Two Loves

Sis and I made a jaunt to Champlain, NY to pick up a bolt of wool to overdye and some other as is wools from Rebecca (Wool Studios). Going to be spending the weekend dyeing up some beautiful colours. Liam also got a new organic dog bed - wish I had a bed like that to curl up in! Love Border Mail Services. So easy considering the company I ordered the bed from would not ship into Canada. I've used the service 3 times now and I save loads of $$$ shipping to NY rather than into Canada.

Some coral, a lovely green blue which I would not have chosen a couple of years ago, a plaid to tie them together and some green that I was lacking in my stash. Funny how your tastes change. I used to quilt for 20 years but left it when I discovered rug hooking. I could see the progression of my tastes in that medium where when I first started I loved the Hoffman florals and the batiks. I usually passed by the reproduction fabrics. Towards the end of my quilting I had completely flipped and was collecting all the reproduction fabrics - a good thing too as they fit in nicely with my passion for primitives, rug hooking and needlework smalls. 

A nice bolt of wool from Rebecca that I think will overdye beautifully. I love to have texture in my dyeing, because I am always scouring the shelves and throwing in at least 1/4 yard of 5-6 different wools besides a plain one. Off to the dye pots. Have a great weekend....

Meet Liam

This is Liam, our new sheltie fur baby. We brought him home on Friday. He is 3 months old and a bundle of fur. He has been really good on the outdoor training - has had an accident or two -Mommy was not paying attention to his frantic running in circles LOL... He follows me everywhere and sleeps through the night. He has been experiencing all kinds of new things, especially the meeting of two other four paws in the house - the elders of the cat world. They are tolerant of him and he, I am sure, would love to play with them - by all the tail wagging going on. A few sniffs and that's all they are willing to concede.


He loves his toys and is quite a playful fellow. It is so funny - puppies play with such exuberance and then the next minute they fall down and are out for the count. Right now he is sleeping under my feet as I work on the computer. It brings a smile to my face to have another pup in the house :) Have a great day... 

Pattern Sharing is Stealing - Do Not Copy!

Please buy your patterns from an authorized dealer or the designer. Do not buy from websites that share patterns. This is copyright infringement and is illegal. Beware of certain sellers on eBay and Etsy that copy the original patterns and sell them to you as new. The seller has no legal right to do this.


Designers work hard to produce a pattern - it is their livelihood. Please respect that! Please pass this on to your friends. This kind of outright thievery must be stopped if we want designers to continue to make available their patterns and have legitimate retail stores keep their doors open.


If you would like to read up more on this - please go see Lori of Notforgotten Farm's website. (She provided the badge that you see above) or to Kris Miller at Spruce Ridge Studios.


Thanks everyone and hopefully we can make this go away!
You are welcome to copy the badge and post it on your blog or website. .....Joni

Bounty of Fiber

Today I thought I would show you some of the fibers I am using in my rugs...I decided to explore  some other materials that are available to us as rug hookers. Today we have so much choice! I want to jump outside the box that I have been so comfortable in. I want challenges and I want to create beauty in a different way. So in my rugs you will find some art yarn, sari silk, fleece and roving besides the hand dyed fabrics. As a fiber artist I love everything about wool and natural fibers. I love the way it takes the dye. I love the combination of silk and wool that lends itself to such softness. I love the brilliance of silk. I love the naturalness of fleece. I love the silkiness of roving. I LOVE WOOL!!!

curly lock yarn

British hand dyed fleece

Karen Kahle marbelized fabric

roving

roving

llama, sheep and silk roving

sheep and silk roving 

sari silk from India

Music for Thought

This was posted on a blog I go to (29 Black Street) and it was a wonderful reminder of what great songwriters Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel are. It seems like eons ago that we went to one of his concerts. Montreal was always on his tours and we used to go to all of the ones that we could. He put on such great concerts!
This is one of my favourite songs and I think so appropriate for the times we live in ... Don't Give Up...... Family,Friendship and Love

New Rugs to Hook

Oh boy, new patterns from Sharon Smith. I just love her style and wish I could hook them all but I must pick and choose. This lion is going to be one of them.. called Cat's Paws 25" x 40" (retail $68.00). I love the red, and the circles and the coloured mane..definitely on my To Do Bucket List.. maybe after Sweet Dreams which I am working on right now. I need to hook faster! Then I have Kathy's patterns from Briarwood Folk Art that I will be carrying and wanting to hook too. Especially eager to be on my frame is her Magdalena Menagerie. Those patterns will be available on site the end of May when I get back from my annual trip to Maine.

Here is another one called "The Readers" I love the puppy dog sitting beside the little boy. I think the book is great! This one would be so nice paired up with "Ride Em"... This pattern is 24" x 28" ($54.00 retail). All Sharon's new patterns are in transit so you can look for them on my website towards the end of next week.

Lastly, this wonky village nestles in the mountains. There is lots of movement and colour in this rug. This one is aptly named "Mountain Village" and is 27" x 30" ($63.00 retail).


There are so many great designs coming from some really gifted rug hooking artists and although I love to do my own designs I do enjoy hooking some one else's too. Gives my brain a vacation while I just plan colour and someone else has already done the ground work. 


Have a great evening... nite...Joni

Fur Baby Mommy

photo courtesy of  Mont Carmel Shetland

photo courtesy of  Mont Carmel Shetland

I just found out that my new puppy will be born on May 12th. This here is the Mom (Kelly). I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a healthy litter and that all goes well. The puppy will be a sable or tricolour. So not the same colours as Roby was but maybe that is a good thing. The new fur baby will not replace Roby but will certainly have a special place in my heart. You know what that means - puppy pics to come LOL.... Have a great day..Joni


PS.. yes I have been very neglectful of my blog. Lots of stuff on my plate.. but promise to post more even if it is just a line or two. I always think you have to have this whole big thing to say but I guess you really don't :)