FROSTY FEBRUARY

I know many of my blog friends are about SICK to death of winter conditions in their area.  Things have really not been that bad in my neck of the woods.  Oh we've had cold temps and people here have been moaning and groaning but I actually love winter and don't consider 30's and 40's bad at all.

It's been great knitting weather this winter.  Finished the Sockhead hat for my DH.  He wouldn't model it so I had to put it on the sofa pillow.  It was fun to do and I am doing a Wurm hat now for me.  It's a free pattern on Rav and they say it's unisex so I had to make a girly color so my DH wouldn't steal it from me.  He has already noticed it has a different band than his sockhead.  I think he should just learn to knit - don't you think so ???

There's also been some stitching going on.  I finished this Little House Needlework ornament on Feb 1st - Old Colonial.  Haven't started the Feb one because I was late getting it and while waiting I got another LHN piece I was just enchanted with --  Queen of Hearts.  It is not really a Valentines Day piece but it really did capture my heart - I am still working on it and enjoying every minute of it.  I'll show a progress photo next post or maybe even a finish photo !!!!

This next piece is a Laura J Perrin counted needlepoint piece that my EGA chapter is doing as a SAL to encourage non or novice needlepointers to take a plunge and try canvas work.  Of course I have done a lot of np over the years - I take spells of wanting to do canvaswork.  I have to say this piece is lots of fun and only uses 4 Rainbow Gallery fibers making it a fairly inexpensive and easy entry level piece for budding needlepointers.  I have to give a plug here for EGA - if you have a chapter in your area - you really should go and give them a try.  EGA (Embroiderers Guild of America) is all about education and supporting and promoting anything done with a needle.  Our chapter here in NE FL does little cost/no cost "taste of" workshops throughout the year to introduce our members to interesting types of needlework they may have never had the opportunity to try.  We also bring in a national teacher once a year and sometimes we have 2 teachers a year.  EGA needs the support of every person who has an interest in the needle arts - don't think it isn't for you if you only do cross stitch or you only stitch on aida.  EGA is for everyone and there is also the option to be a MAL (member at large) where you have access to correspondence courses and seminars but don't have a local chapter close enough.  Hey - if you wanted to join our chapter - we provide great support for our "away" members and we have 5 members in the great state of Georgia and 2 in the proud state of PA.

Think about joining EGA and keeping the art of needlework alive.

what a great lead in for a wonderful program we had in February for our duClay EGA chapter with a special friend of our group Lorraine Mootz from Celle Germany.  Lorraine has done many lectures and classes for our group over the years.  We are fortunate that Lorraine has family in NE FL and comes to visit our area.  Here is Lorraine pictured with a grouping of a few antique samplers from her personal collection.  We have permission from Lorraine to show these photos on our blog as they have appeared or will soon be appearing in SANQ magazine.  Lorraine has done the charting of several of them such as the tiny Vierlande she is holding.  It appeared an issue or two ago and is definitely on my "must do" list.  The huge black Vierlande was simply stunning and is very similar to the Permin "Celle" sampler that so many are familiar with.

It was a great day had by all who attended and it is always so special to spend time with Lorraine. Her depth of knowledge always amazes everyone in attendance and we never grow tired of hearing her speak about our favorite subject - samplers and their makers.

Thanks for stopping by and reading and commenting on my blog.  I appreciate each and every one of my readers.  Hope Spring will be "march"-ing into your area soon.

FIRST FINISHES OF 2015 AND ANOTHER RETREAT

As usual I can't get blogger to cooperate.  So February greetings to all my blog friends !  I wanted that to be my first line - instead you are seeing my first finish for 2015.  It is Outlier by Laura Aylor

It is a cowl/poncho type accessory.  I loved making it !  It was a KAL with Laura's Rav group and it is knit with a new to me yarn - Malabrigo Chunky.  The color is HollyHock and is it a very cheery color to use for winter knitting.

I am trying to participate with the Little House Needlework/Country Cottage Needlework Facebook group Ornament a Month goal that Vonna is cheerleading.  Missed this finish by one day and finished on Feb 1st.  I had a good excuse - I was at a retreat - more later on that.  This ornament is the first in the Sampler Tree series which Vonna is stitching and finishing for LHN.  Old Colonial was fun to do and I am anxiously awaiting the next one Oh Christmas Tree and also the new one from CCN - Oh Come let us Adore Him.  A DF and fellow duClay EGA member asked how I will finish it - oh my - I don't know - I can't decide if I would finish them all the same or each one different or like Vonna is doing 4 the same and then changing it up. 

Look I'm famous !! and I have the tag to prove it .  Just kidding, this lovely gift was made for me and sent by Lauren over at Rugs and Pugs.  What a sweetheart - I was soooo excited when my DF Katie gave me the envelope from Lauren in with some other of her creations she sent to sell at the Off the Ocean rug camp store in January.  I have worn it A LOT and it is sure a treasure. 

This green blob is a Sockhead hat my DH requested I make for him. He saw one this color on the designers page and we set out to find a similar color.  It's a new to me yarn Abstract from Portland I believe.

I spent this past weekend at a retreat that Gloria from Olde Green Cupboard Designs puts on about 4 times a year at Camp Blanding.  It is mostly quilters but we always have a table or two of rug hookers.  Here is a darling design done by DF Denise.  She said this was her first hooking project.  What a sweet chair mat.  She was finished with the hooking but worked on the binding, how clever to use quilting material.

This is my mom's Uncle Sam's hat by Polly Minick.  She put in a little backround but you can't see it, this is going to be a great patriotic mat to display all summer.  Great job Mom !

Next up is DF Henri's chickadees.  This runner is gorgeous - She is in the home stretch with just a little backround left and then a small border.  This is done in a 3 cut and so realistic. 

Another finish for Denise - this was a kit from Polly Minick.  Two Chickens - how darling and it's larger than it looks.  Denise is on a roll with her finishing.

This is my new focus rug for 2015 - It is my Adam and Eve cube stool cover.  I have been working on this a little here and there for years.  It was started in Sebring in a class with DF Katie Puckett.  She adapted it from an antique sampler.  All I did was hook leaves - dozens of them but as you can see - I only have a small patch of leaves left and one motif to finish and then the backround and borders.  It is going to be a real pain to match those borders.  I love this design -

Here is a close up of Eve and the small patch of leaves left.  isn't the snake awesome.

Adam's side is finished except for backround and border.  I love how he came out and the flower.  This rug is hooked in mostly a 4 but there is quite a bit of 3 cut for the smaller details.  Lots of this wool is leftover from other projects.  Katie dyed the blue dip dye for the sky and the backround which will be my favorite aged sampler color.  The tree of life appearing on all 4 sides was something Diane Stoffel dyed.  Hopefully this will be another finish for 2015

 

well friends - that concludes the tour of what I've been up to lately.  I'm hoping all of you in snow country are doing OK and getting lots of work done on your favorite projects.  Hope to be back again in February to check in on what I've been able to accomplish.  Until then I leave you with warm and "wooley thoughts"