FIRST FINISHES FOR 2013 AND RUG CAMP

Hi there !  Remember me ???

Well I tried to make a post before rug camp but for some reason the option to load JPG photos was just not there.  very frustrating to have my post all complete and not be able to upload my photos.  Oh well - that somewhat explains my absence from blogland for almost a month.  January is almost over and what a busy month it was for me.  I had two business trips this month then it was off to Off the Ocean rug camp for  5 days of rug hooking bliss with my mom and friends.

First up is a very blurry photo of my Santa's House finished FINISHED - I mean finished YEAH!  Into a cube- it box.  Our EGA chapter duClay had a wonderful workshop a few weeks ago given by plural member Linda Ferguson.  She taught us how to do cube finishing and I thought it would be a great option for the Santa's Village.  I have not gotten the ribbons on the top  yet but that is another whole step for me and I'll show another photo when I get that done.  Unfortunately I was too busy on the day of the workshop since I am workshop chair to get any photos but friend and fellow guild member Devon did get some awesome photos.  Please pop over to her blog Devon's Quiet Corner and see the photos she took of the event.   Another presenter for this workshop was Carol Presley who had an astounding simply amazing display of smalls and finished samplers.  Linda Ferguson had some pieces in this exhibit also.  What these ladies have accomplished made many of us scratch our heads and wonder what we've done with the last 20 years of our stitching journey.  For more close up shots please check this post of Devons

I was soooo pleased - I need a nicer camera - that's on my list for my birthday this year.

I used Moda fabric - QuiltyKim helped me find it on Etsy since it was sold out at our LQS - it is called Christmas Medley or something like that.  Anyway I thought it would be perfect for this piece.

My next finish for 2013 is a gorgeous Vogue Knitting pattern - the Welted Scarf - it is huge - much bigger than it looks - it was knit with Rowan Big Wool and I decided that it would be a great gift for our rug hooking teacher Dianne Kelly.  Dianne has done some wonderful projects for both my mom and I and our friends as well.  We are very fond of her and I wanted her to have something I did for her.  It looked great on her - too bad I didn't get a photo of her.

I can't believe that Off the Ocean rug camp 2013 is now just a memory.  It goes really fast - you think you have so many hours to work on your project and see and enjoy friends from far and wide.  It goes by in a flash.  Here are a few of the rugs from the exhibit this year.

This lovely rug was the winner of the wide cut category.  It had a braided edge and was fairly large runner.

This little whale rug was so cute - I want to do a whale rug one day.

This stunner was started at camp last year by a fellow rug guild member.  The rug is an old Pearl McGown pattern called Collinet - I know this because I watched it being hooked this past year.  This smashing color plan was done by Vivily Powers - another favorite teacher of ours.  It has a very dark eggplant backround - again my IPhone does not do these rugs justice.  This rug is quite large - probably about 3 x 5 at least.  Oh and no surprise - it was first place in the fine cut category.

This beautiful realistic parrot rug was hooked by teacher Sybil Osicka and I believe I heard her say it was a donation to the Cleveland Zoo for an upcoming auction.

Not sure who did this cute turkey pillow but it is just another wonderful example of the creations people do with rug hooking.

This darling rug was designed and hooked by teacher Beverly Conway.  I thought the subject matter was just so cute.  Apparently Bev has a scottie herself so it may be a self portrait .

This was my camp project this year.  A huge bed rug called Essie's bed rug.  For any rug hookers out there - it is a Charco pattern designed by Joyce Krueger.  It is mostly hooked with a 6 cut and Dianne Kelly from Hiram OH was my teacher and did all the dyeing for this project.  I am so pleased with the colorplan.

I don't have much of the backround in place but it is a very dark brown she calls Old Leather.

All the major motifs have been hooked and now it is just a matter of duplicating on the other motifs how they have already been hooked.  Sadly - this rug will be put away for another day (or year) I have so many rugs in progress that I usually return to rugs which are far closer to being completed and concentrate my very little hooking time on those.  I'm very sorry to say that I didn't have any rug finishes in 2012 - I am determined to have one or more rug finishes in 2013.  I'm off with a bang finishing up two knitting projects this month and the one little stitched piece.  I'm full of optimism for lots of finishes in 2013.

Take a look at the wonderful Santa and Ewe that my mom worked on at camp.  I think she did a wonderful job with Santa's face.  She worked some wool curls into the topnot of the lamb and is using roving for the first time to hook into the lambs body.  It will be a fun piece for her.  Again Dianne did a great color plan on this rug.

Well my friends - it's time to be on my way.  I saved a few things to show you on my next post which I promise won't be too long.  February is upon us and I  hope you all are finding quiet time with your needles and hooks.  Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving comments for me.  I love reading them and hearing from you.