Hooked Rugs & Quilts

I finished whipping the edge of my star table runner with black yarn and have it on my kitchen table. Found a few goodies to display with it, but will try to find more to spiff it up a bit more.

I hooked these three little mats for a specific purpose - didn't like the first one too much - wasn't crazy about the second one - so I'm hoping the third one will work. They're all supposed to be the same size, but you can see that it isn't the case. I think maybe whether or not you use the lengthwise grain of the linen makes a difference?

Earlier this week I made the annual trek to Springville to see the quilt show there - these were my two favorites.I love that this one is asymmetrical - and of course the scrappy nature of it appeals to me. What a great scalloped border with the appliqued vine!

It had a label on the back with a touch of applique - inspires me to be better at labeling my quilts!

This one was really nice too - that stripe on the inner border looks good.

I've spent a few hours the last couple days starting - and catching up - on the Marcus Brothers SAL - so all five of my blocks are completed now. Four more to go - - -

Hope you all have a nice weekend. Hubby & I rarely go anywhere on holiday weekends - we just don't like dealing with the crowds - so we'll just relax at home for a few days.

Twice As Nice

On Tuesday I attended two monthly meetings - one for rug hooking - and one for quilting - doesn't get much better than that, huh?

Kathy has finished piecing the top of a quilt she plans to give to her daughter - the pinwheels are bright colors and the background fabric is sort of a pinstripe - a fun combination! I'm so impressed that she got all the pinwheels spinning in the same direction - I'm sure I would have a few of them going backwards! LOL

Nancy is nearing completion of her German Village by Sharon Smith.

Myra has only one flower left to hook on her poppy rug.

xxx

Rugs In Progress

Last week my rug group met on the brick patio in my backyard. At first I was worried that we'd be too hot out there, and then for a couple days I worried that we'd get rained on, but it turned out to be a beautiful day with perfect temperatures and I think we all enjoyed ourselves.  So fun to see what everyone is working on. I snapped this picture of the group when I came inside to gather some food for us to eat - busy workers!

Sandy has nearly finished this Sharon Smith design - mostly just the water to hook and then it'll be done.

Cora Lee getting all her umbrella ladies hooked and then she'll get started on the fun background.

Jeanette's poppies are 'popping' off that black background!

Sharon is working on a gorgeous design she found on the cover of an antique prayer book. The colors are exactly 'her' and I look forward to watching this progress.

Tonia was hooking her own design - I can't decide if I like the birds with their crowns, or the background treatment, or the border the best. She's got it completely finished now and has shared wonderful pictures of details of the rug on her blog BaaRamEweDesigns if you'd like to go look.

Sadly, three of the gals left before I thought to grab my camera, so I don't have pictures of the rugs that Kim, Angela and Leisa were working on. Sorry 'bout that!  I have finished my star runner and will be taking it with me to my Salt Lake rug group tomorrow to whip the edges with yarn - then I'll share photos - soon!

Sometimes we take all our modern conveniences for granted - until we have to go without - and that's what happened to me recently. I live in a small city and our water supply was compromised so that it was not safe to drink or use. The city did a fabulous job of keeping everyone informed with daily automated phone calls and everything is back to normal now. Drinking bottled water was an easy solution, but not quite as easy as turning on the kitchen faucet, huh?

I've been wanting to try some Greek yogurt, but have no idea of which ones are good. Can any of you give me your recommendations for a brand to buy?

I used to enjoy reading a blog called Fancy Wool Flowers, but every time I try to pull it up now I get something in a foreign language - almost like it's been hijacked by someone. I wonder if Nan knows about this and if there's anything she can do to get control of it back. There are actually a couple on my blog list that have had the same thing happen - very strange.

And one last thing - - - after my last post about my sunflower quilts, I unearthed one more that I have. This one has Dresden plates for the four flowers - embellished with 3D leaves on a vine and a fun little bumblebee and crow. I'll leave you with this.....

Sunflower Season

I've started to notice that the sunflowers are beginning to bloom - they're so dramatic and eye catching - especially the big ones - I love to look at them.

One day at the Sharon Smith Workshop last month, we were each given a kit to make a wool sunflower mounted on a rusty old bed spring. I got mine made recently and it turned out nice - although a bit different than the sample we were shown.

I've displayed it with another sunflower I made several years ago - I think it was a pattern in Create & Decorate magazine.

I decided to pull out a couple sunflower quilts that I've made through the years.  This one was a guild project ages ago - the center of each flower is embellished with buttons to represent the seeds.

When I pulled this one out I was surprised to see that I had quilted word 'SUNFLOWER'  into the border. My name is at the bottom too, but I sure wish I'd included the year I made it in there - I'm so terrible at making labels!

This one with a cheery checkerboard border is small and easy to tuck into a display.

Hope sunflowers grow where you live and that you enjoy them too!