Blog Posts

COVID Couture

4/7/2020

I must say I am enjoying having the shop all to myself. There is a serenity there that envelopes me into a blissful state. I’ve often described walking through the door of my studio, seeing all the colour and feel as if I'm getting a hug from a rainbow. I do miss Shane and Deborah, that goes without saying, and I look forward to the pandemic being behind us so life can find a new normal and reunite the team. In the meantime, I’m making lemonade with this COVID-19 lemon and I’m thrilled to provide our products to those who wish to pass the time rug hooking.

What I like best about being alone in the studio is that I don’t have to fancy myself up to go to work. Not that I ever did, I’ve never been a splashy dresser, although I clean up well when I have to. I am most happy in old paint clothes so splattered with all the colours I’ve used over the years that people ask if I got any on the project I’m working on. I’m calling my new everyday attire my COVID Couture! I get up an get ready for the day and throw on crap clothes, no ironing, not worried about wrinkles so deep I could hide candy in the creases.

Ironing seems to be my nemesis and doing laundry is not on my radar until I’m short of something, so most of my good clothes generally lay on the laundry room floor. Good planning means that we have dozens of towels, thanks to Costco bulk buying, and many sets of bed sheets, and hubby and I have plenty of intimate wear and renovating clothes, so we can go quite a spell before I have to shovel a path through the mountain of laundry to get to the washing machine. Right now, hubby is wearing a pair of black faded jeans that have many holes, not the kind you buy purposely shredded, you know, the expensive ones that dictate that the less material the more you pay, no, these are worn thin and dissolving from pure age and being washed a hundred times.

I’ve never been good at keeping up with laundry so I play to my faults and buy enough underwear and socks to last a month or so. The heap sometimes stands as tall as the dryer, and oh I should mention that I have a stacking pair to give you a better idea of the height of those piles. When Larry comes to clean, I tell him not to open the laundry room door, concerned for his safely over the eminent avalanche. But before you judge me unfairly, I'm not a total Pig-pen, the rest of my house is uncluttered, tidy and clean, only the laundry room hides my dirty little secret, both figuratively and literally. I don't get stressed or overwhelmed at the sight of it, I just close the door and walk away, problem temporarily solved. Sometime in the next few weeks when the mood hits me and I'll do twenty loads in a day and feel satisfied. Why feel good in little increments when I can binge wash it all and feel over the moon fabulous. That's the way I roll!

I left the house today without bothering to pencil on my eyebrows. Without highlighting them, they are practically nonexistent, like Doris Mann's character played by Shirley MacLaine in Postcards From the Edge, when her daughter Suzanne Vale (Meryl Streep) draws on her eyebrows while she is in the hospital after being in a drunk driving accident. She tells her daughter, when I die make sure you don’t let anyone see me without my eyebrows. One of my top five favourite movies!

My blond eyelashes don’t show either, quite frankly I look like an albino with my pale skin especially wearing the black T-shirt I slept in last night that I’m wearing at work. I don’t have sweat pants but I’d wear them if I did and feel fabulous. No one sees me at the shop and I’m not the type to dolly up to put out the garbage so wearing loose, baggy and shapeless clothes, perhaps no bra, is an exercise in freedom I rather enjoy. Quite frankly, I’ve not been washing my hair every day either, every second day seems to be fine, and I’m loving this break from all the chemicals I usually put on my body every day from creams, shampoo and deodorant. At a time when we need an optimal immune system to fight the lurking virus, less product can’t hurt. So, give your bodies a break and go au natural, it’s healthier. I might look a fright but I feel wholesome and that dang virus doesn’t care what we look like, why fix ourselves up for it. (I will fix myself up for trips to the post office, I do have my pride) Another perk to wearing renovating clothes ensures I don’t have to worry about marker ruining good clothes as I draw out patterns or dye splashing all over me when I’m playing with wool.

You should see the state the shop is in. I put nothing back after I’ve used it. Shane would be shaking his finger at me but in my defense, I’m working at warp speed to get the orders out, so I’ll worry about the trail of patterns, wool dust, markers and piles of wool later. There are enough linen threads on the floor to weave a shawl. I feel absolutely no guilt, I’ll clean it later, as a matter of fact I’ve read somewhere that mess is a sign of genius……

My fella has been taking care of me. Last evening, I came home to roast chicken, dressing and various steamed veggies. He’s feeding me and does all the dishes so I can concentrate on working on the orders. I’ve been the canary in the mine for us for the last several weeks, making the trips out for provisions and to the shop while he hasn’t left the house in over a month. He keeps the firewood stacked and all of us warm. I like having a house hubby, I figured only one of us should go out, use the car, buy groceries. When I come home, he opens the door for me so I don’t touch it, and then we wash everything with soapy water. I wash up as well and clean up the car, my phone, my keys. It’s a lot of work but necessary to do our part for our health and community.

Yesterday I could have used a burly man to help me haul the load of parcels to the post office but what doesn’t kill me will make me stronger, well maybe in this new normal I shouldn’t use those words because it could kill me. Truthfully, I get a little nervous in the post office with a lot of people coming and going but I’m very careful. Touching nothing, including my face, wearing gloves to remind me not to touch my face, and washing everything down once back at the shop.

The Post Office now has a facial shield up between the public and the clerks and they have large red circles stickers with white footprints on the floor to show you where to stand six feet apart. They remind me of the bunny prints that used to be on the floor in Bill’s Store leading to Toy Land. Remember? Most folks abide by the rules but I hear some don’t. I’m really not sure why they think they are impervious to COVID-19 or why they don’t abide by the procedures, surely at this stage they’ve heard how serious it is?   The pandemic is a test of our character, it will show everyone who we really are to the world and we will remember the good, the bad and the ugly after it is over…….

8 Comments

Is wool an essential?

4/1/2020

7 Comments

I’ve been thinking about what quantifies as an essential service. Sure, food is a given and apparently toilet paper fits the bill considering the frantic buyout across North America. I suppose having to worry about being isolated for months, the thought of running out of bathroom tissue is a bit disconcerting, especially when the leaves aren’t out yet.

Its easy listing all the main essentials, the items that we need to survive like food, medications, furnace fuel, soap, propane, etc. but what about the needs to nurture our minds? Isolation can take a toll if we can’t find things to occupy our thoughts and our hands. Keeping them busy we are less likely to experience cabin fever, a term that originated from the pioneer days when the long winters confined people indoors resulting in irritability, listlessness, and other similar symptoms.

Crafts have always taken our minds off of our troubles, wiling away hours, dissolving malaise into thin air as we knit, stitch and pull loops. A quilt, a scarf, a hooked rug, something to show for our time and effort that might have been wasted on less meaningful things.

During this humanitarian crisis, don’t we need our crafts more than ever? Won’t they save our sanity as we struggle to get used to this new normal?   Some are alone, feeling even more anxiety than those that have family members for company and support but creative people won't be alone, they are so fortunate to have a rich gathering of like minded, social media friends so they can interact and feel connected in this trying time.

I hear people say they plan to clean their homes, but how much housework can we accomplish before we go stir crazy?   Who are we doing this for? We can’t invite anyone around to see how diligent we are with the vacuum cleaner so why bother? So don’t fret about cleaning, we need to express ourselves in meaningful ways, through our art in whatever medium we chose. We need to create!

If I couldn’t design, write and hook, my life would have less meaning. What is the point of this existence but to explore the creative? They say, happiness is the best medicine, and every crafter knows that our passions allow us to blissfully dwell in a happy place. Perhaps when we are occupied with creating, we are less anxious to go out and risk public appearances or disregard self distancing out of boredom.

Therefore, wool just might be essential for our mental health and well being, presenting a good argument that our crafts might be as important as food is for our physical health. I know a woman that would crawl naked over glass to get their hands on nice piece of wool….oh wait a minute….that’s me. Another important point, wiling away time with crafts reduces time that we will obsess over the state of our communities, our country and the world. We need to be informed but not inundated so our hobbies provide an excellent distraction.

I’m in a double risk category, over 60 and Diabetic, so at first, I panicked over the pandemic, but now I know that with care and by following the rules I should be safe. The more education I receive the more confident I have become and I adhere religiously to all the guidelines suggested. That being said I am no fool and once it hits this area the trips to the post office will cease immediately and I’ll be home with my feet up rug hooking like the rest of you.

I am so impressed with social media taking the place of social interaction. This safe forum allows people to share their projects, checking in with friends and loved ones, swapping recipes and telling their stories, sometimes sharing in grief and loss, connecting with people all over the world. What a fantastic way to keep in touch and stave off the loneliness of isolation, being a part of this world wide community of fiber artist.

So, who is to say that I don’t have a good case to work behind the scenes and service the needs of the right brained experience? Sending out hope and happiness with each parcel I wrap and take to the post office. I personally know of a few thousand rug hookers that would make a case for wool being an essential. Should I start a petition?

For as long as possible, I will work at the shop filling orders. I am diligent about practicing self distancing and keeping my hands away from my face and washing has become a constant habit. Because we don’t have walk in traffic, I won’t keep regular hours, arriving sometime between noon and one. I've been working late in the evenings so I need the mornings at home spending time with my pups. Both Shane and Deborah have been laid off so I am now the dyer, pattern maker and chief cook and bottle washer at the studio. I can be reached by email and the phone, if I don’t answer, leave a message and I will phone you back. I also hope to spend time designing new patterns over the next few months, I too need to be creative. We will be fully stocked and ready to serve you as soon as the bans are lifted and life adjusts to another new normal.

Boredom is a modern day curse. Our attention spans are shortening and we live in a world where we crave constant stimulation, but now, we will all be challenged to find ways to change our way of thinking or the isolation will be excruciating. We need to discover and indulge in the creative thought process and keep our hands from being idol. Nothing good ever came from being left alone with nothing to do.

7 Comments

How to make your frame work with backings that don't fit.

3/30/2020

3 Comments

How to manage a backing that is too small for the hoop or frame

Backing pulled tight on three sides instead of four will still hold very well. Just make sure you protect yourself from the exposed grippers!

Have you ever had a situation where the piece of backing was smaller than the top of your frame or hoop? It’s a common complaint, especially when pattern producers are chintzy on the excess border. In this case Gripper frames are less problematic because you can do a bit of maneuvering, but with a hoop there is no recourse but to sew material around the outer border.

As long as you have a flannel gripper cover or some means to protect your arms and hands while you hook, the pattern does not have to fit the frame perfectly. You can adjust the piece off to the side and pull it tight on the top bottom and one side, to hook away happily as in the picture above. Once, thinking I was finished a project, I trimmed off all the tiny frays, steamed pressed it, zig zagged around the edge leaving 1 ¼” border and cut out the rug before I realized I wasn’t happy with one of the colours on the border. So I slapped it on the one end of my frame and hooked the change easily.

Sewing strips of wool along an edge to extend it enough to put on a gripper frame or in a hoop works nicely but when sewing you should use a zig zag stitch because of the loose holes in the burlap or linen backing. Cotton Monk's Cloth is tighter holed so sewing with a straight stitch will work and rug warp is fairly tight as well.

Sewn on piece of wool. I find wool works best as it's fuzzy and grabs tight for less slipping.

Sewn edge to place backing in hoop.

Panty hose is a quick fix. Of course you won't be wearing them after the fact unless you're going for the shabby and not chic look. Just make a large hole in the backing with a primitive hook, fold the panty hose in two and pull the loop through. Then put the two ends through the loop, snug up and then the two tails will stretch over the grippers for a superman hold. The hose can be used over and over until they are picked to shreds.

Panty Hose, not just for legs anymore! Stretched over the grippers they hold tight and stay there.

3 Comments

Something to make you smile!

3/26/2020

3 Comments

I have a funny story associated with our “QUEEN OF THE SEA” pattern.  Funny in a sad, pathetic, kind of way. I have to wonder about some men.....

A while ago, I was in the studio just finishing up a new design, when a middle aged man comes in to browse the shop.   He saunters over to my work space and looks down at the drawing of a buxom mermaid, sitting on a rock with a baby mermaid in her arms.

I kid you not…his forehead broke out in tiny dots of perspiration. He kept staring at the mermaid’s over-endowed chest for an uncomfortable amount of time, mouth agape. The appeal was lost on me. First of all it was a drawing, thin marker lines on white paper and the breasts were very discreetly covered with starfish.

It was terribly awkward standing there so I did the only thing I could think of to do and asked him. “Do you think they’re big enough?”

I tell no lie…he replied, “Ooohhhhh yeessss”. It came out breathy, soft and slow, almost a whisper.

And then I just couldn’t resist and asked, “What do you think of the octopus?”   Referring to the big, two foot long octopus directly below the mermaid.

His reply? “What octopus?”

3 Comments

The shop is closing until further notice.....

3/24/2020

22 Comments

To our loyal customers.

Shane, Deborah and I had a meeting today and with a heavy heart we feel it is best to shut down the shop for mail order. This means the last trip to the Post Office will be Friday March 27th. As the virus continues to spread, it is only a matter of time before we are forced to close as a nonessential business. Not that any rug hookers feel we are nonessential, our wool is pretty important to us but our health and welfare have to take precedence. For as much as I am saddened to close the shop, my loyalty is to all the people in my community, province and country. We all need to work together to conquer this scourge.

The Mahone Bay post office has been struggling with people returning from trips who refuse to self isolated for 14 days. The staff know who have been away because they’ve been stock piling their mail. Unfortunately, when they return from holiday, some are walking through the door to collect it, showing a blatant disregard for the guidelines in place to protect us. At this point no one can claim ignorance and there is absolutely no reason for them to be abusive to the staff for trying to enforce the rules and protect themselves, but some are. It’s people like this that endanger us all. For this reason, I can’t in good conscience, send Shane, my son, to the Post Office to mail parcels nor do I wish to go myself being in a high-risk category, so Friday will be the last day parcels go out.

I would like to take this time to give thanks to the courageous folks on the front lines trying to keep the postal services flowing, as well as the grocery and drugstore cashiers who deserve our highest respect and gratitude for all they do. They are true heroes.

We will honour all of the orders we currently have on the board and we are all working together to make the kits, draw the patterns and dye the wool to fill them. If any new orders come in, we will check to see if the items are in stock and if they are, we will accommodate them, but we won’t be able to fill orders of custom kits or any dyed wool past Thursday.

For anyone desperately needing supplies for a project during this lengthy home stay, I can offer you a curbside pick-up service. I won’t be hanging around the shop each day but If you phone me at home or email, I will prepare the order and then you can pick it up, prepaid, on the door step at an arranged time. I’m sure once the pandemic hits our province hard, we will all be staying close to home but in the meantime as long as I am able, I will help in any way I can.

We are lucky to be able to connect on social media to share our thoughts and our projects and stay in touch for news in this tight community we’ve built as fiber artists. It will certainly help to stay the cabin fever as we are isolated in our homes.

I am certain the business will survive this trying time and we will be back at the helm as soon as possible. Like yourselves, I will be hooking at home to fill the days, maybe even finish that book I’ve been working on. While secluded at home, don’t worry about house work, no one will be coming by to see if you let things go. It's time to play and be in that happy place!

It’s time to create my friends, create!

May you, and all your loved ones be safe.

Christine

22 Comments

Be smart, do your part!

3/21/2020

1 Comment

I suppose it can be difficult to be optimistic in these difficult and scary times but we must keep our spirits up. We must smile and hope for the best. Someone said on Facebook that we shouldn’t worry about quarantine, stay home and work on our crafts, we’ve been training for this our whole lives!   A good chuckle when we need one.

The only certainly now is uncertainty, as we move forward blindly. We can do the basic to protect ourselves but there’s so many people willing to play Russian roulette with the virus but instead of a self-inflicted wound, it could impact all those around them. Pretty much all of the cases in Canada are the result of people returning from vacations, infecting those in near proximity in public places. I don’t want to make every blog I write about the pandemic, but I feel the need to warn and advise when I don’t see enough people adhering to the warnings and suggestions made by our Prime Minister and those in the know. Turn into CBC Radio One daily for updates around 12:30 pm. Another piece of good advice, don’t watch the news all day long, give yourselves a mental break from all the devastation. You need to be informed but not inundated!

I know of seven people who were traveling and came back to Mahone Bay and didn’t immediately self-isolate, made trips to the grocery store and at least one went to work before being told to stay home and I’m sure there are others. Just because we aren’t a hot spot for the virus doesn’t mean we can be complacent in our efforts to keep it at bay and out of the Bay!

Its disconcerting that very few people are wearing gloves in public in our town. I’m not sure why after so many warnings but I’m not sure they understand the ramifications. Sure, the gloves are to protect you, that goes without saying, BUT it also protects others if you are a carrier or sick and don’t know it yet. You are touching items in the stores, door knobs entering and leaving buildings. Expecting cashiers to wait on you in the post office and grocery stores. I was told of a case of a traveler had returned and went to the post office and was told they should be home in self isolation and the gentleman got angry with the person behind the counter.

Any time during the 14-day self-isolation after returning from a trip can present symptoms, just because you are good on day one to five, doesn’t mean it isn’t brewing. So many people have traveled and don’t self-isolate when they return home. They go to work and stock up on groceries in the stores. I can’t quite get my head around it but then I know not everyone is informed or listens to the right radio stations or television, some actually think it’s all Tom foolery. It’s going to be a hard lesson to learn when potential death comes knocking, and even if you are lucky enough to survive, what have you done to others you’ve been in contact with, to friends and loved ones? How can you be so callous with other’s people’s health and welfare?

And one of the main reasons to self-isolate and self-distance is not to overwhelm the medical system. If we all get sick at once more people will die because there won’t be adequate equipment or hospital faculties to take care of the masses. In Italy right now they have announced that anyone over 80 will not receive help because they are so overwhelmed. How very, very sad. I feel for the doctors that make decisions on who lives or dies, how horrific! These brave souls are putting themselves in harms way to save others and to date, six doctors have died in Italy caring for the ill. How many nurses? Protect yourselves and stay home for the health care workers who are fighting and dying to keep us alive!

Another thing, pay attention, you’d be surprised how many times you touch your mouth, eyes and nose every day without thinking; COVID-19 enters your body through the orifices of the face. Don’t touch them if you’ve been in public! Stay at least 6 feet away from people so if they did cough or sneeze the virus will fall to the floor instead of torpedoing towards your face.

This is no time to be selfish or thoughtless. It might be early days but prevention needs to start now, not when the bodies are piling up. We need to help one another. We are in this together come hell or high water so act accordingly and do the right thing!

Gloves are only effective if you:

Put them on in the car before entering the grocery store/drugs store, etc.
Opening the store doors holding an antibacterial wipe.
Wear while in the store to select items, us to touch the cart.
Leave the gloves on to drive home, if you picked something up they and the bags you’ve carried are compromised.
Take the purchases into the house, wipe or wash everything immediately before putting away in the fridge or cupboards, with the gloves on.
Standing over the garbage can, now take off the gloves by pulling the wrist part down and off the hand and dispose.
Use wipes or a soapy rag to clean the cupboard door in front of the garbage can, knobs on the entrance door, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE and surrounding areas of your house both inside and out. Start keeping tract of things you touch to cut down on over sanitizing. Now they even say to wash shoes as they can walk on sneezed contagions and you can carry it home, put your feet up on the coffee table and there it goes!! Threat you body as if you are a detective at a murder as not to contaminate the scene of the crime!
Go back outside and wipe the car door handles, clean the steering wheel and anything you may have touched. And don’t forget to clean the car keys whether a remote starter or a key, they have been touched with those gloves.

People who say they keep hand sanitizer and wipes in their car after leaving a building don’t realized they may have already infected the car door handle and probably the wheel before they get the sanitizer on. Same as the sanitizer stations in the stores. Getting in and out of the building you have doors to deal with. Another thing, pay attention, you’d be surprised how many times you touch your mouth, eyes and nose daily.

And one more tidbit I feel I must pass on. This is something I discovered when I had environment sickness and did a lot of research into what knocks out the immune system. If you plan to go out in public, don’t drink alcohol or drink pop for up to 24 hours before. The darker colas and root beer etc., are very cloudy when produced and the clearing agent they put in it to make it clear suppresses the immune system for about 24 hours. Statistically, Pop drinkers tend to get more colds and flues than others because of this. Alcohol does the same. So, plan your sips; this is no time to be running around without the only natural defense we have. Stay safe all!

WASH YOUR HANDS AND CHANGE YOUR PLANS!!

1 Comment

Same boat, new look!

3/18/2020

0 Comments

When Gregg brought Catalyst II, Nonsuch 33 #22 home from Newfoundland in 2015, she needed a lot of work. I worked on all of the things you could see like the like cleaning, bright work and waxing while Gregg worked on the systems and all the other things you don’t see but are equally important.

She was almost 30 years old but I was determined to make her look like a shiny penny so I decided the stern name needed refreshing and a bit of a downsize. The letters were large and splashed across the transom making the boat look small by comparison. I knew it was only an illusion but if I was going to redo it, I wanted it to look balanced and not dominate the entire back end. The current decal had tears in it, small center pieces were nicked away showing the white gelcoat through the royal blue letters and there were various tears along the edges. So I scraped off the old name and ordered a new one from the local print shop.

The name Catalyst itself was of a decent size but the large roman numerals that accompanied it were unnecessarily large and I didn’t think they needed to be that prominent. I also changed the Font for a thinner letter and cleaner lines.

Under the old decal the gelcoat was fresh and whiter, protected from the sun baking down on it for years. Although I scrubbed and rubbed the entire transom, I couldn't blend the two shades so it will be there for life or until the sun blends the two. This is one thing to remember when changing the name of a boat, the ghost of a former name will still haunt you. Gregg say we have to work on the 20 foot theory, all boats look great at that distance and he's right because our stern looks fabulous with the new lettering, and I only notice the ghosting when I'm up close and personal when waxing in the spring.

So, we prepared the surface properly and installed the new decal. We took our time and did everything right but it’s not as easy as it looks even with the proper tools. We had a few bubbles here and there. The larger ones I pricked with a needle ever so gently to deflate them and the smaller ones shrunk in the sunlight by the end of a week all is flat.

I couldn’t be happier with the new look. The II is smaller and we did them in red just to be different. We painted a red stripe at the bottom of the boot stripe just before the bottom paint. I really liked the way it looked and it really stands out and we find its easier to tell how she is sitting in the water at the mooring from the road. We also painted the cove and the faded red stripe beneath it for a fresh look. I rolled on the paint and Gregg followed with a dry brush tipping. From twenty feet the boat looks like a shiny new penny and quite frankly an entirely different boat which makes her feel like she belongs to us now!

Catalyst in Newfoundland before the trip to NS, you can see how faded the red stripe is.

On the way home from Newfoundland. Gregg's brother Terry in the stern. The brothers said it was a trip and a thrill of a lifetime!

Taping off to paint the stripes. The red had faded to a dull pink, not good enough for our gal! The tape was a bit of a pain to remove after sitting there for two days.

All cleaned and ready.

There's a lot of rubbing but no genie.

The new decal is applied.

The beginning peel.

TA Dah! The smaller letters sure made her transom look bigger!

Looking good. That second red stripe is perfect! Last year I installed II over the cats tail.

0 Comments

Attention to all our customers......

3/17/2020

5 Comments

In leu of what is happening in the world and on our doorsteps with COVID-19, I hope you are safely celebrating St. Paddy's day!

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We have been closely monitoring the situation surrounding COVID-19. At this time, we have made the decision to close the shop to public walk-ins until further notice. Hopefully, this is a temporary measure as we all do our part to keep the community, the province and the country safe.

Each of us has a critical role to play. Isolating ourselves not only helps to prevent personal infection but it will also slow down the spread so it doesn’t overwhelm the medical system all at once. We only need to read about the devastation in Italy to realize that if we don’t practice social distancing, we put everyone at increased risk and more people will succumb and face the danger of not having enough medical treatment facilities or equipment to save them.

It was a difficult decision but the right thing to do. We don’t know who will come through the door, where they’ve been or who they’ve been in contact with, so we need to protect ourselves as well as you, the customer.

Deborah, Shane and I have always worked tirelessly to provide the needs of the rug hooking community and are will remain committed to our valuable customers. We plan to offer mail order service for as long as the Post Office remains open and we remain healthy!

For locals, we can do up phone or email orders, have you pay by credit card and then you can pick them up at the door by arranging a time and we will set them on the outside step when we see you drive up. We can smile and wave to one other through the window!

We can be reached on our toll-free line 1-855-624-0370 or local 902-624-0370 and if there is no answer you can leave a message or phone me at home to place an order at 902-624-6411. Of course, we will be reachable anytime by email and through the contact form on the website for requesting PayPal invoices.

We are facing scary, uncertain times with this insidious contagion. We don’t know who it will affect, who will get sick and if there will be help if we need it. As we self isolate, we at least have the gift of our crafts to help us get through these trying times.

And in case you didn’t know, the US Exchange Rate keeps rising. This morning it was 1.41, making this the perfect time for our American customers to place orders for substantial savings once the credit card company does the exchange from the low Canadian to the high US dollar. What a perk!

We hope to be able to ride out the Pandemic. Many businesses will close and not be able to reopen from the financial strain. We hope to be here when the dust settles so your continued patronage at this time, is greatly appreciated.

I will blog during the coming days, weeks and months, who knows how long this will go on. I thought perhaps it would be fun if you could send photos of our patterns that you have hooked that we might not have seen before, eye candy for all the rug hooking shut-ins that are waiting out the virus. Social Media is really going to help us communicate and sharing photos of rugs, might bring a smile to those that are feeling the stress, fear and boredom of being isolated. So please share with me and I will post them on Facebook and my blog.

To all of our wonderful fiber art, kindred spirits! Please be safe!

Christine, Deborah & Shane

“WASH YOUR HANDS AND CANCEL YOUR PLANS!”

5 Comments

Memories from the past revamped and anew

3/13/2020

5 Comments

Even as a child I loved neat things; interesting antiques and items crafted with character and charm.   If I saw something and became smitten, I’d hang on to it knowing someday, it would become useful in ways that weren’t clear at the time.   When I was ten and my family moved to the house on Cherry Lane, it was a trip back to the past with none of the modern conveniences of the sixties and seventies. My naivety was greatly affected by how people from the dark ages lived, no inside toilet? The house was definitely a fixer upper to bring it up to the current standards and dad picked away at the priorities to make it a cosy home.

Because the house had stayed untouched with plaster, lath and wood plank exterior walls, that was all that separated us from the cold outside making warmth and comfort the top of the list with winter coming. Dad had Burgoyne’s Heating install an oil furnace that would warm every room, ceiling ducts in the upstairs and floor registers on the main level. Up until then the only heat source the house had ever known was a small wood stove in the kitchen that surely had the previous occupants clad in thick sweaters and long johns in the other areas of the house. There was evidence that sheets had been hung in the doorways that led to the hall and back porch to keep the heat in the kitchen where they probably hung out during the day. Until the furnace came, only the kitchen offered comfort and we huddled there dreading going upstairs to our icy beds.

Although the little wood stove was small it churned out a lot of heat. It was so adorable with its ornate casting and craftsmanship that we no longer see today. Everywhere you looked there was a decorative swirl or detail on its curvaceous girth. There was an amazing ornate skirt that probably had a chrome plating and a domed finial top, now void of chrome and painted gold. The mica was still intact which was surprising from its age. I used to stare at the small silvery windows, mesmerized by the flickering flames that danced behind them.

Dad was going to chuck the old stove to the road side after the furnace was up and running but I begged him to let me have it. I don’t know why he indulged me, it was heavy and had to be lugged to the basement where it would only sit and rust in the dampness. I must have presented a pretty good argument because we stored it until I got older, moved out and took it with me. I dragged it around for years, in and out of a first marriage, various apartments and finally to my current abode with hubby number two. I never knew why, I just wanted it because it was unique, old and full of character.

So, when we renovated the building that my shop is in now, I bought an old mantel surround, painted it red and put the stove there, fashioning a fake pipe out of an aluminum vent and painted it flat black to match the stove so it looked like it was hooked up to a chimney outside. It was a sweet element of the past for the studio, fitting in nicely with the antiques I gathered for displays and the gorgeous antique staircase railing and newel post that we installed that had been harvested from an old house.

I could have sold that stove many times over the years as people noticed it and wanted the history. It was built in Sackville, New Brunswick at a place called Chas. Fawcett and some folks were very familiar with the foundry that made it. They all agreed it was a good call not to discard it.

One of the interesting features of the stove is a decorate crown that pivots to the side to expose a two-burner top for double duty as a cooker. Considering the lack of an electric range that had clearly never been installed in the kitchen I would imagine many a meal was heated on top of the old faithful wood stove. It had seen its day and wouldn't be wet certified now but with a bit of welding to replace the back plate and some new fire bricks it could be used, maybe outdoors with a stove pipe through a sheltering roof.

The other item in that house that piqued my curiosity was a large oil cloth that covered the bare floor boards in the back-storage room. Every time I went in there to fetch a canned good for mom or steal a cookie out of the tin, I marveled at the colours and the Jacobean flowers printed on the cloth. The softness and blend of earth tones really filled my budding artist soul. After my parents both passed away and the house was cleared out to be sold, I took a number of photos and gathered up several large pieces as it was cracked and falling apart, thinking perhaps, well I really don’t know what I was thinking, it was long before my hooking days, I just knew that I wanted to preserve it somehow. Perhaps I would paint the image on a floor in a future home.   Over the years as I lugged it from pillar to post the pieces began to crumble so I threw them out. As long as I had the photos it would serve whatever purpose I would undertake.

So, when I opened the shop, I thought of that old oil cloth and I dug out the pictures and saw immediately what a handsome rug pattern it would make. Well over 100 years old, I wasn’t worried about copyright and I manipulated the pattern motifs to create an enclosed area so the outer area around them could potentially have a different colour to the interior field. Someone loved the pattern but wished it had a border, making it more traditional. No problem, I added a border using the elements in the center design and named it after the woman that requested it. The first version with just the center and an edge around it, was called Beatrice after my Springhill nana. I’d previously named a rug after my mom so her mother’s name was perfect. Beatrice is an old-fashioned moniker that suited perfectly the antique impression that the pattern relays, but now I think it should be renamed Cherry Lane and use Beatrice for another design.

Yesterday when I opened my email, low and behold there was a photo of Ruth Anne beautifully hooked and it just about blew me away. Excitement coursed through my body as memories flooded me of the old house on Cherry Lane where I spent most of my childhood. Thank-you Marten Doornekamp for sharing it with me. What a fantastic heirloom you've created. I love it!

The palette Marten chose was similar in feel and has that earthiness like the original cloth but different at the same time. The thing I love best about owning a shop is seeing how rug hookers interpret my designs and bring them to life with exquisite colour, often eliciting tears from this sentimental old fool.

Ruth Anne hooked beautifully by Marten Doornekamp
48" x 80"

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Introducing Emperors Gold by Guest Blogger Heather Gordon

3/12/2020

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Emperor’s Gold is the latest addition to the amazing wall of colour at Encompassing Designs. The dye guy has outdone himself once again.

Last year I ran into a little roadblock when planning a design to celebrate my latest trip to China. After looking through about 1,500 photos of exotic landscapes and considering several possibilities, I realized that none of them would work. Instead of a street scene or landscape, I decided to celebrate the spirit of Chinese culture.

I was starting to pack for a move and did not really have time to create a new design or to do any dyeing. Fortunately, I had an old Michelle Micarelli pattern that I bought at a workshop at Encompassing Designs about 10 years ago and a huge stash of fabric. Inspired by the rich silks and embroidered textiles of the ancient Chinese emperor’s robes, I gathered a bundle of Terra cottas, blues and greens and looked for an elegant gold for the background because only the Emperor was allowed to wear gold and those old robes are magnificent. Nothing in my stash came close to the elusive colour in my mind. I couldn’t find it in my rings of dye samples or even among hundreds of choices on my collection of paint charts.

It was time to meet Shane to transform the colour that was in my head to an actual dye formula that was always just a little different from any of the shades available and of course, he accepted the challenge and produced a gorgeous new colour.

The mat is now on the floor of my new apartment where I can enjoy it every day and Emperor’s Gold is available for all of you to add an elegant touch to the design of your choice.

Heather Gordon
Pattern designed by Michelle Micarelli called Doily
Whipped with Shane’s dyed Briggs & Little and bound with Terra cotta

Close-up detail of the sculpted flowers and leaves.

Whipped with rug binding attached.

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Tip for cutting wool in the Winter....

2/19/2020

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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

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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

2 Comments

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

20 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.

20 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