Snowy weekend here

...giving me the perfect opportunity to tidy up the wool room! Loads of wool making it's way to the ETSY shop...

Several yards available for some...others just a few washed fat quarters...be sure to check it out!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/woolyredrug
Hope you have a great day, thanks for stopping by ~ Laurie

This year's PUMPKIN Harvest

...has landed in the ETSY shop!

A few remain after my Autumn shows and I just finished listing them in the ETSY shop...all with FREE shipping;)

Feels more like Winter here than Autumn,
and most of my leaves are still green,
it is the weirdest of weather...
Wishing you wonderful Fall ~ Laurie

Waning Summer Days...Autumn Hook-In info...and more...

Our weather is shifting...
I was lucky to escape the city heat this past weekend and spend time with my dear friend at her cabin. The butterflies...and bees loved this sedum plant.
The lake was warmer than it had been when I was there in July and we spent a lot of time in the water!

Yesterday another sweet friend brought me some of the bounty from her fabulous gardens...

Here is some Hops I started simmering this morning. Isn't it a pretty plant? I've never liked the smell or taste of beer ( now wine is another story! ) I'm so glad it smells like green beans cooking.

Looks like it will be a soft apricot color on the wool...but we will see;)

After the storms that blew threw yesterday and overnite, our weather has shifted towards Autumn...time to finish the scrappy quilt I've been hand piecing while sitting and visiting my folks at the nursing home. I have to keep my hands busy...and so, this is kind of my therapy blanket!

Between checking the dyepot and packing orders, I've been pressing the quilt top. I've picked out a soft antique-y cotton flannel for the back. Once I get it basted with a lightweight cotton batting, I will hand quilt it with Valdani #12 Perle Cotton.

If you are near, I hope you'll stop by and visit me at the Autumn Valley Hook-In in Stillwater, Minnesota on Saturday October 6th...

Wishing you all a wonderful last week of Summer, Laurie

Are YOU Registered?

Only 2 weeks until my Natural Plant Dyeing for Wool Workshop at Minnetonka Center for the Arts…
are YOU registered?
If not….PLEASE join us…Friday, September 14th from 9:30 til 4
Learn how to dye wool with the rich, earthy colors growing all around us. This class will cover growing, harvesting and preparing both dye materials and wool for truly unique fabrics to use in rug hooking, wool applique, sewing and quilting.

Contact MCFTA at 952-473-7361 x 160 or on the web at minnetonkaARTS.org

Golden leaves on the boulevard…

While I was away teaching at Sauder Village Rug Week in Ohio…
Summer moved a little closer to Autumn. I can hardly believe it…but this IS a sign of the glory to come!
There were hints of Autumn in the early morning and evening breezes for a week or so before I left…and we saw many trees on the verge of turning on our drive thru 5 states.
And so it’s time to register for Fall Classes…

There is still space in my Folk Art Rug Hooking class beginning Wednesday, September 5th at Minnetonka Center for the Arts
This is an all-level class meeting Wednesdays from 1-4pm

I’ll be teaching a Natural Dyeing class on Friday September 14th

and an Intro to Rug Hooking on Saturday, October 13th.

Call Minnetonka Center for The Arts at 952-473-7361 for more info and to register
Or vist their website at http://www.minnetonkaarts.org

Thanks for visiting ~ Laurie

Bee Runner Finale and Morning Visitor...

One of the HAPPIEST rugs I've ever hooked. I designed Bee Runner as a showcase for the my adventures in natural dyeing.
A much softer palette than my normal work...I'm embracing and loving it!
Linen patterns for Bee Runner will be in the Etsy Shop and on the website later TODAY;)

Well hello...

a morning visit from this 4 Horned Sphinx (Elm) Moth Caterpillar...
Wishing you a lovely Saturday, Laurie

Happy Independence Day!

My post today is not about fireworks, picnics or parades…
it’s about the magic in my dye pots…

Natural dyeing…or as I prefer to call it Plant Dyeing is a SLOW process, often spanning several days. I want to coax every bit of loveliness nature has to offer out of each plant.

To begin, I mordant the wool in alum and cream of tartar, then wash and dry it to have ready for the gardens bounty. I harvest a bit each day and save until enough for a dye run. A good ratio of plant material to wool is 1:1…so to dye a fat quarter of wool it takes about 3 to 4 ounces of plant material…that’s a lot of blossoms;) The 1st run gives rich, saturated colors. Subsequent runs yield softer values that sometime shift in color. Playing with modifiers often dramatically… magically changes things.

I’ll be back soon with results from run #3

Wishing you a magical, safe and happy 4th
~ Laurie

Morning Harvest...

Evening WOOL...

~ Laurie

Merry Solstice...

A quick peek of what's on my rug frame...
"Thank the Bees" runner...
I'm hooking it with my naturally, plant-dyed wools...
Thank YOU Bees:)

Hope you have a beautiful day...I'm heading back to the gardens!
~Laurie

in the garden...

This year I finally got the chance to work on the south side of our yard...

my new DYE garden...
marigolds, calendula, coreopsis, asters, rudbeckia, dahlias, zinnias, purple basil, sunflowers...with some rosemary, sage, nastursiums, squash and peppers, too ;)
Of course it was THE HOTTEST weather when I was out there building the beds.
On April 16th we had 15+ inches of snow...
and on May 29th it was in the high 90's...feeling like well over 100 degrees.

I re-did my lavender bed, too:)

Everything is growing...this pic is from this morning:)
My happy place...thanks for visiting!
~L
P.S. back soon with a preview of my newest rug design...hooked in all naturally plant dyed wool;)

New Rug Designs on a Cloudy, Cool day...

perhaps down right chilly is a better way to describe our weather today.
perfect for staying indoors and putting the final touches on my newest rug designs.
Red-Winged Blackbirds is in the finishing phase...
Binding rugs is my way of winding down in the evening;)

Inspiration for my designs come from my backyard...and from antique furniture and accessories...especially 18th and early 19th century painted chests and boxes.
Bee Runner and Compass Hearts are ready for linen. I tweak my sketches in Photoshop, then print out sections and tape them together for my full size pattern...

Now just to decide which to hook first?!?!
Updates to follow, so please stop back and visit!
Happy Weekend to YOU ~ Laurie

How to survive an April BLIZZARD...

Coffee ~ Check
Chocolate ~ Check
Wine ~ Check
Wool ~ Check

...and so it continues...

Today in the studio...

Bolts and bolts of new WOOL have arrived in the studio and will be posted on the Website and Etsy Shop soon!

Today I'm working on getting the wool kits and patterns for Hilda's Flower...
the 2018 edition of my annual LJFibers Rug Projects!

a peek at just a few of the wool piles...

...including my gorgeous plant-dyed wools...saxon blue and glowing greens...a combination of saxon blue and fustic.

Today it may still be cold and snowy outside...but inside it's warm and wooly!
Have a great day ~ Laurie

February...Cabin Fever Confusion...

Yes, it is still Winter...

but, I'm working on a project/article for an upcoming Fall magazine...

and I'm dreaming of this...;)

Have a Happy Weekend ~ L

Introducing the 2018 Edition of my Annual Rug Projects

Hilda’s Flower
32" x 40"

Available Spring 2018

a folky floral…wool kits similar in colors as my punch needle test sample shown in the photo

This is the 13th edition of my annual rug projects! Way back in 2006, L.J. Fibers introduced the first Annual Rug Project…similar to a quilter’s “block of the month”…only with a hooker’s twist!

A large rug divided in to manageable…hookable sections that appeal to both novice and experienced hookers alike. Both cut and un-cut wool options were available.

The first part released early in the year consisted of the full hand drawn linen pattern, wool for the first part on the design, twill binding tape and hooking guide. The subsequent parts included the wool and hooking guide. The last part also included a custom fabric label to document the rug…exclusive to project participants.

The linen patterns were available separately beginning in January of the following year.

I’m changing things up this year…
no longer will there be a wait on just the linen pattern
a one time purchase & one shipment*…
choose from…
hand-drawn linen pattern with cut wool in #8.5 & #9**
OR
hand-drawn linen pattern with un-cut wool**
OR
hand-drawn linen pattern only


* begin shipping Spring 2018
** a limited number of wool kits will be available

You can find Hilda’s Flower on the website here…

~Laurie

February 20th...edit...
A huge Thanks for the interest in my new design! To answer the many questions I've received...
Yes, Hilda's Flower punch needle will be part of a new Hilda H. Thornbroom collection coming out later this Spring. Hilda's Herbal, was introduced last year. The new collection will be a similar mix of punch needle, rug hooking, cross stitch and appliqué.

As the new collection comes together, I will be sharing progress and updates on my sites...and I will announce the release here, too!
Much love, Laurie

Wishing YOU a...

Happy Valentine's Day

~L

Switching Seasons...

From Hearts to Pumpkins...

on the frame this week...
working on a project for a Fall 2018 publication
sneak peeks to come... ~ L

For Your Valentine...

3 Hearts Hooked Mat ~ 12" x 15" ~ 100% Wool ~ Over-dyed with Natural Plant Dyes from my backyard...Madder Root and Black Walnut

Love Hooked Mat ~ 11" round~ 100% Wool ~ hand-dyed wool...Schoolhouse Red...Mixed Greens...Maple Sugar

Now available in my ETSY shop...FREE Shipping

Punch Needle Classes...

There are still spaces in my Punch Needle Box class at Minnetonka Center for the Arts...
Begins Monday January 22nd at 9:30 am.
Learn the art of Punch Needle and design your own trinket box!
Visit the MCFTA website for more info at www.minnetonkaarts.org or call 952-473-7361 to register!

And there are also spaces available in my Paisley Punch Needle Pin Keep Workshop

at Sauder Village's Rug Hooking Week on August 18, 2018

Happy New Year Everyone...sure is a cold start, but glad the days are getting longer
I've been down with a cold/fever for a few days...feeling a bit better today...but still a few random sneezes.

Hibernating with homemade soup, tea, Netflix and knitting a new sweater...a re-run of one I made over 15 years ago.
That one was a cotton/wool blend.
This time 100% wool in my favorite olivey green!
Thanks for stopping by...take care...stay warm...be well ~ L