Meet A Few New Rug Hookers!

Showing Marla something.... what a quick learner! 

Allow me to introduce FIVE of my newest students from our beginning rug hooking class here in the studio last Tuesday evening!  What a fun group!  Dave took these photos and for some reason he caught us in our more serious moments!  Oh my gosh!  We joked that if someone were recording our conversations we would be busted!!  

I tend to hover a little like a mother hen.    Marla again and on the right is Peggy.

Peggy on the left and Thea ( pronounced "Taya") and do you see who snuck into class down in the right hand corner by Thea?  Max can't resist the ladies and is always hoping for a pat or two or perhaps a handbag left open to sniff the contents.  Oh yes... he's gotten into some serious trouble in the past... like the time he stole an envelope of money out of someone's purse and was caught before he chewed through the envelope!

Meet Sue!  She is going to be one creative hooker!  She's like her teacher and sometimes doesn't read the directions!  LOL!  But I actually encourage that in my classes.... 

and Vicki... she looks like she doesn't quite believe what I am talking about!  LOL!  She had a rough start to the evening.... her car got a flat tire as she pulled into our driveway!  A quick call to her sweet hubby and she had wheels again to make the journey home. 

Vicki has a Primitive Shop called Simply!   She is opening on May 2nd and I hope to be there with camera in hand!  

The weather is shaping up here a little and by this weekend we hope to have some temperatures reaching 70 degrees!   Northern Wisconsinites will be firing up their grills and getting out the lawn chairs in celebration!   

Making a little more progress on my American Floral rug.  Design by Maggie Bonanomi.  

It's proving a little bit of a challenge... but I am ready for it!  You can see I am playing around a little and adjusting the pattern a bit.  When I get to that part I hope I remember what lines are the ones to follow!  LOL!  Should've done them in red marker.... so we shall see!

Hope it's nice and warm this weekend where you live!  My friend Lisa said she heard frogs singing in the pond by them already....  Maybe.... just maybe... Spring will be here to stay!!

Cathy G

A Four Letter Word Returns....

Okay Mother Nature.... whatever it is that has your panties in a bind I wish you'd pull yourself together!

I mean c'mon.... look at the calendar for cryin' out loud!

Dave measuring precip. this morning.   7 inches I think he said.   A few minutes later he came in the house and said these exact words  " Hon... I'm gonna run down to the station for some gas for the lawn mower."   ...... Huh? He was serious...  He's home on vacation this week and had plans to get the lawn mower tuned up for the season....  I guess he is still going to get it tuned up but what he's planning on mowing is totally beyond my comprehension.

Life goes on here in the studio. I have four lovely ladies who plan to join me here this evening for their first rug hooking lesson!   My class of three last Saturday was very successful and they are busy now at home working on their projects.  Tonight's class I have a feeling is going to be a riot!  I'll try and remember to keep my camera handy.  When teaching it seems almost impossible to get photos and I never want my students to feel intimidated and think they might end up here on my blog.... which of course they would!  (tee hee :-)

And yes... I've started hooking a new rug.... a nice big one!  You may recognize the pattern. ( The pattern was a gift from my bff Jill!)  It's American Floral by Maggie Bonanomi.  The pattern is in the Needl' Love book "Summer Spirit Threads.   

Well got to go get my patterns for my class ready tonight and tidy up the studio.

I have two words for you Mother Nature and your icy sense of humor...

Cathy G

Ready or Not! PHM Sneak Peek!

Alas!  It's that time again!  Our Primitive Handmades Mercantile group has been working feverishly to bring you handmade Spring time goodes on our selling blog this month.

Look for merchandise to begin showing up late tonight and tomorrow!

I didn't get as many things created as I had hoped but I'm not going to be a no show this month at least!

The photo above is a little sneak peek!

Today I will be in the studio preparing for yet another beginner rug hooking class!

I have three very lovely ladies anxious to learn our beloved art and will be here on Saturday for a few hours of instruction!

Oh... if anyone is on FaceBook  I have a new page over there for Red House Wool Studio!  There are a few photos of the studio you might enjoy!   So please stop by and LIKE us!   Our Primitive Handmades group has a page there as well.  

FaceBook seems to be the place to congregate for the latest happenings these days!  I actually found out about a little (yarn) wool shop  that opened up near me a few days ago by an alert through FaceBook!

It keeps me hopping and a little bit crazy trying to keep up with the internet world as well as the world right here at home which is crazy enough most of the time!

So off I go to LIKE my studio right here today.... wool dust, works in progress, labels needing to be sewn on, kits to be made.....  

LIKE.

Cathy G

RICE LAKE, WI QUILT EVENT! THE LOWDOWN!!

Believe it or not we survived the great Quilt Event of 2013 at St. Joseph's School Auditorium!  Yes... it was an amazing success!

I knew it was going to be a challenge for me taking photos in the dark gymnasium where the show was held.  So please forgive the poor quality of the photos.

The school just received a generous donation and will be able to update several things this next year. I am told a new hardwood floor in the gym is scheduled and I hope new lighting will be considered.

We set up our booth without electricity for lamps as we were in the middle section away from the outlets.

These were taken the night before after setting up. We did a lot of tweaking the next morning before shoppers arrived!

Shoppers start to arrive! Among the first were some of my students!  I have some wonderful wonderful gals who have taken my classes!  Their kindness and support of Jill and I brings tears to my eyes!

Do you find in your area that rug hooking just attracts the most amazing people!

I felt it at the show big time!

Rug hooking is so new to this area that Jill's and my mouths never stopped talking the entire show!

We were so exhausted by the end of the show!

Here's Jill putting the finishing touches on our booth while shoppers started to fill the booth!
( that big guy with his back towards the camera is Mike, Jills hubby!  He attends all the shows Jill vends at throughout the country and is the best checkout person around!  He knows his stuff! His nice tall stature sure came in handy when we were hanging our rugs on the tall display... we didn't even need a ladder!)LOL!
Thank-you Mike!  Hope you are feeling better.... he came down with the Flu and ended up in ER on Sunday night!)

Of course we were the only rug hooking vendors there!  Wool applique is so popular now among quilters that our wool was flying off the shelves!

We sold lots of wool applique patterns, books and many were eager to sign up for my rug hooking classes!

I did get a few photos of some of the gorgeous quilts that were judged or displayed only by the maker's choice.

(So many gorgeous quilts and not enough time to photograph them! )

Here is one of our happy customers!  LOL!!  This is Joyce!  You may see her at different events around the area sporting her clown attire!  She makes many a birthday party or joyous occasion even more so with her fun personality and gregarious nature!

Unless of course you're scared of clowns!

In real life Joyce is a talented stitcher and seamstress!  

She brought many a smile at the quilt show!

So now it's back to reality here in the studio!  I am tired as heck and still trying to play catch-up from all the things that didn't get done before the quilt show!  

But I may still take a moment to reflect on all the happy faces and all the wonderful comments from those who stopped by our booth and supported our efforts!

Jill and I both THANK-YOU from the bottom of our grateful hearts!

Cathy G

All Hooked and Bound!

Oh.. April Fools!  LOL!  So sorry I just couldn't resist that today being April Fools Day!  Oh my gosh... I tried my best to get this rug hooked this past weekend!   Had to take a break and go the the relatives for a little Easter fun!

Then back to the studio it was to work on things for the upcoming Quilt Event that Jill and I are vending at! 

There was some reverse hooking too... which slowed my progress.  But this rug has been kind of color planned by the seat of my pants!  

             So this is really all the further I got!  Notice some of  the stems are now hooked in red instead of all blue.   I may change the others to red but then again I kind of like the two blue ones.  I am planning to hook the leaves on the bottom left in the blue too.  The center of the hearts may get a new look also.  I have to give it a rest now and look at it for a day or so.   It's tempting to keep going and finish it up... but hooking time this week will be at a minimum.   I think I will take it to the Quilt Event and use it for demonstrating hooking.  The theme at the show is patriotic.  The colors in this rug should fit in real well... don't you think?
                                                                                                                

I hope your Easter Weekend  was a good one ( and you weren't "forced" to eat too many of those little jelly bean eggs)!   I was good for the most part and let the little great nieces eat the Peeps!                                         


                                                                                

Cathy G