Rug Hooking Weekend

Our rug hooking weekend was wonderful, fun, relaxing and stimulating all rolled up into one terrific event.  As you know, the Omaha Hook-In took place on Friday October 4th.  Lou Ann and her gang did a great job and all reports were that is was a great hook-in.  Then the fun began out here!!!!  Carl brought us pizza for dinner, there were tons of snacks, desserts and treats and we hooked until 9pm.  Well......maybe a little later than that, but we were having so much fun.  Then off to our respective beds and back again in the morning for more hooking fun.

I gave a mini class on using up leftovers, then Proddy 101.  Jan Goos and I color planned the same rug pattern, talking about how we approach a color planning project.  Then at 2pm Jan showed off our new project.  Jan and I collaborated on these projects, then she made up the samples.  We kitted them up and everyone had a chance to work on one of the appliqué/hooked projects.   Thanks Jan for all your help with the weekend.

We had a really terrific group of rug hookers out here and I have to show off the cookie above, that Kathy Berkshire brought out for the event.  It was adorable and delicious, as well.  The black weather vane horse was a perfect addition to a party at The Rug Hooking Store at BLACK HORSE ANTIQUES!!!!  Thanks, Kathy.

The next photo is a new pattern that I drew in the car on the way home from Sauder Village. Goos and I had a sketch pad and enough chocolate in us to provide the energy for great inspiration.  There was a series of designs, some we used for the appliqué/hooked project.  This one is a hooked project.  I called him "Bad Ass Jack", but because Kathleen Salak
( who I think in another life was my little sister and in this life is my moral barometer)  made that "Janice, I can't believe you said that" face when I announced his name.  So, depending on the company in the room, I sometimes call the pattern "Bad Jack".  This "Bad Jack" was hooked by Colleen Cochrane and I love the way he turned out.  We color planned this with Grenadine for the background, Autumn Fire for the pumpkin and Moon and Stars for the tree.  He has just right grumpy look to make him a "Bad *** Jack", indeed.  Thanks Colleen for the beautiful hooking.  And thank you Kathleen, for trying to keep me on the straight and narrow and OUT OF TROUBLE.  I know it is a full time job.  Love you both.

At the end of the weekend, at 6pm Saturday night we did a drawing to see who won the $100 gift certificate to the store.  You had to make a purchase to be in the drawing and we had quite a few names  in the jar.  We decided to let Ken draw the name, since his name was NOT in the jar.  And guess who won??????   Good old Sandy Weller, my good buddy.  Maybe she can use the gift certificate to buy wool for the really, really homely rug she is going to make in next year's heirloom class!!!!!

And for those of you who were here, Carl is fine and didn't miss a beat, except for our lunch on Saturday.   Carl, in an Italian fit, hurling accusations at his vegetable mandolin, cut the tip of his finger nearly to the bone while making our lunch on Saturday.  I got a call from  a very calm voiced Carl, asking me to come into the house.  I knew something was up, he sounded TOOOOOOOO calm.  I walked in the kitchen and it looked like an episode from a crime scene investigation series.  There was blood everywhere.   He thought I should put a rubber glove on his profusely bleeding hand, so he could finish lunch and then he would drive himself to the hospital.  I trumped his suggestion, called neighbor Mark to come drive him to the hospital and Sandy and I threw lunch together ourselves.  And I mean, THREW lunch together.  I warned everyone that it would not be like Carl's presentation with garnishments and la de da's, but what could we do to wreck a sandwich?????   Anyway, for those of you who were here and concerned......Carl is fine and had to suffer thru a lecture about how his Italian-ness got in the way of his good sense and he should practice deep calming breaths before approaching the mandolin again.  Poor Carl.

Next time,
Janice