the meantime I hope you enjoy the wool applique and rug I hooked last fall to celebrate this glorious season...

More Family Fun...

Thought I'd share our family photo with you. We've always wanted to do this and the timing was perfect on this summer's trip to the Black Hills. There is always so much to see and do, and since hubby is working while we are out there, we have to cram a whole lot into a few short days. There is this great place in Keystone...just across from the taffy shop...Prof. Samuel's Portraits...we had so much fun!

Have you seen the movie "National Treasure ~ Book of Secrets"? Personally I thought the first movie was better...but since we had heard that part of this 2nd movie was filmed in the hills...(that's a whole other story)...we were anxious to see it! Anyway...if you saw it...remember the part when Ben Gates unravels the clues and discovers the hole in the rock that opens the secret entrance to the golden city???
Well, I think my son found it!

More soon...got to get back to hooking the chicken rug! L

I’m in the mood for....Fall!

Like so many of us Wool~Lovers...these hot & humid late Summer days make me yearn for the cool crisp Autumn breezes! Not that I’m wishing my days away...cuz I’m certainly always racing to keep up...



...it’s more of a longing for days gone by...the “feelings” that my favorite season brings.


I love the smell of wood smoke from the fireplace...the sight of the trees a blaze with the changing leaves...the sound of the wind swirling the leaves to the ground...apples...squash and pumpkins...apples...and more apples!!! Oh how I wish it all would last longer...cuz here in the upper Midwest...what follows is soooo long...but that’s another story!



Now that my Fall class schedule is complete and the website temporarily up to date...it’s time to think of more domestic things. The grapes are almost ripe enough to pick, it’s been a good year for them. I hope Mama Raccoon doesn’t beat me to them this year. I don’t mind sharing...but last year she got them all. The jelly cupboard is looking bare!



Hope you are enjoying these lazy (LOL) late summer days! L

5 Hearts

Just need to do the binding on this scrappy runner. I'm looking forward to finishing it and having it in place. Most all my rugs "live" at the studio/shop...or other people's homes...so I'm working on some for our home! This will live in the doorway between the kitchen and livingroom.




I'm working on this "Speckled Hen" rug for in front of the refrigerator. I've had the pattern for many years. I dug it out to hook in a UFO Challenge! It's a Kris Miller/Spruce Ridge Studios adaptation of a M. Shaw design. It's 20" x 20" and I need it to be closer to 24" square...so I'll be playing with the border!!!

Back Home ~

Just got home from our annual trek to the Black Hills ~ it’s so lovely out there!!! The smell of pine...yum! The weather was perfect...






Waiting at the studio/shop were the October 2008 issues of Early American Life and Celebrations XVIII. I’m waiting for a few quiet moments to devour them both, but WOW this edition of Celebrations is loaded with PRIMITIVES!!! There’s an amazing article on the home of Kaye Swor of Chardon, Ohio. Can’t wait for the kiddo to go to bed tonite so I can drool over this.



I’m pulling the last loops in my 5 Hearts runner...pics coming soon. Need to get busy on “Autumn” things...Yes, I’ve got the Harvest~Tyme itch!!!



More soon ~ L

Under The Sun ~ Part Three ~ Summertime

The year just seems to be flying by...July 25th...
Here is the 3rd section of this year's project rug. I'm really pleased the way the apple tree turned out.

I'm just getting settled in here in and must admit this is kind of fun. After years of having the website...this computer challenged wool lover is breaking out her comfort zone and joining her friends in blog~land. I'll be getting my favorite places listed real soon!