THIS AND THAT -

Last Wensday was the regular meeting of the McGown guild chapter that I belong to. It's a long trip to Glenelg, Md. but I have been hooking with these ladies for many years and they are my oldest friends in hooking. I took a tumor on the brain and only took one picture. This is a beginning of what I know will be a lovely rug all about Quails hooked by Sevi. I think that after I took this picture we began to talk about what she could do to enhance the background in this rug and I just forgot to keep the camera going.

As you can see she has made a good beginning.

Early on in my hooking career, I had a teacher that used a lot of Paisley in her rugs. I guess I got hooked on Paisley. One of my favorite things to do when in New England was to haunt the antique shops looking for these wonderful shawls. Over the years I have managed to gather a good stash of Paisley and also managed to find 3 complete shawls - that is shawls that were worn and could be cut. After working with Cynthia Norwood a year ago, my interest in Paisley was renewed and I began to look at shawls on ebay. I was agast at the prices. About 10 days ago, I saw a shawl that really appealed to me. It is a soft red with gray and some black and white. Not the rarest of color combinations in a shawl but the design was so beautiful that I could not resist making a rediculously low bid. I won and the shawl arrive 2 days ago. It is HUGE!! It was described as very large, with a number of small holes about the size of your thumb nail and a slit about 5" long. I have looked this all over and I can only find one small hole. I think it may be just to beautiful to cut.

This is a view showing the edge panel in all its glory.

A closeup of what I think is a very beautiful design. I am thrilled to have this piece in my collection.

I went to the hook-in at the Grant Street Woolworks a week ago Thursday. Linda and I had a conversation about ProChem dyes and I purchased the 4 basic dyes from her. She loaned me her swatch samples and her dye book called Prisms.

Just look at how yummy these colors are. Makes me want to just jump into the dye pots and let everything else go.

A closeup of all of the wonderful colors made from the formulas in the Prisms book.

I managed to get four dye lots done. I had students last week plus some other responsibilites so did not have as much time as I would have liked for the dye pots. Three of the dye lots came out "spot on" in comparison with the swatch samples.

I am very pleased with these three dye lots. The colors are vibrant and very beautiful. This next dye lot was supposed to be forest green. I don't know what to call the color it turned out to be - but it sure is not like the swatch sample. When I examined it closely after it dried, I really love the looks of it. I can see it married with brown to make a very interesting tree trunk and since I am getting ready to do a pictorial with a large tree trunk in it, nothing is lost.

Today I went to the Boonsboro chapter of ATHA. There were few in attendance since this was the first day of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. This is a very popular festival held in Howard County, Md. and a great place to replenish you wool stash. Sorry I didn't take any pictures. Several of the members had very interesting rugs to show today. Perhaps my mind will be working better at the next meeting.

Well, thats about all of the "this and that" that has been happening this week in my household. It is very hot and humid today and Eloise and I are just trying to keep relaxed and comfortable. The first of the spring flowers have gone by as have the Magnolia blossoms and now I await the beauty of my Iris garden.

Doris