Tennessee Rug Hooking Retreat

Last weekend....actually from Thursday through Monday....was the Spring Tennessee Rug Hooking Retreat.  We always have so much fun. Great ladies, a wonderful venue, great food and lots of hooking time. Thanks again, Rhonda, for taking such good care of us.

The highlight of our week is our Sunday rug show. These ladies are talented for sure.

Robin's rug that she started at Caraway with Sally Kalin. It is for her son....a very lucky guy.

Georgia's Wagging Tongues rug. She chooses the most wonderful colors!

Rhonda is down to the finish line on her gorgeous Panther rug. It is a gift for her daughter who now has her own home.

Rhonda's paisley rug is now bound. Vibrant, beautiful colors.

This great rug of Becky's was an original drawn by Vicky and gifted to her for her birthday at our last retreat. She is almost done, and this is a big rug. My favorite part is the bear climbing the tree.

Nancy completed her second crock rug  and then finished off this nice eagle....one of Dyeanne's designs..

She always does great work.

Sheri is still hitting her worm bags to pull wool for her rugs. Wish my worm bags had wool like hers!!

This Doily rug is a design of Michelle Micarelli's, and I believe the next rug is a design of Eric Sandberg's. You can always spot Sheri's rich color palette.

The Virginia girls' group did a friendship rug this past year. Each member hooked FOURTEEN blocks to share.....can you believe it? Everyone got a block of each member to turn into a rug in anyway they desired.  A huge undertaking!!

This is Robin's....

And Vicky's

Vicky was using 1 1/4" torn strips for part of the background, giving it an incredibly textural look. Sorry you can't see it in the photo.

Kathie is working hard on these sweet angels and shepherds to adorn her Christmas tree this year. She also did some stars.

I have to add that she hooked another angel with a completed face, but wouldn't let me show it because she thought she looked like a hooker...so what's wrong with that?????

Katy finished all of her bright birdhouses this time and is starting to fill the background with hand drawn motifs.

Cathy O. Finished this adorable sheep...

And then started this pretty tea cup rug for Teacher's Workshop....

I got American Fancies whipped and bound.....woohoo!!!!

And hooked Betty Lou and Mr. Britches by Maria Barton. They were so much fun. Now to get them bound for Easter!

Whew!!! That is it.  Hope you enjoyed.

Take Care, 

Jennie

Spring Swap

This is the little wall hanging that went out to a PFA Appliqué Group friend last week in our Spring Swap. It is an adaptation of Norma Whaley's Spring Blooms runner. I hope she enjoys it.

The new header is compliments of the Graphics Fairy.

Rug Retreat ends tomorrow and I can't wait to share rug photos with you.

 Take Care,

Jennie

American Fancies

Whoohoo!!! I just pulled up my last loop on American Fancies. 

The colors are much richer than this, but this was the best I could do in artificial lighting tonight.

This one was started last year at Caraway in Jeanne Benjamin's class. The pattern is an adaptation of an antique by Eric Sandberg.

Why does this always happen when you finish a rug?

Now to get it blocked and ready to bind at retreat next week.

This week has been a hodgepodge of projects.  I prepped enough background honeycombs for the remaining four finished Lucy Boston blocks. I also got three Lucy blocks and 4 Little Gem blocks cut

out. These are the Little Gems that I haven't posted yet.

And these Six Pointed stars...

I also finished the redwork on Santa #4, although I am thinking that I really need to add some names to his "Nice"list.....like maybe mine. Just kidding....or not;-)

I recently won this great pattern from Norma Whaley over at Timeless Traditions. Have been wanting to do something with orange peels, and I think this is the perfect choice.

Also got this little giftie from Minnick and Simpson.

I have never tried a Hera marker. No excuse now not to give it a go.

There is more, but it is late and I am tired.

Take care,

Jennie 

Slow Stitching Sunday

I have been in the hand stitching mood this week. Sometimes I just enjoy sitting with my feet propped up and doing some relaxing handwork.  Great for Slow Stitching Sunday and I am linking up with Kathy.

I got the background around two more of the completed Lucy Boston blocks. Only four more to go and then the game of catch up will be done, as I am adding the 24 background honeycombs as I go now.  Will be prepping some more of the background honeycombs today.

Was able to finish redwork Santa #3....only 6 more to go!  And I have them all traced off.  These guys are so much fun!

Also got the Burgoyne Surrounded block for this month finished.  I really like the cream colored fabric on this one. 

Got to love this photo of Rob and little Maya.  Too sweet.

So true.

Take Care,

Jennie 

Scrappy Saturday in Yellow

Yellow is the color of the month for the RSC2015 and I am linking up with Julie today. Go on over and check out everyone's progress.

I am not much of a yellow person, and find that my yellows lean towards gold.

Here is the first yellow sampler block...,

Found a pretty Daisy scrap to fussy cut for the center.  The block is called Air Castles and is similar to Card Trick. I love the secondary star that results.

And here are the yellow postage stamp blocks....

Hope everyone gets some stitching time in this weekend.

Take Care,

Jennie

Lucy Boston Day

I hoped to post this earlier in the week, but time has just gotten away from me.

On Tuesday the Happy Hookers met early at Kathie's house to learn to make English Paper Pieced Patchwork of the Crosses/Lucy Boston blocks. Quite a jump from our usual rug hooking, but somehow Laura, Kathie and I just knew that once they got started on these blocks they would be addicted, and we weren't wrong.

The wonderful Jan Manley of Sew and Sew Farm blog/Featherweight Quilt Company on Etsy, worked with us and provided beautiful kits featuring delightful Spring colored fabrics.  Everyone loved them.  Just a little plug for Jan here......she is so great to work with and her kits are well done. Visit her shop....you will not be disappointed.

This is my completed block.....note that the background fabric on the outer ring is mine.

There was plenty of fabric to make the pretty little joining square, too.

Under the tutelage of Laura, Kathie and me, these girls just took off.  Everyone finished their central

Cross and many got even further along.  I think they are now hooked on Lucy as well as hooking!

For lunch we had a fitting potluck with lots of things Boston......Boston baked beans, Boston butt, Boston cream pie. And since we all know that Lucy was actually British, we had English tea.

A few pics from the day....

Can't wait to see what these hookers turn out before we meet again!

And just a reminder...

Take Care,

Jennie 

What a Beautiful Day!!

Just a quick post today, but had to share a taste of this gorgeous weather with you before tomorrow comes and it is gone again. Sunshine and temps in the 70s.......

Stitching another Santa on my back porch swing in my jammie's.

And joined by my sweet baby girl.

More to come tomorrow about our Lucy Boston day.

Take Care,

Jennie

March

March has slipped right in, making me question exactly how February slipped by so quickly.

Have been doing a bit more EPP. Three more Little Gems added to the stack....

And a couple more 6 Pointed Stars...

Summarizing my accomplishments for March:

* finished Blue print zippered cosmetic bag

* finished Seed Stitch Knitted Cowl

* Finished Dresden Plate quilt top and pieced backing

* finished 3 Lucy Boston blocks including background pieces and  3 setting squares

* Added background pieces to 3 Lucy Boston blocks

* made two Sawtooth Star Sampler blocks for RSC2015

* made two pink Postage Stamp Sawtooth Star blocks

* made pink Wonky Star Block

* made Burgoyne Surrounded BOM block 

* finished hooking Oberly Tree rug (tonight I blocked it and got it ready to bind)

* made 17 -2 1/2" Churn Dash blocks

* worked on American Fancies rug

* stitched two Redwork Santas on Christmas Sparkle blocks

* stitched piece for tote insert

* Started Sue Spargo Safflower Needle Roll

* English paper pieced 6 Little Gem blocks 

* English paper pieced 4 - 6 pointed star blocks.

Looks like I am all over the place with my projects, as usual. I do see some possible finishes for this month on that list.  And several are ongoing projects, so I can justify those. FOCUS!!

Tomorrow Kathie, Laura and I are going to teach our hooker friends to English Paper Piece Lucy Boston blocks. We are going to have fun. 

Now it is off to bed!

Take Care,

Jennie

Sew Crazy Day

This Friday was Sew Crazy day, and we started the cutest tote bags under the tutelage of the most talented Debi.  Most of us did stitchery to go on our totes. This is mine...

From the book "Patchwork Loves Embroidery " by Gail Pan.

This is Debi's second tote that she is constructing with us in class.

This is where we need to be by the next lesson. How cute is this??

And here are Micki, Debi and me with our starts.

And Debi and Kathleen hard at work.

We had lots of fun, a great lunch and are ready to get these totes done for everyone to admire <LOL>.

Most of my week has been spent helping the Hornes get settled into their new home. Today is their anniversary..,what a great day to celebrate both their marriage and their first night at this wonderful new location!

Last night we took a break and attended this special event.

Where we were blessed by hearing the amazing Jeremy Williams (center) speak again. 

Looking forward to getting some crafty time in this week.

What a truth, Charlie Brown!!

Take Care,

Jennie