Blog Posts

Tip for cutting wool in the Winter....

2/19/2020

It was incredibly dry today and I was just cutting some kits and when I reached for the hand cream, I thought.... gee I should post this trick.

When you are cutting wool with your machine, sometimes the strips stick to the blade and roll under the wheel and back up the inside. Sometimes you try to dig them out and maybe reverse the handle to back up and retrieve it, but then you end up butchering the strips. It keeps happening over and over and you get a bit flustered. All you want to do is cut fast and get hooking!

Sometimes the strips are sticking and you try blowing hot air on it and flick it off the wheel but it just keeps wanting to wrap around the blade. Cutting takes forever! Dry winter days are the culprit and even worse, if you've just pulled your wool out of the dryer with a static charge running though it, cutting is almost impossible. Frustrating? Tell us about it! At the studio we cut more wool than most and let me tell you, static cling is aggravating! And then after the wool is cut it keeps sticking to your hands as you try to lay it out straight on the table to tie into a bundle. Yup...we've all been there and will be again, time after time. Oh joy! If only someone could invent a way to stop this madness!!

The answer is so simple you'll kick yourself for not thinking of. Before you start to cut, get out a bottle of hand cream and add the teeniest bit on the wrist of the hand that cranks the handle. Don’t get it on that hand as it will slip and slide as you turn the handle and you don’t want a buildup of hand cream there. Now with your fingers of the hand that touches the wool as it feeds through the blade, rub them well into the dob of cream...the palm doesn't matter as it doesn’t touch the wool. I guarantee, the wool will feed straight through without any static charge build-up!

Your hand is the culprit. It is probably dry and as the wool passes under your fingers it causes friction and creates a static charge, like walking along a carpet and shuffling your feet. When the charged wool touches the blade, it wants to stick to the metal. No matter what cutter you use this tip will work.

Wool tends to bunch and stick to the cutter blades when there is a static buildup from the dry air of winter or if taken from the dryer.

A dob of hand cream on the wrist of the hand that turns the handle.

Rub the fingers of the hand that will hold the wool in the hand cream.

Press down on the wool with your fingers, firm enough to keep the wool running smoothly but loosely enough that the wool can be pulled beneath it into the cutting blade rotation. You can see that the cut strips coming out of the blades is straight and not sticking or bunching.

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Cutting wool properly is key...

2/18/2020

9 Comments

I was recently asked about fraying wool and thought I would do a blog about cutting the various strips and what to look out for.

When cutting wool into finer cuts, you have to be very careful how it goes through the cutter blades. When I say finer, I mean #3, #4, and #5. Even thought the #5 is the middle of the road, it is still pretty narrow so if you go across the Warp as you feed it through the cutter, and cut a major fiber of the Warp, you’ll experience some fraying.

First of all, unless you cut your wool with the intensity and control of a robot, there will always be a small amount of fraying. We are human and far from perfect, but as long as we pay attention and do the following, we can maximize better cuts and the fraying will be limited.

When cutting the #6, #7, and #8 strips they are generally wide enough to keep the wool intact with less fraying but even those can be compromised beyond use if the wool gets cut more on the diagonal or bias than the straight. I once had an angry client that came into the shop and told me my wool was rotten. She said it disintegrated while she was hooking with it. She’d been at a hook-in and goodness knows what people thought of our wool as she raved about its inferiority. She brought in a ball of what she had cut and quite frankly it looked like a rat’s nest minus the rat. She showed me the piece she was cutting from and it had started out as a ½ yard piece, now down to about a ¼ yard and the cut edge was a at least at a 45-degree angle, cut totally on the bias. Every time she put it through the machine it shifted as the bulk of it pulled, what I call drag, away from the cutting area. The wool was cut completely on the diagonal until all of the vertical fibers (the Warp) had been severed through and the Weft had nothing to hold it together. Our beautiful piece of wool was nothing but fluff.

Some wools are woven in a looser weave and even washing it does little to felt it tight and that has to come into account when judging what width of strip it will need.

Wool should always be hand torn to achieve a straight edge to cut along. Never use scissors to cut a straight edge to put through a machine. Unless you’ve used a magnifying glass and have the steady hands of a surgeon, I guarantee you’ve already compromised it!   TORN EDGES ONLY!

1. If you use plaids or textures the weave can be different than the warp and weft of a solid wool and don’t fare as well hooked with the smaller cuts. Now after saying that I should say that I know someone who once cut a herringbone in a #3 and it was perfect to hook with, but she guided the wool through the machine as if she was doing delicate brain surgery. For cutting plaids, I would recommend nothing less that a #6 and only if the weave is tighter than some of their looser cousins. I usually cut plaids and textures in a #7, my go to for backgrounds.

2. Cutting straight on the Warp as the wool goes through your cutter is paramount. Never use too wide a piece of wool as it will create drag and want to fall off the edge of the machine; pulling it away from the blades so that you need to keep adjusting it and that action causes the wool to snake back and forth and goes through the blades like a Cape Breton highway.   My rule is never put pieces of wool through the machine that are over 3 inches wide. If cutting smaller cuts like a #4 or #3 I put though an even smaller width.
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3. If you go a bit wonky when cutting, then turn the wool over and cut the other side. If you want to check to see how your cuts are doing, take one cut strip and pull both ends and see if little fingers of wool spring up on the edges; that means you've cut it across the grain and expect some fraying. Seeing one here and there is fine.

4. The most important tip to cutting wool in a machine is having hand torn edges that are straight along the Warp. Then even more important, is paying strict attention as it goes through as straight as possible as it is fed through the blade. I press the wool to the flat surface of the machine enough that it stretches the wool a bit but still feeds out from under my fingers into the blade. My hand doesn’t move so the wool generally keeps its straight feed along the edge of the flat surface and into the blade. If I go off a bit, then the next set of cuts will be off as well, so I correct it right away either by turning the wool over to the other torn edge side or by tearing the piece down the center of the wool and cutting from these inside straight edges.

5. Hooking can also mess with the integrity of wool strips. Holding your hook like a pencil can directly impact how your wool survives coming out of the hole. If you hold it like a pencil and go down straight and pull the loop straight up through the hole both sizes of the strip rubs the backing and it will fray from both sides. To minimize fraying, you can hold your hook like you are peeling carrots and go in from the side and back out the same way. That way it only rubs the one side of the wool as it comes out of the hole, not the piece snugged into the hook. Using a primitive hook for wider cuts will also help to cut down on the fraying as that hand made fat shank will make the backing hole open and allow the wool to freely pull through. It also reduces tugging so there is less stress on the wrist.

6.. Recycled wool is sometimes thinner and will fray more. I feel the best wool on the market for rug hooking is the Dorr wool, it is the perfect weight, felts beautifully and can be cut in #2 or #3 without fraying, but then again, no wool can withstand improper cutting. One tip I used back in the day when I was greener than grass and buying recycled wools from Frenchie’s; if it looks like wool used for summer suiting, even if it says Virgin 100% Wool, is not for this craft. No matter how much you wash it in hot water or beat it up with jeans or sneakers in the machine, it will not thicken up or felt. Worsted wool is not great either and my mantra was always, Worsted is the Worst!

Selvage – When purchasing wool on the bolt or roll, the selvage is the finished edge of the fabric. It runs parallel to the grain or ‘Warp'. (after the selvage is removed, this is the edge that goes through your machines)

Warp – The lengthwise grain that runs along the entire length of the fabric. It is the strongest grain with the least amount of movement.

Weft – This is the grain that runs the width of the fabric and has a bit of movement or stretch to it.

Bias – The bias is at a 45* degree angle on the fabric. This grain has the most stretch.

Selvage Edge

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We are looking forward to 2020!!!

2/11/2020

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Looking back at 2019, we’ve had a busy year at the studio, with lots of familiar faces and new ones discovering what we already know, that hooking rocks! I was delighted to hear that a group in BC just had an Encompassing Designs day where they displayed all the rugs they hooked from patterns purchased from our studio, while working on their current Encompassing Designs pattern projects. How cool is that?! I couldn’t be prouder and more pleased, except maybe seeing some pictures....hint!

We’ve had a number of bus loads of rug hookers at our doorstep in 2019 and we look forward to more in 2020. You can’t imagine how proud that makes us feel and such an honour that we are selected as one of the highlights on a rug hooking tour of the province. We are nothing without you, the wonderful customer, and we work hard to please. There is no greater reward than to hear positive feedback. Deborah, Shane and I work with you in mind, first, last and always.

I can't help but see Encompassing Designs through rose-coloured glasses this year. With a number like 2020, it can't be anything but perfect vision ahead! I have plans for this year and I hope to bring them all to fruition. One step at time though so stay tuned!

So we hope to chat with you this year either through Facebook, emails, blog comments, on the phone or walking across our threshold. If you get the chance to visit our colourful studio, there is a rainbow hug awaiting you!

My slogan this year is Aahhh....the possibilities! I'm making a stencil to paint it on the wall with a hook for the exclamation mark! Cheers!

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I'm a little slow this year......

2/11/2020

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The holidays were a mixed bag of joy with a bit of the blues thrown in. Hubby was out working in Alberta and didn’t get home until December 30th so I put all of the celebrations on hold. His brother and wife arrived from Ontario on Christmas Day to keep me company. Being alone for the holidays was going to be a downer and I so appreciated their presence, their love, and all the laughs.

Our birthdays were the week before Christmas, mine on the 18th and hubby’s on the 19th.   It seems for all our special occasions, birthdays’ anniversaries etc, he’s never home and then as time passes, we tend to forget them, but this year, once he was home, we celebrated with a carrot cake and toasted the new numbers with a great Pinot Noir. Then New Years eve followed on the 31st and we brought in the new year together. We dined on turkey on January 2nd.   It was a whirlwind couple of days but joyous and exciting.

This year Christmas blind sided me. It snuck up and caught me unprepared so I was beating the pavement a few days before Christmas doing last minute things.   I’d put out the effort for our annual rug hooking Christmas pot luck on the 11th but when that was over, I quickly lost momentum.   Perhaps feeling down about being alone sabotaged any desire to get things done. I didn’t even do any Christmas baking which in hindsight was probably a blessing. The mood I was in I might have eaten it all, instead I occupied my time reshaping the sofa cushions to fit my widening arse with little concern for much else. I dulled my mind with a slew of British renovating shows and food competitions, meaningless distractions from my disappointment. I kept saying it could be worse, no one died and I took comfort in that, but I think I deserved the right to feel a bit sorry for myself, there are so few things to celebrate and Christmas is the biggest and last hurrah before the end of an old year.

When my sister-in-law phoned to say they planned to arrive on Christmas day, my spirits lifted like a helium filled balloon. I’d been playing Christmas tunes as if it was a cure for all that ailed me. The sparkling tree lights burned day and night in an attempt to levitate my spirits but did little to dent my ebbing enthusiasm. Company was the pill I needed to get out of my funk.

I put the tree in by myself for the pot luck party and it was a challenge. It’s a man’s job, heck anything that you can break a fingernail over is a man’s job, and this one was awkward and pressed my buttons. I had to cut a foot off the stump to fit the tree in the house and that’s when I discovered the darn trunk was like the leaning tower of Pisa. The struggle to hold it straight in the stand straight while I tightened the bolts exhausted my vocabulary of swear words. The tree was as crooked as a ram’s horn and the branches on one side were a foot shorter than on the other with gaps between them too large to fill in with ornaments. I’m not sure why I picked this one, it was cold that day and I didn’t want to be a bother to the people who offered to drive me to a lot in their truck so I took the first one they stood up for me. It was an ugly ducking tree that I did my best to decorate into a beautiful swan but it ended up somewhere in-between.

The dogs weren’t impressed as I struggled and mumbled a blue streak. They were watching me with big eyes, that asked ‘who are you crazy lady and where’s mom?’ By the time I was finished and satisfied it wouldn’t fall over, I put water in the trough. I was covered in sticky sap and needed a nap on the sofa. Then there was the ladder to the attic to contend with and hauling down the boxes of ornaments and lights. Once again, a man’s job, dangerous on my own schlepping all those containers and bags from the tiny hole in the ceiling while balanced on a small wooden ladder. It was exhausting so there was napping in-between trips up and down. By the time I got around to decorating the tree it was 1:00 AM. And that’s when I realized I hadn’t remembered to buy new lights. Last year some of the sets gave up the ghost and I forgot to buy more. I like lights, lots of lights, like hundreds of twinkling stars in my living room, but all I had were three sets of 50 each, hardly enough illumination to be seen from the moon.

Last year I started something new. I ran a string of coloured lights down the trunk of the tree, wrapping them around the core. Then I used the white lights to do the outer branches. With only three small sets there wasn’t enough to cover the tree so the upper part didn’t have much sparkly. If you look at a tree through squinted eyes with the room lights off, its clearly noticeable how the placement is. Fortunately, the top of the tree is where the coloured lights show through the most so it hid the white light shortage but I clearly had more tree than lights this year. It’s wasn’t the best tree we’ve ever had but far from a Charlie Brown, and for some reason I hated to take it down. It lasted till the end of January sparkling up the place and filling me with blingy joy and it would shoot out its essence filling the room with a scent of spruce everyday as if to say thank you for keeping me around. I’ve never had a tree up past New Years day but there aren’t any rules to follow or break, it gave me joy, enough said.

I kept our grain fed, free range turkey on ice until hubby arrived home.   We decided to wait until after new years for the feast. We partied hard ringing in the new year, downing Dark & Stormys like it was a cure for old age and played games and cards with friends and family until the wee hours. We lit expired boat flares at the midnight hour and the sky radiated a pink glow.   In lieu of lobsters that were in short supply, we opted for homemade pizzas which might be a new tradition, or at least an alternating one. They were deliscious and I discovered that the local pizza place sells raw dough and I bought two to make 16” pizzas for $3:00 each which eliminates messing around with dough at home.

We only ever do turkey at Christmas and there is no better homey smell wafting throughout the house. I’m not a big fan of the meat, I find it dry, but it’s a tradition of my childhood that tugs on memories of mom and the incredible feast she always placed before us. It was tough not smelling it on Christmas, its part of the total magic of the day, but considering we basically treated it like any ordinary Wednesday, I got over it. We made butter chicken and a salad for our Christmas meal with lots of wine to wash it down that helped obscure my view of the empty chair at the other end of the table.

When hubby arrived home and walked through the door, we locked eyes and smiled, hugged ever so tightly and once again, all was right in my world.

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No Sew Hooked Ornaments

12/21/2019

18 Comments

Every project I take on, I try not to make it one of those Make Work projects. I look for simple solutions and fast results, without compromising on quality.

I took on our 15 Ornament pattern last year and got most of them hooked before the holidays but then Christmas came and went and New Years brought the business owner’s nightmare of inventory and year end and soon, they were forgotten. This year I picked them back up, determined to have them finished by Christmas and true to my word, they are hanging on the shop tree as of the 21st of December. That’s cutting it close but hey, they are done and will look fabulous in the shop all year long as a demo for the pattern on how great they are. (I also have drawn another 30 ornaments that will be ready to go after the holidays so in total there will be three patterns, each with 15 Christmas themed designs on the backing for a total of 45 lovely adornments for your tree, or gifts to give away.   Stay tuned!

I’ve been asked how I planned to finish them so I took photos along the various steps to share so here goes. There are other ways to do this job that require sewing and any time I can avoid the needle, which seems to go hand in hand with blood and swearing, I’m good.

The first thing after any hooking project is completed is to steam it flat, especially for these small decorations to ensure that they will hang without curling.

Next buy a super tacky, fabric glue that dries clear, flexible and fast. Not all of them do, I bought one that said quick drying but it took hours to be at a stage where I could cut them out. Price seems to be the factor; the bottles were priced from $1.97 to $4.97 and I should have doled out the cash for the higher priced one. The $1.97 bottle proved you get what you pay for, didn’t follow the promise the label offered of a quick dry so it took longer to complete the project.

So, along the backside, glue around the ornament right to the edge of the outside row of hooking and smear it over the unhooked linen that surrounds it. You can smooth out any thicker clumps of glue so they don’t squeeze out when pressing the backing to the ornament. Keep a wet cloth handy for wiping your sticky fingers.

After the glue dries take a sharp pair of scissors and cut out the ornament, up close to the edge of the outside row of hooking. Don’t worry, the glue will hold the backing in place and the outside edge of hooking won’t be compromised or fray. Work from the back side and angle the scissor blades slightly outward as not to accidentally cut into the loops.

Once the ornament is cut out you can apply your hanger with glue. Use a decorative string, ribbon or jute hanger, even a strand of linen or burlap will do. The length you choose is a personal choice but keep in mind that you would need larger for longer needled trees and less length for shorter needles.

Once that dries you can cut the backings for each ornament. I chose a complimentary piece of wool to match the main colours used in the ornament top but it isn’t really seen so a fun Christmas colour like red will do or perhaps a seasonal feeling plaid or velvet.   You need to put the ornament right side up on the material and then trace around the edge with a pen or fine marker, angling it so the drawn line is close to the backing edge. Remove the ornament and cut out the pattern, trimming off the marker line to guarantee that it is the exact size needed.

Now put glue all around the ornament edge on the backside. Do not leave gaps where the material won’t adhere to the ornament.   Also add some of the glue to the inside of the back of the ornament so the material will fit snug everywhere and not bag or sag in the middle.   Press firmly so it all sticks together, pinch the edges to make sure they are well adhered. You see a bit of the core of the backing along the edge sandwiched between the loops and the backing but it is hardly noticeable and does nothing to take away from the ornament. Of course, if you like to sew along the edges you can, just cut the material slightly larger around the shape of the ornament and then catch it along the edge and the edge of the loops and pull the thread to tug both sides together to close the gap. I opted out of doing it this way because the ornament had different colours along the edge and sewing the wool along it would show the areas where the colours didn’t match. And of course, there is that sewing thing that I struggle with.

A person told that me you can glue a thin piece of ribbon along the edge of the ornament to hide the backing but I really don’t think it is necessary as once they were hung on the tree the eye is too busy admiring the beautiful front than traveling to the lack luster edge.

The glue dries very quickly so I hung mine as soon as I had the backing on.   They look fabulous and a Merry Christmas to the shop tree!

Gluing the back of the ornament. Covering the outside hooked row and smearing it over the backing

Adhering the decorative hanger before the backing goes on.

Cutting off the excess edging, angling the scissors so they don't cut the loop tops on the
other side.

All cut out and waiting for the next step.

Mr. Gingerbread man has his backing cut out and is ready for gluing. I put glue all around the edge and inside the body so the backing clings to the ornament.

I put the ornament on the backing right side up to trace around it with a fine marker. when I cut it out I remove the marker line with the scissors. This ensures that it is the perfect size. Right - Finished ornament. I trimmed the wool's pointy ears into a soft curve so it wouldn't fray.

The shops Christmas Tree is now adorned with lovely little seasonal ornaments.

18 Comments

A word to those that steal from my studio.....

11/27/2019

27 Comments

I wrote this blog a few weeks ago but life got in the way of posting it. I’ve been off work to get our boat put to bed and winter our property. But now its time……

“A metal straw has finally broken the camel’s back”. I say a metal straw to be environmentally conscious but all joking aside; I’ve reached the end of my tether on theft and copyright infringement.

This blog is not meant for all of the honest, supportive customers and friends of Encompassing Designs who respect the use of our patterns and who would never think of stuffing our wares into their purse. You are many, greatly appreciated and are clearly the salt of the earth! This reprimand is written for those who don’t respect us, bend and abuse copyright rules to suit their own means and have no problem taking what doesn’t belong to them.

We had another two patterns stolen from the back room and I mean two separate thefts by two different rug hookers. The collective value of merchandise taken would have paid a bill or employee’s wages. Also another picture was carelessly ripped off a pattern on the rack, tearing the linen threads which compromised the integrity of the pattern. The only reason this would be done is to take it home and copy the design so it was step one of a two-step process of theft. Then one of my patterns was blatantly copied and is now being used as a prize in a fundraiser in a local community. Their Facebook page flashed on my screen advertising the copied rug and it hit me like a load of bricks. For me, this has happened time and time again and it’s becoming nothing short of soul destroying.

Creating and hooking Nova Scotia Treasures was a very proud moment for me. I was commissioned by Canadian Tourism to create a specific design that was representative of Nova Scotia and the finished rug was awarded to an Australian Journalist/Writer for promoting Canadian tourism. To have it copied and hooked without permission deflated another happy balloon. And…while still reeling from that loss, I opened the latest ATHA Magazine and discovered one of my patterns had been featured in an article. Fantastic I thought, until I read the caption. The pattern had been quite modified; the design was renamed and the write-up below failed to attribute any credit to me. That was four incidents of theft and copyright infringement in less than one week! Usually these injustices are spanned out with lots of recovery time in between; all at once and in such a short time frame was mood altering. And then, on top of all that, my business credit card was compromised, yet again; that’s four times in a year even though it never leaves my office and I don’t use it online because I always call in my number when I place orders. Yet another piece of crap on the big steaming pile of theft and dishonesty. Is this really the world we live in?

No one ever openly speaks ill of rug hookers and if comments are made its in hushed tones and bantered one to one. Generally, all you hear is how much fun we all have, how all the rug hookers are helpful and kind, the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Well I’m here to say bullocks. Rug hooking attracts as many dishonest people as any other group or organization. I have 20 years of experience in this business, mostly fantastic, peppered with a small percentage of bad, and this bad seems to get swept under the mat, pardon the pun, because it’s perceived better to allow everyone to keep their heads buried in the sand than to discuss the dark side of this craft.
This realization struck me when I saw the long list of people that sent me emails and private messages after I posted the copyright infringement of my Nova Scotia Treasures rug on Facebook. They didn’t want to write their stories in the comments below my post and have them out there for all to read, and I don’t blame them at all, the backlash can be brutal on FB as opinions come out like claws on a grizzly. Their stories were at times almost unbelievable at how low fellow rug hookers have stooped. The fact that these ‘private’ messages were describing theft of everything from scissors and hooks, the most common victims of nimble fingers, to the bold and brash thefts of hooked rugs and things like cutter blades. Imagine hiring a teacher to come and run a workshop and someone in the class steals one of her demo rugs. One woman said that she was at a class and left her seat for a few minutes and when she returned all of the wool that she’d dyed for her project was gone and never to be found. Imagine how bold the thief had to be to take a bundle of wool in front of the other students sitting at the same table, how experienced, confident and skilled they were to pull that off.

It’s clearly obvious that although everyone is appalled that this goes on, no one wants to be the one openly talking about the bad experiences. Its brushed under the rug, because they worry it might be frowned upon because it seems that no one wants the sugar coating ripped off this craft.
Well, I’m popping the cork on it now because quite frankly, I’m sick of it happening to me, and I don’t want it happening to others. If need be I’ll stand alone and tell it like it is because it’s the right thing to do. Maybe these thieves will not feel so bold and entitled if people are more aware and keeping a watch out for them. The world is a better, kinder place with our heads in the sand, but no bad behaviour was ever fixed or changed by ignoring it. If you let someone get away with murder, they’ll kill again and again.

Now don’t get me wrong or misquote me, read every word and then read it again before jumping to conclusions. I am not condemning all rug hooker or painting them with the same brush! 99.999% of rug hookers I’ve met are lovely and honest and are the fuel in my creative tank. But, and there is always that dang three letter rebuttal to what is previously stated, there are bad apples in every cart and some of them are rotten to the core. Its time it was talked about, if only to protect ourselves at shows, rug schools and hook-ins. Personally, I’ve NEVER attended one of these events without things being stolen from my tables and I know from talking to other shops and vendors they’ve lost things as well. In my experience, I’ve lost hooks, any number of small items, kits, hooked pieces or patterns every time I take my wares to events….and this demonstrates a dark truth that can no longer be ignored.

Because there are rug hookers with nimble fingers, I suggest we all do our best to stop making it easy for them. Label your tools in a way that it can’t be removed; carve your initials into your favourite hook handles, scratch your name or initials on your scissors, scissor bling is great but can be removed.   Do the same for your wooden frames, make everything obviously yours. Someone told me just the other day how the wool they had at a hook-in went missing, someone hot fingered it while she was away from her chair. Hook-ins are where friends gather, people who know one another and yet things go missing. We like to say these items are misplaced or accidentally mixed in with someone else’s wool, perhaps the hook rolled off the table into someone’s bag, the scissors all look alike so perhaps someone picked them up in error…. yup, that might happen, but generally and especially when the items don’t reappear, well, put two and two together and face the brutal truth. When things vanish into thin air, they are in the possession of the rug hooker that took them from you. It goes against our sense of morality and is really hard to swallow isn’t it, yet it happens time and time again.

When I posted the infringements on Facebook most of you were sympathetic and outraged that this continues to happen in a day and age when copyright is hashed and rehashed and how rug hookers are supposed to be a cut above the rest, but there was one person that wanted me pummeled for apparently embarrassing the woman from the ATHA magazine, although I hadn't even mentioned which rug it was or the hookers name. At first she blamed it on the editor. Well sorry there, but the magazine is only as good as the information they are provided and it is up to the featured artist to submit the information, in writing if necessary, so it leaves nothing to interpretation.

I tried to explain to her that this is the kind of thing that helps to advertise my business, perhaps show someone that doesn’t know about my studio that I am around, but she accused me of being more interested in selling a few patterns than embarrassing someone.   That is not who I am. I’ve been writing about who I am for years. I am not a mean person or vindictive, I tell stories about my life, bare my soul at times and I’m honest to a fault. Someone said I have a reputation of telling it like it is and that I don’t hold back and this is true. I’m the kind of person that would have your back and defend you with my life if you were a true friend. I don’t expect everyone to like me but for goodness sake, be upset with me for a good reason, not for protecting my honour or my rights.

In the 20 years I’ve been in business I’ve missed out on the chance to have recognition for my designs so many times I could write a book. Not that I would, because dredging it all up would be a dark period for me, sucking the joy out of all the good that I’ve experienced. We have an ongoing joke at the shop, every time a newsletter comes out or one of the magazines dedicated to rug hooking, I open it and say “Let’s see what I’ve missed out on this time.” Once in a single publication, there were three of my patterns beautifully hooked and not a mention of me anywhere, one of which had been changed and renamed.

Each time I was cheated of recognition for my work, it was a knife twist to the gut. I’ve seen my designs in magazines and newspapers beautifully done but there’s no mention of me. Some even are quoted saying they designed it as well as hooked it, which is an out and out lie. I’m not out for praise; I’m struggling in a very competitive business to keep current and relevant. So many times I could have shined and spread awareness for my business, that’s the name of the game isn’t it? Advertising is expensive so this kind of publicity is critical and priceless!

Over the years, some of the encounters with clients that I’ve drawn designs for have been downright ugly, when I’ve been accused of stealing their ideas or have no right to sell patterns in my shop like the one I created for them. I don’t do exclusive, one of-a-kind designs for customers. I only create patterns that will be globally interesting to many to make it worth the time it takes to come up with an interesting pattern. I create a drawing and then transfer it to linen and sell it with a price of a comparable pattern off the rack. I own the drawing, the design, the artwork and can do what I want with it. So many times I’ve been accused of stealing the rights to my own artwork and threatened with legal action, it got to the point I stopped designing for people as it wasn’t worth the effort. Even when I made it clear and the copyright symbol was drawn on the pattern, certain clients couldn’t comprehend that if they brought me a request, for example, perhaps a stick man and a square on a scrap of paper to represent Beethoven and his piano, and I created an eloquent drawing of him sitting at a grand piano, with an audience clothed in period dress, a candle chandelier floating down from above, a marbled floor and velvet curtains at the edges of the stage with the notes of Ode To Joy coming out of his ears to portray his deafness, that was then hooked and won a prize....that this beautiful pattern, the drawing that I stressed over for days to make perfect and was proud to present to the rug hooker, blew up in my face. I was cut out of the accolade we both should have enjoyed back in a time when my business was new and would have greatly benefited by good press.

The horrible backlash that ensued when I asked why my name wasn’t mentioned left me sick for days. Her words are burned into my brain that she spat after a lengthy stripping down with large fonts and bold letters. “Go ahead and steal the design if it makes you feel better!” Later, when someone set her straight, she didn’t apologize and only said “too bad it came to this”. Well that was an understatement! The entire experience was dreadful for me when it should have brought pleasure to us both and recognition to my studio.

When purchasing a pattern you are allowed to make changes to it. Make it your own in special ‘little’ ways, add something and change it up a bit. But...it is not acceptable to buy a pattern, change it significantly then rename it or call it your own to suit your fancy. When you purchase a pattern it is automatically copyrighted property of that designer and they need to be mentioned. You can say, design by Christine Little with adaptations by so in so, but the original name of the pattern is part of its copyright. No amount of changing makes it acceptable or yours, none what-so-ever!

So this is what I am going to do so be forewarned. To deal with the physical thefts of my merchandise, I am going to spend the money to have a system put in to monitor the shop; we are in the process of that now. So smile you’re on camera! When a theft occurs, I will post the videos both on FB and on my website so if you don’t want to be seen stuffing my wares into your purse behave yourselves! Also, shopping bags and knapsacks will no longer be allowed in the back room! This will protect you as well as me so no wires get crossed.

As for copyright, I can’t afford a lawyer at $300 plus an hour to go after the people that copy my patterns but I can take you to small claims court and I will definitely write blogs and post pictures of the rugs I find at exhibits, on FB or the internet and show the world what you have done. If that means I’ve embarrassed someone so be it. I won’t even have to mention your name, your friends and hooking circles will recognize you and you will have to deal with the aftermath of that. It’s time we stopped whispering about the dishonesty in this craft and start bringing it out in the open to incite change.

Clearly, talking about it is doing little to stop it. There have been so many articles written and discussions on copyright infringement in the past few years surely it’s reached the four corners of rug hooking. People are ignoring it or perhaps don’t think it applies to them or basically just don’t care. I’m only making one copy for personal use so what’s the problem? NO! Maybe someone has to be hung out to dry and made an example of, be the poster child to scare those that habitually do it. If I stand against copyright theft and stealing from my shop by rug hookers, perhaps it will help to promote being honest in this craft. They call it shaming these days and although it sounds awful, perhaps it’s the only recourse.

I’m talking with bravado but it won’t be easy. Usually it’s not in my nature to be so bold or defend myself. This kind of action will go against my grain, but I have to step up and point out the injustice or I might become bitter and jaded beyond recovery. I was raised to spare other people’s feelings…don’t talk back…ignore things…turn my head…never be rude…be seen and not heard…be meek and mild…suck it up no matter how much I was hurt or felt betrayed…be the bigger person…let it roll off my back…zip my lip…hold or bite my tongue…don’t rock the boat…button it…put a sock in it…don’t stir the pot…say nothing…don’t let one bad apple spoil a good thing…suck it up and count to ten…keep my mouth shut…don’t make waves…avoid controversy at all costs…pull up those big girl panties and get on with it. And where has this philosophy gotten me? Grumbling to my husband “OMG it’s happened again!!!” The poor guy has had to listen to me rant so many times I’m surprised he’s still around! And even though the thought of speaking out turns my stomach upside down, others aren’t behind the door when they have something to say, FB is full of contrary remarks on every topic you can imagine.

Once, a customer defended thieves and told me it was a sickness to steal and said “they can’t help it”. I say what? Bullshite!   People with terminal illnesses and diseases have a sickness, they can’t help it! Anyone who steals can make a decision not to. Get professional help if you can’t do it on your own. Stay away from temptation. Stay out of stores; keep your thieving hands buried deep in your pockets if you have to go out into the world of retail. Stop putting yourself in the position to violate others, because that is what it is, a violation!   Someone told me not to take it personally but you bet your sweet fanny I do! I don’t order import my stock from a foreign country. My shelves are stocked with products we make; we are a manufacturing company so we are up close and personal with the goods we create and sell. Each item is crafted with attention to detail from our heart and hand to yours.   Yes, I take it bloody well personally; you are stealing a part of me, a part of Deborah and a part of Shane!

I’ve read that some people steal for the sake of taking something, anything, the object sometimes has no relevance, but not rug hookers, no sirree Bob…..they steal items specifically for their use; the only people that cross our threshold and go into that back room of patterns are those who hook. Sometimes grannies for goodness sake! When a granny steals from me how can I trust anyone?   Theft comes with a high cost both financially and mentally to those you take from so why don’t you find a pastime that violates, inflicts and directs pain where it belongs, on your own doorstep!

This weekend was the Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay. We had record breaking visitors and that unfortunately brings out the thieves as well. Last year a daughter stole a Hartman hook to give to her mother for Christmas. I overhead the conversation when the daughter asked her mom if she would like it. The mother didn’t know the daughter took it, at least I hope she didn’t, because that’s a whole new level of depravity I can’t get my head around. The shop was so busy, twenty or more folks walking around so by the time my husband got to me to say what he witnessed they were gone.

So this year leading up to the festival with the current thefts fresh on my mind, my goal was not to lose anything to five finger discounts. So I put all our hooks under glass, put up 16 signs that stated “you are being watched”, and the classic, “smile you’re on camera” and Deborah, Gregg, and I manned our stations to watch the crowds. I parked in the back room drawing patterns, where most thefts occur, people think we can’t see through walls and temptation is at the highest level. We were all hover crafts, eyes peeled and on alert for the suspicious signs of someone with intent to steal.

My focus was to protect the shop and it overshadowed all the potential fun of the weekend, more collateral damage from those that steal, the consequences of their actions hurt others in so many different ways. Fortunately our hard work prevailed; I don’t think we lost anything, but that wasn’t enough to restore my faith in human morality because it was our due diligence that made it impossible for anyone to rob us. The weekend came with a high cost to me, I was on red alert and so focused on saving my wares from theft that it over shadowed the entire weekend when I could have been full of pride at the beauty of my store and the thrill of people mulling about our town.   I was on duty, parked in the back room rolled as tight as a spring, fearing the worst and worried that if one more thing was lifted I might lose my mind. The weekend drained me.

And an added point. I wonder how a rug hooker would feel if I decided I like one of their designs and start drawing it and selling it in my shop under my name. Why there would be no end to the recriminations I would receive. I’d be strung up, tarred and feathered and out of business so fast my head would spin. Put that in your pipe and smoke it for those that won’t or can’t see my side of things. If the shoe was on the other foot perhaps copyright issues would finally sink home.

Quite frankly, in the past I’ve been hesitant to bring these matters up with more than a casual mention or be specific to a theft. This business is tough enough without being boycotted because someone gets an unrealistic hate on for you and spreads the nay saying like butter on toast. This is my experience and I deal in facts and the topic was copyright. C-O-P-Y-R-I-G-H-T! Notice how it has the word ‘right’ right in it. If it isn’t going to be respected maybe the name should be changed to Copywrong.

So the ball is now in your court, don’t say you weren’t warned. If you continue to steal from me or copy my patterns, you will pay for the consequences of your actions. And I should add, we actually know who some of you are. You’ve been coming in for years and getting away with it because I didn’t want to rock the boat or deal with you or play the game it’s your word against mine and hold you until law enforcement arrives, but not anymore so bring it the heck on……

So….it boils down to this. If you don't want to do the time, don't do the crime! Plain and simple! It's black and white all the way.   Take me at my word. The haters can call me what they like, but no one can ever say that I am a liar or that I’m not one of the most honest people you will ever meet. My conscience is clear when I go to bed at a night; I would never steal or take something without permission so I find it difficult to believe that others do, and no matter how many times it happens I’m still shocked. I’m ashamed that I’ve let it go on, but now the backbone is straight and the blinders are off and I’m ready for you. I won’t back down and hide anymore.

I’m angry that you think you can fool me, walk all over me, get away with stealing from me and I’m not going to take it anymore. I won’t let you ruin my experience. I love my store and what we represent in the way of class and quality. When I walk into the shop each day, I'm filled with pride and I see what we've built. I'm blown away by all the beautiful colour, it almost takes my breath away. I will no longer allow you to taint it. How dare you ruin my faith in mankind and test my tolerance. You steal more than my goods, you are stealing my bliss!

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New computer, new email address

11/26/2019

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Hey all, I've purchased a new computer and have been learning to use it. This old dog doesn't like new tricks and I've cursed a bit when I can't find what I want. I bought a gaming computer, not because I play games but it has lots of bells and whistles and power so it should provide many years of service and reliability. My mouse has red lights and a lit dragon, pretty fancy stuff.

This beast has Windows 10 and I'm finding it a bit difficult but catching on.   With much more storage space and speed I shouldn't have anything to complain about for awhile.

I figured it was time to update my email program to be able to send and receive photos because my old Tallships address wouldn't allow more than five tiny formatted photos, nor could I send out bulk emails. I'm saving this old address for personal use and updating to a GMAIL email account for the studio.

So cut and paste it in your address file for future communication. It has been updated on the Ordering and the Contact Us pages of this website.

encompassingdesigns@gmail.com

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Doris Eaton, the Passing of a Rug Hooking Icon

10/8/2019

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Doris Emily Eaton, age 91, passed away September 29th. She was known all over the world, respected, loved and admired for her contribution to rug hooking. She was an icon who established our Nova Scotia Rug Hooking Guild that just celebrated its 40th year.

It wasn’t long after I started rug hooking in 1999 that I heard her name for the first time. In these parts she was the reigning queen. The awe and respect for her work was held in great esteem and the woman behind the talent was the epitome of eloquence and grace. She was humble and soft spoken but when she spoke she held our attention as she shared her knowledge and her talent. She was hooking royalty and her contribution and enthusiasm for this fiber art left us in awe and wanting to push the envelope on our own talents.

We were delighted to receive an invitation to visit her studio in Petite Revere. Her lovely home was enchanting, the hostess charming. She showed us her studio and I drank in her amazing rugs, my eyes as wide as a child in a candy store. Each rug had a story that kept my husband and I captivated. I never realized how diverse this fiber art could be, as we were granted a peek into rug hooking creativity and genius. I was fairly new as a rug hooker and an even newer shop owner, and was mesmerized by her manipulation of colour and design. I stood in awe of the incredibly talented woman who opened my eyes to possibilities I never knew existed.

We had coffee and sweets and listened to her talk of her creative journey, totally captivated by her experiences and adventures in the world of wool. Doris was an interesting person as well as a talented artist. She saw things with a broader scope and she was also interested in knowing who you were, in your ideas and dreams. She said she deplored gossip and naysaying. She made it clear to her hooking group that there would be none of that; the experience was all about the inspiration, the process and the women who brought each rug to life.

I’m a bit quirky and when our conversation came around to dead bodies, not sure how it got brought up but don’t all chats end up with biological functions? Intrigued, she said she had something to show me, a collection of the tiniest skeletons of mice and small creatures found here and there and even in the walls of her house when renovating. I felt privileged to be shown the tiny bleached bones of the most delicate creatures, stored in little matchboxes, saved and treasured. I thought she was amazing, perhaps even a kindred spirit. There was magnificence in those tiny skeletons and I marveled at their delicacy. Her talent and personality aside, I knew how special she really was to see beauty in aspects of nature that most would shun.

Later, I was invited to one of her hook-ins. Talented women gathered, many who have since passed, who shared their knowledge and stories and I basked in their presence. One woman did a demonstration on dyeing a six value swatch that only took a minute. You make up the dye formula and add it to a simmering pot with vinegar. Then you drop in the first premeasured piece of wool and stir quickly nonstop while counting to ten, not too fast, not too slow. Then add the second piece, stirring like mad and counting to ten, then the third and so on. In the end all of the dye was absorbed and there were six pieces of wool in the water all in perfect graduated colour.   The stirring forced the dye into the wool so there wasn’t any white core.   For those that like instant gratification it’s a perfect way to achieve a result.

I called Doris once for advice. Someone had bought one of my patterns, copied it and then returned it and I hadn’t noticed it was ruined until I took it out of the bag.   Green marker was smeared all over it as several people made copies when it was passed around their group. I was heartbroken and sought advice from someone that knew this industry well. She told me tales of how her work had been copied without permission over the years and how she had chosen not to cause waves but regretted it. She said I needed to defend my property, and with Doris’s wise words I found the strength to phone the woman and asked that she pay me for the pattern that was now unsaleable. She apologized and sent her husband to the studio with the payment. It was very hard for me to do and against my grain but I felt proud that I’d dealt with it instead of turning it inside and feeling used. I told the woman that if she covered the loss I would forget it ever happened and she would be welcome in my studio anytime and she continued to join our hook-ins and buy her wool at the studio.

Over the years Doris popped in and out of my radar. She would visit the studio from time to time and was always gracious and complementary for the work I was doing. Her support meant so much to me and when she left I walked on air for the rest of the day. When she published her book I was thrilled to have her sign it and I am going to bring it home and peruse it again, to remember this great woman we all had a privilege to know, if not personally, through her body of work immortalized in her wonderful book, A Lifetime of Rug Hooking.

When The Main Street Hookers, the group that meets at my studio put on a show called Art Under Foot, I asked if she would say a few words at the opening and she was, of course, delightful.   She told me that her first gallery showing was named Art Under Foot and brought the brochure to show me. Two great minds I said and we both laughed. She also told me that of all the rug hooking shows she’s attended she enjoyed ours the best, the way the rugs were professionally displayed, coordinated and labeled, the venue was intimate with the feel of class and elegance. I was deeply touched and proud.

I didn’t get to see her as much as I would have liked so every time we met was special. There was something about Doris that drew you in and you basked in her glow. They broke the mold with her and she could have walked around with an ego the size of Texas but she was humble and gracious to a fault.

How many of us have songs written about our lives and talent?   In September 2011, Alex Hickey was invited to sing at the opening of a hooked-rug show in honour of Doris. She wrote this song as a tribute to Ms. Eaton and her wonderful book, A Lifetime of Rug-Hooking. I couldn’t find a link to add but the album is called Blackbirds, released in September 18, 2012.

Doris’s Song
To be all you can in your time and your place
Is to give all you have of your knowledge and grace
And each one you guide as they go on their way
Will carry you forward into a new day

Each loop and each line has a story to tell
Of a labour of love and a life lived well
We might see ocean or seaweed or shell
But there’s so much more to this story

Of a woman who knew that her art was her life
And carved out the time as a mother and wife
Each Wednesday she took to do what her muse asked
And brought forth the visions with which she’d be tasked

When she turned to teach every student inspired
Every spark coaxed into bright fire
A whole group of artists with something to say
With heart and with purpose each in her own way

If I had three lifetimes
I’d give them to you
‘Cause I want to see all the work you would do
And you’d want to see how the colours would glow
If every idea had time to grow

Her loved ones, friends and the rug hooking community have all experienced a terrible loss in her passing, but she will certainly be canonized in our thoughts forever. Rest in peace kind and gentle soul, you will be missed. Doris Eaton 1928 - 2019

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Nova Scotia Group 2019 Nonsuch Rendezvous

9/12/2019

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Lunenburg Yacht Club

The 2019 Nova Scotia Nonsuch Rendezvous came and went with the stars aligning so we were able to attend it this year. For one reason or another, since we purchased the boat in 2015, I’ve missed it, although Gregg was there one time without me. Of course we were fashionably late arriving Friday evening, I still work and we’ve been busy with a renovating project, but we were finally on a slip at the Lunenburg Yacht Club (LYC) so let the fun begin!

LYC is quite beautiful with its manicured grounds, rustic clubhouse and spread of finger wharves. The staff was accommodating and the food hit the spot; I must add that the Eggs Benny was exceptionally delicious. On an amusing note, we were unexpectedly serenaded by the club’s Dockosaurus, the gangway sliding on the wharf deck made a mournful prehistoric din in response to the gentle swells. Gregg named it; trust a geologist to conjure up a Jurassic quip.

Saturday morning began damp, grey and dismal but morphed into the perfect day by race time. This event always seems to be the highlight of the gathering and we were enthused to participate with Catalyst II. She won the trophy for the International gathering in 2018 in Halifax and being the only 33 attending this year meant it was ours for the taking as long as we finished the race, but of course the thrill is in earning it, not having it presented as a default prize.

Gregg was basically on his own; my knowledge of racing would fit on the back of a postage stamp, but I can tug on the choker when called on. I'm generally on board to take photos and my camera was clicking away as we counted down the five minute signal to the start.

Unfortunately we experienced a malfunction as we tacked for the line when the pin in the outhaul shackle snapped and took flight. Gregg saw it flick through the air and sink into the water along with our spirits. We looked up and the sail was flogging untethered. Racing Tip #1 – Insure that your equipment is in proper working order, including seizing shackle pins.

I grabbed the wheel and pointed the bow into the wind as Gregg dropped the sail and then dashed below for a spare shackle. Race Tip #2 – Keeps spares of all things on board. By this time the race had started and I managed to snap a few photos while steering with my foot, most of which were out of focus in the chaos.

It took Gregg 15 plus minutes to replace the shackle and bend on the sail again and by hand I might add, our electric winch stopped working the week before and we’d had no time to address it. Once again I was steering with my foot and taking up the slack halyard as he pumped the sail at the mast. Then because we hadn’t started properly we returned to the line. By then we couldn’t see any of the fleet as they had all rounded the first turning mark of the course at Little Herman’s Island, separating from us with a sizable lead.

We were both deflated by bad timing. Why couldn’t this have happened when out for a casual sail when it would have been nothing more than a head shake and a sigh? I looked at Gregg and said, “You know, seeing a whale would be the only thing to haul this day out of the crapper.” We’ve not seen a whale while on our boat, plenty of porpoises and seals but not any big cetaceans.   We were also disappointed that we didn’t get to race Charlie Mitchell, owner of Nonsuch 36 Horsefeathers and I’m sure the feeling was mutual. The skippers had a playful fist pump in the club before the race, both eager to fill their clouds of canvas and spar on the course.

In my mind Gregg’s biggest handicap was my inexperience and figured all was lost but I would be impressed by my captain’s sailing ability and learned a few things about trim. After rounding Little Herman’s we could see the parade of sail ahead of us with the leaders already having rounded the leeward mark at Trappeans Shoal. They were so far ahead my telephoto lens did little to draw them in for a usable shot but with decent wind, we rounded Trappeans and began to close in on the tail end of the fleet.   Charlie in Horsefeathers, with his 36 foot waterline, was doing a horizon job on all of us.

Beating to weather of Rous Island, the course took us on a close reach to the next turning mark at Spectacle Shoal. With a challenging twist, a fog bank rolled in, occasionally obscuring all of the boats ahead of us. We knew a 30 and a 26 immediately on our bow were now to our leeward as we made the next weatherly beat. Tens of minutes later, we emerged from the fog having put the lead two 30’s, Katadin and Felina and a 26, Chanterelle off our port bow. We kept to the west or right side of the course, which was favoured due to the slightly stronger breeze where we still had a bit of a heel while the others were standing upright. A call came over the radio that the course was shortened making the ME can we were headed for the finish line. Catalyst trailed one minute behind the first 30 to cross. Racing Tip #3 – In light breezes stay on the side of the course with more wind.    In the last tack towards the finish line, Felina slowly crept ahead of Katadin. We later learned that Chris, captain of Felina, took the weight of her wishbone boom with the topping lift in the weakening breeze, a clever maneuver to finish seconds ahead of Katadin.  Racing Tip #4 – Maintain the twist in the leach by supporting the weight of the wishbone boom with the topping lift. Horsefeathers, with that ginormous sail was already out of sight and Charlie was probably already at his mooring, feet up and polishing off a beer.

Catching up to the fleet raised our spirits after such a calamitous start, but perhaps and an even more impressive highlight was spotting a whale breaching on our port side while heading back to the clubhouse. Gregg saw it first and I readied the camera but when it surfaced I almost missed it trying to point and focus so I waited wide eyed and committed the awesome moment to the original memory card in my brain. Sometimes you just have to experience life without capturing it to share, savouring the moment for yourself. After all, I called it earlier that day so it was a gift from the universe for me. Coincidence, I think not.

For the non-competitively inclined, there was a Geo-cruise. During the afternoon, the cruisers crossed paths with the racers to make for a Nonsuch Tour de Force on the Bay, while the Chester Race Week’s fleet of sailboats, participating in the largest keel boat regatta in Eastern Canada, formed a backdrop to the Nonsuch fleet. Seeing the Bay choked with sailboats would have been a spectacular vista from the air.

The Saturday evening award presentation and dinner is always a fitting climax to the day’s activity. The trophy will be coming back to our home to roost for the winter and I think we earned it with Catalyst II’s surprising comeback. After the meal, Allan Shaw our president, announced to the crowd that he would like to retire his position and that Chris Ouellette, current secretary, would be moving up to fill the role. He asked for a volunteer for the secretary position and the room fell silent. Then he turned to me. The evening before he asked if I would be interested but my life is too large at the moment with working full time and with other commitments. “Perhaps when I’m retired” I said. Well now he is looking at me, heck the entire room is looking at me. I duck behind my husband and jokingly ask if he had a protest flag in his pocket. We are trying to downside our lives as the hectic pace we live is taxing. Again, Allan emphasized that he couldn’t retire until someone filled the position and the next thing I know I’m standing at the front of the room with the executive for a photo opportunity. I guess I was “voluntold” or perhaps in old nautical terminology, “press ganged”. I’m still wondering how this happened but it’s growing on me. Life is like the wind...you never know what direction it will take you...one can only adjust the sail. Chris assures me there’s nothing to it, I hope they aren’t famous last words.

The rendezvous was rounded off with a Saturday overnight stay at LYC, more eggs benny Sunday morning and a farewell to old and new Nonsuch friends. See you at the annual dinner in February. Happy sails, happy trails.

And they're off at the start.

Chanterelle and Felina crossing tacks.

Horsefeathers 36 leading Chanterelle 26 and Hubba Hubba 26.

Felina and Catalyst II milling about at the start.

Race course.

Dexterity into the mystic.

Katadin to weather of Chanterelle.

Katadin and Felina closing on the finish line.

Replacement shackle and remedy.

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We reverse patterns for Punch Needle!

8/23/2019

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I got shingles!

8/22/2019

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(Before you give me heck I know Shingles is a nasty medical issue!)

Hubby and I just returned from a visit to Ontario. My brother-in-law and his wife celebrated their 50th anniversary in grand style with all kinds of trips down memory lane through photos and stories. They have a lovely family and many friends, a testament to the kind of people they are. The trip was also to bury Gregg’s parent’s ashes and hold the memorial for his mom who passed away last October on her 100th birthday. We also interred the ashes of my sister-in-law’s mother Gladys in the same plot. Many stories ensued as everyone took turns recounting fun memories and tales of their lives; it was a lovely tribute, happy and bittersweet all in one.

One tale about Gregg’s parents made me smile; the meeting and beginning of the love story between his father Jim and mother Wynn. Apparently Jim, an air force pilot met Wynn at a dance. Wynn and her friend liked to go to the air force dances, but only when it was officer night as they hoped to meet and perhaps snag a man of rank.   The two met and danced the night away and at the end of the evening while a bit imbibed; he put her in a cab and only realized he hadn’t asked her last name the following day. I guess she’d made a big impression because he decided to dial every number in the phone book, starting with the A’s and asking if a Winnifred lived there. Being of Irish decent, he was touched by a bit of luck, because Wynn was an Achurch, the third listing in the book. How sweet and mega romantic is that!   Perhaps if her last name had begun with Z, I might not writing this blog, but I’d like to think he would have forged ahead risking blisters from dialing the old rotary phone to the last number.

Before I left Nova Scotia for our visit, we had a bus load of 25 rug hookers from the states. These gals covered a lot of territory on their pilgrimage to visit the Rug Hooking Museum of North America and every rug hooking shop along the way. They still managed to find inspiration in our store even though we were pretty much at the end of the line. I can imagine the multitude of wool and patterns stowed away on that bus! It’s going to be a very busy winter for those rug hookers!

Our lives have been hectic lately. I like to keep busy but I’m worn a bit thin. We spent two weeks priming and painting cedar shingles, 30 bundles in total, first priming them dark grey and then the black topcoat for the apartment building we own.   We’ve put it on the market but couldn’t let it go in a sad condition. The insides are immaculate but some of the shingles were brittle so we’ve hired carpenters to replace them. We tried to keep the cost down by doing some of the work ourselves but painting the shingles and hanging them to dry in our garage was laborious and tiring. Panicked for time, we painted till the wee hours of the morning so by the time we left for Ontario we weren’t speaking as the stress of it all had taken its toll and our tongues. We were so sleep deprived we didn’t really care; silence meant we didn’t have to form full sentences or linger in coherent thought.   The time away recharged our batteries back to full strength, it was so relaxing there we almost hated to come back home.

People keep asking if we are enjoying our boat and I hate to answer, “Not really” but it’s the way it is. She’s been left to bob up and down as there is only so much time to play. The electric winch gave up the ghost on our first sail and there’s been no time to fix it. Anyone that knows the Nonsuch is familiar with the ginormous sail that needs raising. It takes the two of us to pull it up by hand, Gregg at the mast pulling and me in the cockpit trying to steer the boat with my foot while taking up the slack. Gregg wants to take it all apart first to check and see if it only needs a cleaning before calling in the expert.

This past weekend was the 2019 Nonsuch Rendezvous and we were going come hell or high water and although we got there late, we had a great time. Of course it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Our outhaul shackle pin snapped as we were about to cross the start line of the race which put a damper on the moment but there was a silver lining. That story will come later. Well that’s it for now more shingles wait!

This waWynn and Jim, young and in love.
Below is Jim (right) in his captain seat of a 747 he flew for Air Canada. This was his last flight from Hawaii before he retired in 1981.

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Something New For You!

8/14/2019

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We are currently in the process of hand-dyeing and making Mini Skein, 6 Values for your rug hooking and punch needle shading projects. We've started with Skin Tone and Flesh Tone and Mossy Green but plan to do an assortment of beautiful colours. We've already received orders for Sunflowers and Rope so stay tuned.

Six - 6 Value Skeins, 2 ply 100% Wool, beautifully hand dyed for $25.95 a package.

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Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Daze of Summer Bundles

7/31/2019

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Beautiful beach colours in limited edition bundles.
Only two each and once sold no more. Sapphire, Turquoise, Emerald, Kelly Green and Coral

Each bundle contains:
Two 1/4 yds of dyed wool, one light and one medium
Two Mini Skeins of hand dyed yarn to coordinate,
Dyed roving
Scissor Bling with beads selected to match each bundle.
$52.95/Bundle

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I love lilies but so do the deer!

7/25/2019

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LILIES by Tanya McNutt

butSpring and summer, aka the two growing seasons, seem to be riddled with a lot of death and destruction. I stood crestfallen before my gardens this morning, surveying the ruin after the deer had feasted on my prized plants. I wondered why I do this every year. Einstein said only a fool does the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome, so I guess I’m a class A fool. I suppose, each year, I hope for a different result but I’m forsaken time and time again.

This year was a trifecta of misfortunes. I watched my hard work be destroyed in spring when the four legged apocalypse decimated my prized lily foliage, dining on the tender shoots as the leaves poked their heads out of the ground, chewing the slender leaves down to nubs. Sure the leaves continued to grow but were now pointless, literally and figuratively. What I love most about this graceful plant are the long and graceful leaves, the flowers are secondary.

Speaking of flowers, a few nights ago, the deer descended the back hill and devoured hundreds of newly forming buds, leaving one or two per plant so I’ll know what colour and type of lily they would have been, a sample to show what I’ll be missing. Oh why am I kidding myself, it’s just a tease, they’ll be back in a few days to claim what’s left.

For years my lilies were safe but now the deer have acquired a taste for them. The book says they eat bark and woodland foliage, since when did they crave something more exotic? On the path to my house, they passed a smorgasbord of delights to feast on, but no, the last stop on their journey before the road and the harbour is Chez Christine’s, All You Can Eat Salad Bar, so tell all your friends. I see they’ve started eating the flowers on my hostas too, which is okay as long as they leave the leaves alone, once again I like the variegated foliage more. I know its only a matter of time before I come out one morning and one of my giant four foot round hostas looking like it had a brush cut.   I planted these back in the day when I was ignorant of what plants deer prefer so I live with the consequences and whine when it happens.

Spring remained cold this year, or so it seemed. It took a while for winter to leave but as soon as the weather warmed enough to work outside I spent days on my knees removing last year’s dead matter and weeding the new growth already encircling my plants like armies converging on a castle. Our soil is super rich so weeds grow at a faster rate and dwarf the plants quickly, choking out and strangling their vitality, stunting their growth so they produce less flower heads.

I worked hard and the gardens were pruned and preened of the interlopers and I thought I would wait a week before I lay down the weed cloth, newspaper and mulch, figuring I’d have one more go at the grass roots that are long and interwoven under the soil, tentacles that reach out and shoot up all over the dang place. But, the best laid plans and he who hesitates is lost was never truer because the rains came, and came and came some more. Each droplet a torrential weapon, beating the tender shoots now soggy and limp, into the ground. It rained as if an ark might appear over the horizon.

Weeds love rain. They survive nicely without the sun, thrive actually with amazing speed, they shot up out of the dirt and dwarfed the plants around them in a matter of two weeks. There is grass over a foot higher than my peony bushes which stand at least three feet high. The grass and weeds came back bigger and better than before. It was disheartening watching from the kitchen window as my gardens were overran with the unwanted.

Then the final scourge; the winds. Just as the plants recovered and grew after the weeks of rain, it blew like stink for days. Timed perfectly with the blooming peonies, irises and poppies, they smashed the delicate flower heads into the ground, the dirt fracturing and then rotting their delicate petals.   All of their essence and beauty beaten into the earth, lying limp and helpless around me. I rescued some of the peonies for a small bouquet but the other flowers were too frail and damaged to revive.

So why do I put in the effort when the rewards are snatched away time and again. Every year I shake my head and say I won’t do this again, but then I forget over winter and dream about all the beauty and colour that will bloom for my pleasure. I love flowers. I love pretty things. I especially love the smell of peonies so much so I have eight plants of varying colours to enjoy. If only I could.

I could erect a fence to solve the deer problem but mother nature is a different story. I love her when she’s kind, respect her when she’s mean, and know it isn’t personal, but really, give us a break mother! The weather seems to be harsher and less predictable, perhaps it’s time to put my efforts into something more guaranteed like planting flowering shrubs that withstand weather better and don’t require as much attention as their fairer cousins the perennials…..

LILIES by June Gorman Whynott

LILIES by ME

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Lots of new things at the studio!

7/4/2019

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Waiting for Midnight being hooked by Christine Morse. It comes in various sizes.

Diamonds Are Forever

Upsy Daisy

Upsy Daisy Runner

Selkie Song

Piece by Piece

Village Vantage

Puzzle

Canadian Floral

Mermaid Tale

Mermaid Tale Hooked

Fabulous Ewe

We also have 50 new Dyed Abrashed Wools posted on the website!
Click this link to view!
www.encompassingdesigns.com/abrashed.html

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Struggling with blood sugar!

5/23/2019

19 Comments

I finally bit the bullet and gave in to the idea of prescription drugs to help with my blood sugar problem…..oh how I hate saying the word….diabetes. Although I was doing a decent job keeping the scores down by watching what I eat and exercising, one evening over the Christmas holidays I had a bit too many dark’n stormies and starting eating snacks being offered and I elevated my blood sugar to scary levels. The sugar alone in the ginger beer probably did me in, add in the rum, potato chips and chocolate, sigh…my bad.

When I got home and tested myself I was over the limit of the machine capability so it didn’t even register a number….it said “HIGH”. I was still tipsy but it sobered me up instantly and I started dancing and jumping around the kitchen until I knocked it down to 20. Although still scary, at 2:00 in the morning that would have to do and I went to bed exhausted. I must have damaged my pancreas beyond what was my normal because after that I could no longer keep the scores below 10. It was very disappointing and made me review where I was headed if I couldn’t keep things under control. Diabetes is nothing to fool with. The eyesight is effected, the heart, the kidneys and there could be toes and even limbs amputated.

So I made an appointment with my doctor to get a prescription and walked out with Metformin.   I was on it for three weeks before I noticed any difference in my scores, but it was a nominal change. Somehow I was under the impression it lowered them to a normal range, that being of a non-diabetic person, but found out with a subsequent trip to the doctor that they really only reduce the number by one. The misconception I was under was very disappointing and I questioned how other people I know on this drug eat pasta, rice and potatoes, desserts with abandon and drink alcohol like it’s a cure for the disease.   I still had to work very hard to stay in check so I wondered why I even bothered with the drug, especially once the side effects hit like a Mack truck.

Not that I hoped to lay back and let the drug do the work and eat what I wanted, that was never my intention, but only having a slight bit of help didn’t seem worth what was to come when the debilitating side effects started to rear their ugly head three weeks into taking the pills. At first it was subtle; an ache started in my thighs and then gradually spanned my entire legs, creeping into my hips like a slithering snake. I might be 60, but I can honestly say that I’ve never had any aches in the morning, I’ve been able to bounce out of bed like a thirty year old. Now I could barely get my legs over the side. I tend to cross my ankles and feet in bed, something I learned to do after an injury to a knee that helped to stabilized it, but I tried to do that and couldn’t get my left leg to position over my right. This is weird I thought. I’d read all the information that came with the drug, a three page print out from the pharmacy and there was a list of potential side effects including muscle and joint pain. These new developments couldn’t be a coincidence and seemed the only explanation for what was happening to me.

Then the diarrhea hit. Another listed side effect. I’ve been down that path a few times in my life, we all have the occasional illness or eat something nasty that causes the fiery trots, but this was a whole new caliber of the runs. This was like a road side bombing, no warning and no time to get to a bathroom before the blast. Three times this crippled me, oh the mess….and brought on fear to leave my home.

But although I was struggling, I continued with the drug until one night when I woke up at 3:00 am and bolted upright in bed with the most powerful urge to vomit I have ever experienced in my life and by golly I’ve had flues and morning sickness from hell to compare it too. I swallowed like mad to keep it down as I struggled to get out of bed with my stiff and painful joints, hoping against hope that my hand would hold it all back, protecting the pups and the room from an explosion of stomach contents. I remembered reading that nausea and vomiting were side effects and that if these symptoms start after being on the drug for a while it could be the result of developing lactic acidosis, rare and life threatening, to stop the drug immediately as this would, not could, result in death.

That was enough for me, I’d taken my last pill.

So another trip to the doctor and she gave me Januvia. This came with a long list of side effects as well. I waited three weeks until all the physical problems the first drug caused had all but disappeared and my legs once again were pain free. I was only on the Metformin shy of two months and in that time I ruined my perfect bowels and could barely walk. It seemed wrong on many levels. It was like trading a witch for the devil.

So this new one caused constipation, oh joy, and once again I pretty much ruined my perfect system that had been as regular as a clock on the wall. The pain began in the third week, once again I could barely walk, with hips that refused to move, thighs that were painful to touch, the mere brushing of the fabric of my jeans sent me into spasms, the muscle screaming when I touched flesh against the bone. I could barely lift my knees and I had pain in my back where my kidneys are. One of the lovely side effects of this drug is kidney failure. When I mentioned it to the doctor she said that diabetes will destroy my kidneys all on its own so it’s a lose situation, but I feel this drug was probably speeding it up. I feel doomed!

My stomach area was so sore that I couldn’t lean up against the kitchen sink to wash dishes.   I had gas so badly that it felt like a knife was rammed between my ribs slicking my lungs. If I turn too quickly the pain ripped across my torso so that I almost passed out.

I’ve never taken drugs, mostly because I’m in good health, but I knew that every drug has side effects and my concerns were confirmed. I am very aware when it comes to my body, I notice every subtle change. Maybe some don’t equate aches and pains to drugs but my body went from day to night for me, there was no disputing the drugs were the blame. I know there are many different medications for blood sugar problems on the market but quite frankly I don’t want to try anymore, I’ll have to find something else to help with this disease.

There are herbal remedies I am going to try and also it’s been suggested I make an appointment with a Dr. Wu to see if there is anything that can help to stimulate my pancreas into working properly. I’m willing to try anything. I’m open minded about acupuncture, it gave me my life back when I was stricken with environmental problems in the past. In the meantime I’m eating very carefully and waving my arms up and down, one of the most effective ways of lowering my numbers, and as soon as my legs stop hurting I’ll be jumping up and down on the trampoline and walking up and down the driveway, perhaps even while I eat my meals. Whatever I have to do I will do and keep things in check for as long as I can. Maybe once I get older and joint and muscle pain is prevalent I won’t notice the extra struggles and go back on the pills. We will see how this evolves. If any of you have had success with alternatives for diabetes I would appreciate your sharing!

19 Comments

How copying a pattern hurts a business.....

5/6/2019

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I haven’t ranted for a while so I guess this is due….I have a reputation for telling it like it is so here goes.

Every designer of patterns hopes that the occasional lecture about copyright will inform and educate, but there is another side to this topic that isn’t mentioned often and that’s how copying hurts a business, especially a craft businesses that has little mark-up on product and depends on every dollar to survive.

It was brought to my attention recently that yet another one of my designs had been copied and hooked. I have a photo of this rug to prove it but I won’t post it. It isn’t my intention to humiliate this person, and after the last egg on my face for being too quick to judge, I’m just going to put this out into the universe and if I touch and educate on more person I’ll be happy.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to rant about copyright infringement again today, once a year will be enough and 2019 is already covered. What I am going to chat about is an old saying that used to float around, I’ve even said it a few times as a lay person, but now that I’m a professional hooker with a studio, it has ramifications.

CHARLES CALEB COLTON said “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. I beg to differ. Is it flattery when someone has an original thought and everyone else jumps on the accolade trail? Is it a compliment to copy someone’s work or style to claim it as your own, because the message you relay is, “Look what I did!”

On the flip side, it’s an incredible rush when a customer buys one of my designs and hooks it. Now that’s tenfold, mega dose, flattery! My chest pumps out, my mouth forms a toothy smile and that in a nutshell is the reason why I do this! Why I spend hours and sometimes days penciling out a design, with you, my valued customers in mind! Hell yes I’m flattered, I almost choke over the lump that forms in my throat and turn my head to hide my leaking eyes. You talented rug hookers make my day, week, month and year!!   And after a purchase of a pattern, I have income to forge ahead and make more designs and offer more products for you to peruse and incorporate into your precious rugs; that’s how business works.

There are cases where flattery is legitimate and wanted.   The clothing industry for instance. If someone is sporting a gorgeous scarf that’s a ‘must have’ you go out and purchase one exactly like it, the original wearer may or may not be flattered, but the designer would be most gracious to have another sale. Of course in this scenario copying a style is wanted and expected, so the designer and the middle man can make money, support their families and pay their mortgage. If someone wishes to own that beautiful scarf they don’t try to create one like it or go to the store and steal a copy (well, some do but for this scenario we’re concentrating on the honest folks), they go out and pay for one. It’s a rule, it’s a no brainer, it’s the way of the world, it’s proper and expected. So why should rug hooking be any different?

So some believe that people who copy patterns don’t really understand what they are doing and I say bullshite to that. We are supposed to be civilized; we walk erect and have an evolved, modern day brain so we have no excuse taking something that doesn’t belong to us! Period! I’m told all the time that it’s okay to do one copy for personal use, and if you change the title, or alter the design say 10%, by taking something out or adding something in, it’s acceptable. NO IT’S NOT, but I do digress. This rant isn’t about copyright rules, this is about the ramifications of copying and how it affects a shop owner/designer.

Seeing my pattern copied and changed slightly, I didn’t feel flattered at all. Angry, sad and violated was the bag of emotions than ran rampant through my mind.   To me the rug represented money lost that could have paid one of my employees for the day, helped buy supplies, kept the lights on and cover some of that expensive overhead a legitimate, registered business creates. This loss came directly out of MY pocket because I have to make it up.

Through the disappointment of seeing this rug, my dark sense of humour brought forth a cynical laugh. Although 99% of it was an exact duplicate, the copier added a few bits and bobs. An improvement? I think not. This particular design was one of my more clever ones and was a great source of pride for me, so it came off as a lame attempt to make it their own and in my opinion they ruined the entire balance of the pattern. I’ve got this steel trap of a brain that forgets nothing and now every time I look at that design I will see their rendition and it’s going to feel tainted.

Ignorance is no defense. If you drink and drive and hit someone, is it the fault of the alcohol or the willingness to drink and get behind the wheel? I didn’t know what I was doing is no longer acceptable. When copying a pattern, somewhere there has to be a little niggling in the pit of your stomach telling you this is wrong and Sista, it’s not gas, it’s guilt causing that flutter! And if for some reason you truly didn’t know, once you read this that excuse is out the window, and if you continue to offend that makes you an out’n out thief, no different than if you walked into my shop and stuffed a pattern in your purse. In this day and age when social media screams about Copyright infringement, magazines write about it, the Guild advocates for it and it’s a regular conversation between rug hookers, we can no longer claim that we live in a cocoon.

So the person that prompted this rant and anyone else that has done it in the past and seemingly gotten away with it, you are the kinds of people that help cause the demise of shops. Every pattern stolen is money out of the owner’s pocket that is needed to buy supplies and produce more beautiful things for you to purchase. Bank accounts don’t fund themselves, its money in for money out.   My shop in particular is large and has a lot of overhead and most of the time we struggle to keep our heads above water. Perhaps if I let Shane and Deborah go and do all the work myself or sell under the table and cheat the government by not reporting actual income like some, I could reap a bit of financial reward from my hard work, but most of the time, especially now with our dollar so poor and the US exchange being so high we lose close to 40% right off the top so there is little or no profit left. We can never afford to be copied but in this economy it is even worse! You can’t take flattery to the bank, so no, Mr. Colton, imitation is not a form of flattery….sincerely!

17 Comments

Rug Show in Japan

5/1/2019

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I am so very proud to share photos of an amazing gallery of hooked rugs from Tokyo, Japan. Supported by the Pearl K. McGown Guild, this display of beautiful rugs would have been spectacular to be viewed in person, but thanks to Chizuko Hayami for transporting us there through the magic of digital technology.

She photographed rugs of the designs that originated from our studio. Both she and her students have been wonderful supporters of our patterns and I am always thrilled to see these skilled rug hookers bring each pattern to life. I am honoured to see our combined efforts creating international eye-candy.

I even spotted a few other rugs that had been hooked in previous years that Chizuko has shared with me. Thanks so much for making my day and I know you all must be so very pleased with your efforts. Thank you all for loving rug hooking and sharing with the rest of the world!

This view would really invite you in!

How Much Is That Doggie.. Bell Pull

Our Happy Hooters Bell Pull - Daytime.
The same pattern but so very different colour plans. Lovely!

Mahone Bay Three Churches Framed

Designed by Charlene Scott, a whimsical Mahone Bay's Three Churches beautifully hooked.

Both of these iconic patterns are called Historic Lunenburg.
Two very different styles, both beautiful!

All Gulls, No Buoys, Sue Cunningham Design

Designed and hooked by Yoshiho Nara, she has graciously offered this pattern to the studio.

No Crib For His Bed

This William Morris Orange Tree looks like a sculpted Persian rug, I can imagine running my hand across its velvety surface. Excellent! Beautiful colour plan.

This pattern is SHIRLEY, a whimsical Jacobean design from our collection. It was expertly hooked by KYOKO OKAMURA as a stitch sampler. Everything about it is truly amazing, from the special techniques in the Jacobean flowers, stems and leaves, to the hooked plaid border. Zoom in on some of these flowers to see the clever detailing. I really like the bit of hounds-tooth patterning in the flower in the upper left corner of the center design. She has done a basket weave for the center design background. Every square inch of this rug has been lovingly brought to life. Beautifully done Kyoho.

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Dyeing to die for!

4/26/2019

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The Dye Guy has been dyeing like crazy. 80 plus yards have gone through the dye bath this week and more coming! The elves are working the evening shift as well! The shelves are looking plump!

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Easter Weekend Hours

4/19/2019

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Friday April 19th : CLOSED
Saturday April 20th: 10-5pm
Sunday April 21st: CLOSED
Monday April 22nd: 12-5pm

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Dorade Boxes

4/16/2019

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A couple of years ago I’d never heard of a Dorade box. Then we buy our first sailboat and we remove them and I find myself getting an education on refinishing tired teak. The wood was in pretty sad condition and I remember arguing that we needed to replace them with new, because the crumbling finish was exposing mold and the wood underneath looked dyer than the Sahara. Surely it had breathed its last breath and would fall apart in my hands.

But then I stripped them with the heat gun, cleaned them with a teak product and after only one coat of varnish, I had to tell hubby he was right. That doesn’t happen often, well not as often as it should, but he just smiled and reminded me that he had 50 years’ experience with boats and I barely had a couple of months under my belt….point taken.

So I stripped the boxes, the cockpit table, cockpit floor, cup holder, the wheel, the swim ladder steps and the handrails and made them look brand new. It was magic. Teak is hard and tough and amazing wood and working with it has bumped its way to the top of my list of things I like to do. It gleams of gratitude.

Twelve coats of Epiphane later, the boxes were installed and looked good as new and will last our lifetime with a light sand and recoat every couple of years. This year I hope to have canvas covers made for them to slow the sun damage and cut down on the work needed to keep them looking fresh. One disappointing thing I have learned, nothing lasts forever on a boat, maintenance is ongoing, the sun and salt guarantee it.

The deck under the boxes was a sad sight. Forty years of grime and hardened sealer took a while to remove. The sealant now dried and hard, had filled in the dips of the nonskid surface that would need a lot of gouging out with a small chisel. There were a few broken fingernails, scraped knuckles and a bit of cursing, the air a sickening shade of blue under the canvas cover. Our Nonsuch 33 has two boxes so that meant double the work but there is a deep satisfaction knowing these newly rejuvenated boxes sit on top of a pristine area. Call me crazy but I wish the boat had more teak items to refinish like a lovely combing top that I drool over on other boats, but hubby thinks I might change my mind over time so we could use less.

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Happy Anniversary To EWE! Our Guild is 40!

4/12/2019

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This year is the 40th anniversary of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia. Forty years! Wow! This is a big deal peeps! Of course, rug hooking has been going on a lot longer than forty years, but organizing it into a guild and starting our rug school has really brought this craft into focus in our province. It brought us together and made us part of something bigger than a simple little past time, giving many the opportunity to explore and share this passion. Like a tiny seed the Guild has grown like a mighty, 40 year old oak.

Rug hooking has provided many with added purpose, something outside the day to day comings and goings, something creative and special. Ask any rug hooker that travels across North America and even further afield to take workshops, attend schools and congregate for hooking events, how this craft has enhanced their lives and you’ll be inundated with smiles and abundant tales.

Most of us will agree rug hooking has enriched our lives and for someone like me it’s been life altering. I’m immersed up to my chin with both feet planted in this business providing quality supplies, unique designs and wool to drool over. It has certainly added a dimension to my life that I would have never thought possible back in the day of 9 to 5, pushing a pencil in the office grind. Being able to explore my creative side in a profession that can’t really be classified as work, I thank my lucky stars every day that my circumstance has allowed this blessing to happen and continue. When I turn the key and walk through the door of my studio, I’m met with the most beautiful array of colour and this visual feast shapes a broad smile across my lips and a flutter in my heart. Truly, entering the door is like receiving a hug from a rainbow. I can hardly believe my good fortune and I pinch myself occasionally to make sure it’s real.

I’ve been thinking about a commemorative pattern to celebrate the four decades of the guild. I think about the rug hookers I’ve met, some have passed while others continue carrying the torch; some have been here from the start while newbies continue to join in. I’ve been hooking for 20 years, have been a guild member since day one, yet it seems only yesterday that I pulled my first loop.

Although when one thinks of rug hooking people come to mind, all the many friends we have made, teachers that had given their time and shared their knowledge, but we mustn’t forget the real hero behind our passion, the magnificent sheep. Whether you hook with wool yarn or wool fabric cut into strips, it is clearly the most desired medium for this art form. The blissful, peaceful sheep; heavenly creatures working behind the scenes, growing and providing us with the best, hard wearing, soft and abundant material to create our rugs.

So obviously my vision for the guild anniversary had to represent a sheep. It’s leaping through the number 40, perhaps being counted by a sleep deprived soul tossing and turning under the covers. I made the legs and feet primitive hooks, the most important tool of the craft and deserving of a mention. The background has fireworks, stars and steamers shooting out in all directions for this grand celebration of our guilds birthday.

I envisioned hit and miss for the four corners, an old style tradition to use up leftover worms. A simple design of the past that has been carried to modern day rugs, a style never aging, never losing its appeal. I wasn't able to create that in Photoshop, my skill level there is a mere one out of ten.

I hope you like this pattern and if you do, it can be yours. I am offering it as a paper design that is free with any purchase, either from shopping at the studio or mail order. Please remember to ask for it when placing an order as it won’t be automatically put in your parcel.   This pattern is copyrighted and meant for a one time personal use only so please respect this. For those not interested in transferring it to backing on their own, we will be selling it made up on Linen as well.

If you hook this piece and send us a photo we will vote on the one we like best and there will be a reward of a $150.00 Gift Certificate to the studio to add whatever you desire to your stash. The cut-off for this contest will be June 30th, 2019 so that’s plenty of time to hook it. I’m not worried about numbers, if only one rug hooker sends a photo; well that’s a guaranteed prize! The size is 18” x 19. The paper pattern will be available until the end of April at which time the 40 will be removed from the design and we will sell the pattern on Linen. Who doesn't love to hook sheep! I look forward to seeing this design spring to life in full colour from the creative minds of our customers. Cheers!

I used Photoshop to tint the pattern in a soft and simple plan to show how delightful it might be once your wool colours it in. Cheers fellow rug hookers!

4 Comments

The Flying Horse

4/3/2019

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I’m torn. Back in 2014 I designed this flying horse to commemorate the Year of the Horse in the Chinese calendar. The Horse is the seventh in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac sign. The Years of the Horse include 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026... The 12 Chinese horoscope animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.

About 25 years ago, Hubby and I were visiting his parents in BC and spent a day wondering around China Town on the waterfront of Vancouver and came across this little gem in one of the many shops. He was always interested in the flying horse; feeling it was unique from all the other horse statues, art and stories in history so we purchased it. When I set about to design the pattern my first thought was the Flying Horse to represent this year in the Chinese calendar and even used our statue for the reference.

The Chinese characters in each corner stand for Happy New Year and felt they framed the horse perfectly. I thought running the animal through the 0 of 2014 would be clever and create a balanced picture. I like the design, but I’m not sure if I should remove the 2014 and characters and finish only the horse and swallow with the background and a border, perhaps making a pillow for our home study.

Although I love the look of this pattern I’m not sure if I want the already outdated year to be such a focal point and I’m not Chinese, so this symbolism means little to me. We are going to produce patterns with the horse only as I it will make a lovely rug. A photo of just the horse would probably be less off-putting to anyone purchasing the design, than having to ask what all the other stuff is for?

I can easily remove all the red and fill in the body and background but my dilemma is that I love the red influence, how it plays off the antique bronze green finish of the animal and that creamy beige background. I can’t only remove the year and leave the Chinese characters either because the horse is balanced on the date and if that is removed the horse is too far to the left and although I’m not a great fan of symmetry, this would be too lopsided even for me.

I want to finish the hooking but I’m stymied by indecision on which way to go forward because there are as many pros as cons for me. A week later after digging it out of storage, it’s become a stumbling block because I’ve promised myself to complete this project before I move ahead with another and I don’t want my frame being empty when there is so much I want to do. Just make a decision Christine and stick to it instead of pitching it back and forth like a ball. I usually know exactly what I want but for this case I could use a bit of help. What would you do? If I choose to erase the motifs in question I will set some red in the border, a line or two before the outside plaid I’ve selected to frame it.

A brief History of the Flying Horse Of Gansu
Eastern Han dynasty, 25 - 220 AD
Gansu Provincial Museum

This outstanding bronze horse has become an iconic emblem of China. Racing through the skies, it treads on a swallow (base of statue) that looks up in amazement. Unlike Pegasus, the Western flying horse, the wingless Han steed is meant to be understood metaphorically rather than literally; it represents an ideal horse that can gallop so fast that it seems to outrun the wind. The sculpture is perfectly balanced on only one hoof, to complete the illusion of flight.

The Five Elements of Horse is Fire (Huo), which symbolizes enthusiasm and energy. The animal gives people an impression of independence and integrity. Its spirit is recognized to be the Chinese people's ethos - making unremitting efforts to improve themselves with passion and diligence.

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Maritime Made TV Show

3/28/2019

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Maritime Made from Eastlink TV taped a video about our studio!

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Bunnies With Tulips finished at last!

3/21/2019

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I awoke yesterday and realized it was March 20th, the day before the first full day of spring. Another year and the season has snuck up on me. Now spring is a great source of happiness and joy, but and there always seems to be a but, it signifies another year passing without finishing my Bunnies With Tulips rug. It’s been so long I can’t recall which year I started it and I could look back at previous blogs to find out, I have been hauling it out with optimism for some time, but I’m just going to move forward and do it!

Yesterday there were two hook-ins at the studio; the weekly afternoon one and the 3rd Wednesday of the month for the evening. I figured this was concentrated hooking time to finish the few loops needed to complete the rug, steam it and then go home for dinner. When I got back for the evening gathering, I zig-zagged stitched around the edge, cut it out and began adding the cording. I managed to whip one side before we said our goodbyes around 10:00 P.M. and then I went home determined to finish the job no matter how late the clock ground away.

It was going to be done for the first day of spring. I was up till 3:00 A.M. working at the speed of sound until my right arm felt a bit unhinged from tugging the yarn through the hole, but I don’t begrudge the yawning today at all. There’s the rug binding to be added but that can be done down the road but I’m notorious for not doing that job. I hate working with needles and prick myself silly and last evening as I sewed in the cording, I rammed the needle under the skin around my right thumb nail for a big ouchy. I don’t know why I’m so clumsy with sharp, pointy things but I spazz and injure myself every time.

So the rug is done and I am over the moon. I was inspired by a saying I saw on FB and copied to my page. The only thing standing between me and finishing this project are the three hundred others ones I want to start. So true! But is this really a viable excuse for procrastinating this long? So yesterday morning I dug out the wool to go with the rug and in the bag I discovered three other projects in various degrees of completion and I made a promise to them that I would do them before starting anything new. It’s time to put the horse before the cart. Shed all the weight of unfinished projects past to clear the way for future creativity. Inanimate objects seem to ferment guilt which clogs up my ability to embrace anything new without baggage.

There was a lovely flying horse I designed for the Year of the Horse in 2014 that’s niggling me next. I love the verdigris horse and the red Chinese letters for New Years. With only one or two evenings worth of work to be had I’ll mark another forgotten soul off my list. I’ll be so light and carefree after this purge of guilt from unfinished projects I might just feel unencumbered glee when starting the next riser.

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Dorade Boxes

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The Flying Horse

Maritime Made TV Show

Bunnies With Tulips finished at last!

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Diamonds Are Forever

Upsy Daisy

Selkie Song

Piece by Piece

Village Vantage

Puzzle

Canadian Floral

Mermaid Tale

Mermaid Tale Hooked

We also have 50 new Dyed Abrashed Wools posted on the website! ​ Click this link to view! www.encompassingdesigns.com/abrashed.html

Archives

Categories(Click on the categories for past blogs)

We also have 50 new Dyed Abrashed Wools posted on the website!
Click this link to view!
www.encompassingdesigns.com/abrashed.html

Categories
(Click on the categories for past blogs)