Monday, September 24, 2012

BTW ...

I wanted to share these pictures taken at the last meeting of the Holy Hookers.  (BTW ... it is open to anyone ... first Tuesday of each month at the Worthington-Jefferson Public Library at 6:30 p.m. ... y'all come!)  

It was a small group, just six of us, but we had a great time.  I love to see the works in progress.  And it is always wonderful when the hookers bring in completed projects!

Here goes ...

Sue L. always brings in these wonderful folk art/primitive looking pieces!  What a wonderful rug!  Much better viewed in person than in a picture (as is usually the case ...)
Sherry B. is a real artist!  This is a view of her koi pond, right by the entry into her log home.  Her work is smooth as silk and add to that the fact that she designs her own pieces ... well, what more can I say.
Sherry also made this cat door stop.  He has a hooked face and wool body.  Way cute!  And that's her in the background.

We are already filling up that d**m calendar for this week!  I guess tomorrow I take the PT, once again, over to the auto hospital in Bloomington.  Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone by picking up my quilt from Sheila's Sew Time.  But I don't have the next one ready to take (no backing prepared).  Well, that just gives me another excuse to go to Bloomington!  Right?  Today we mow. And meetings are on the agenda, too (heavy sigh ...).

Hope you enjoy these pictures of what the Holy Hookers have been up to lately.  And BTW, have a great week at your house.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Runaway quilting ...

Just returned yesterday from a three-day quilting retreat at Mt. St. Joseph Retreat Center near Owensboro KY.  Been there several years and I have to say that this was the most productive time I have ever spent there!  I was able to concentrate yet still socialize; it must have been the company I was keeping!  I completed a quilt top that I started several years ago, took a one-day class called Log Cabin Triangles, and then got a good start on sewing and cutting for this new quilt the day following the class.  Just completing that old project was so freeing.  Hate having so many UFOs around.  And unlike some things you start and then finish years later, I actually still like the fabrics I chose.  Have one quilt over at Sheila's Sew Time being quilted, and hope that I'll have the backing prepared so I can take this quilt to be quilted when I pick up the other one.  Keeping my fingers crossed ...

Besides getting a lot done, it was great spending time with Jane and Margo.  Jane drove and we discovered that US 231 is now four lanes all the way on from I-64 south into Owensboro.  That made for a very smooth trip.  And I didn't get us lost this year!  Yeah!  The food was alright with lots of salads, which is a good thing.  One day we had some awesome chicken noodle soup for lunch.  (You know how women fuss about food.)  Jane, Margo and I had lots of time to talk as we worked in the gym, where sit n' sew was held.  They probably know lots more about me than they ever wanted to.  LOL!

Today I spent the a.m. over at the garage in my work room putting things away and laying out my new quilt pieces on the table, preparing to continue working on it here at home.  But right now I'm tired and I think I'll just read for a spell.  It's nice being home.

Just read a good quote this a.m. in my daily devotional by Sarah Ban Breathnach.  I am contemplating a major change in my life.  It was almost prophetic:  "If not now, then when?"  Indeed.

The Retreat Center courtyard with quilts hanging from the rails.

At the neighboring table Sarah was making these fabulous baskets!  I hope they do a class on this next year!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

A great weekend at the Elnora show ...

I was lucky enough to get to demonstrate rug hooking this past weekend at the Elnora Antique Steam and Tractor Show.  Sara Jolliff and Beth Cadell are now spinning and weaving in the old log cabin in the southeast corner of the steam demonstration area.  On Friday I sat out on the porch and hooked.  But they talked me into sitting with them so they could talk with me and not about me ... LOL!  We had a great time.  All of us used to be in The Big Green Building, but it is now mostly empty.

It was so busy!  Friday was the day the school children visit and they had LOTS of questions.  Saturday was the busiest I have ever seen it at the Elnora show!  The question people asked me the most was, 'how long does it take to hook one of these (rugs)?'  How do you answer that question?  Actually I had lots of great questions, lots of people closely watching me work, and some kind words about my work.  The weather that day was just perfect.  

In addition to hooking in the a.m. Saturday, I worked a 3-hour shift in one of the ticket booths.  I thought that by 2:00 when I started working it would have slowed down.  NOT!  It was just steady for me and the booth facing me with people coming to the show almost constantly from 2 till 5 p.m. when we stopped charging.  And there are three other places to enter the grounds!  Wow!  This is the second year I've worked the gates and it was much better at this location.  Lots of happy people; happy to be coming and happy as they left.  Just an all-around good experience.

Here's some pictures I took .....
 
Looking northwest from the cabin's front porch ... isn't that sky beautiful!?
Beth Caddell demonstrates weaving on this old "barn" loom.  If it looks smoky in there, sometimes it was, from the steam engines or from the cook house next door!
Sara Jolliff gives pointers to a woman who was interested in seeing if she could learn to spin.  Some of Sara's wonderful products are hanging on the walls.
Some of Beth's yummy looking roving.  Both Beth and Sara have sheep (and other animals as well!).  Doesn't this look like cotton candy?
There was chicken n' noodles for lunch Sunday!  Looks delicious!  We were able to watch the women prepare ham n' beans Friday, beef stew Saturday, and these noodles on Sunday, all over an open fire.  (Oh, to be one of those "threshers"! 

All in all, it was a good weekend.  Wendell and I were both tired and slept late Tuesday a.m.  (Wendell had to go back to Elnora Monday and help with the tear down.)  He works in the sorghum shack and they had a few problems.  But everything turned out well he said.  Tonight we had fresh bread with some of the sorghum on it.  Mmmmmmm......

My number one "job" this week is to prepare for next week's Runaway Quilters retreat.  In addition to that there is grass to mow, clothes to wash, a meeting to attend, and other "stuff".  I am so pumped after spending three days with Sara and Beth that tonight I snuck in some weaving time.  I'm starting a rug made from a white chenille bedspread.  It looks so soft and cushy!  Oh, I sold my first woven rug at the show for $50 ... yeah!  I think I'm going to like this weaving business.  Have a blessed week ...