Who is Orange Sink?

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Rice Lake, WI, United States
My home town is Rice Lake, a small town in northern Wisconsin. I own Red House Wool Studio~ an in-home wool and rug hooking business. I enjoy collecting and decorating with antiques and primitives. Orange Sink Blog is a journal of my interests and ramblings about life. Cathy Greschner

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Monday, January 3, 2011

Teaching a Teacher

It's a good thing I'm not going to be teaching embroidery.  Today I tried to teach myself the feather stitch. It took all day.   I have done a little embroidery in my distant past.  The feather stitch has always eluded me.
I really felt out of my element. Perhaps like a new student would feel learning rug hooking for the first time.  I felt I had to put myself in that position.  I had to feel the emotion of coming into a class room and learning a foreign skill.

The thing that really helped me today the most was going to the computer and finding a tutorial and watching the person actually doing the feather stitch. I had a book with a diagram.  That wasn't helping.

Mental note to self.... Students in my beginning rug hooking class are going to benefit from watching me doing a lot of hooking.  Maybe in slow motion.  

 After practicing all day on the blessed feather stitch, I felt I had somewhat accomplished learning it.  A little chocolate reward was in order.   Okay, a LOT of chocolate.  I consumed about twenty of those little miniature Milky Way and Snicker bars.  

I hope my students like chocolate.  


Judging by the looks of this feather stitching,  tomorrow I should get back to rug hooking.

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12 comments:

  1. The Barn DoorJanuary 3, 2011 at 7:49 PM

    Looks good to me!! But then...I don't embroider.

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  2. DorisJanuary 4, 2011 at 1:35 AM

    Looks like a little more practice might be in order! LOL Good luck on your first day as a teacher.

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  3. moosecraftJanuary 4, 2011 at 1:44 AM

    That's a fine start on feather stitching! I have never tried it... but hope to soon as I think it's a wonderful stitch that seems to go perfectly with all things wool! ;-) Chocolate fixes everything!

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  4. svelteSTUFFJanuary 4, 2011 at 1:53 AM

    Cathy - I was going to contact you this year... and now it looks like it might coincide nicely with your 'classroom teaching'... Would you be available for some 'online hooking pointers'?? My Mother (now in her late 70's) and Grandmother used to do rug hooking - and I figure if I ever want to learn, I better do it NOW! I have asked Mom if she would be up to the task - and she is beyond thrilled!!! She has located Grandmas old wood shuttle hooker, put me on the search for the 'proper weight wool' to be scouting out at Rummage Sales in the colors that I want to use... (I'm completely USELESS when it comes to fabric, so this should be good!!). Dad will build a 'frame' to size and we have access to 'fine' burlap. The missing piece (so I'm told) is a 'Bliss Strip Cutter'???? Mom says we 'need' one of these. (can't be messing with Mom's old fashioned ways!! and she is strictly a left-brainer) Any idea where we can get one??

    Once I get down her basics, then I can
    'play' 8-)!! THANKS in advance for any 'ONLINE tutorial help' you're willing to give.
    S~

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  5. Alice ~ Folk Art PrimitivesJanuary 4, 2011 at 2:02 AM

    Looks like you're on the right track!! Looks good from Ohio!

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  6. KimJanuary 4, 2011 at 2:51 AM

    Cathy,
    I think that is a great way to prepare for teaching. You are so smart :)
    I used to do a little embroidery and my problem was the darn french knot. I could never get it right! Your feather stitch is coming along.
    Rewards with chocolate.....A+++

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  7. UnknownJanuary 4, 2011 at 3:24 AM

    I think you are doing fine.
    You might take some chocolate for your students to put them at easy.
    Don't you love the tutorials, youtube has them for everything.

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  8. Deppen homestead 1862January 4, 2011 at 4:05 AM

    Yes, you are doing fine, don't give up!
    I say just keep adding more chocolate! LOL
    enjoy your day
    Teresa

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  9. Wendie Scott DavisJanuary 4, 2011 at 9:04 AM

    Cathy, thanks for the support on Max.

    Tit for Tat, here I am back on your page and just want to say you are wayyyy too hard on yourself. If this were one of your students, you'd be gushing about how great they were doing. Remember, you will always be a student of something - or hopefully you will.

    It looks great to me. Any stitchery is not exactly a precision science in the beginning. And years from now, you'll look back at this and remember doing it. If you were perfect at it, it wouldn't be so memorable.

    Keep going.

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  10. acorn hollowJanuary 4, 2011 at 2:04 PM

    hey I think it looks good. Candy Oh my goodness I can not stay away from sweets. I really don't like sweets all that much. but I eat and eat them.
    cathy

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  11. Rugs and PugsJanuary 4, 2011 at 2:44 PM

    Cathy ~
    I really like the heart you did? How are you going to finish it?
    When does you class start?
    Pug hugs :)
    Lauren

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  12. weaverpatJanuary 5, 2011 at 3:16 AM

    Hi Cathy,
    Love the heart!
    Your stitching is looking good. You can perfect anything with a little practice.
    That candy eating expertise didn't happen with just one bar!!!

    ReplyDelete

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