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"