Almost time for Paducah!

I have to get better at posting - it's been a long time! I've temporarily suspended work on the "pink" rug to focus on the new rug I started at camp this year. The new rug, one I adapted from a Lori Smith quilt pattern, is coming along nicely. I hope to finish it in time to enter in Celebrations this year, or perhaps Sauder Village. I'm making a lot of progress but it is a fairly big rug - about 30" x 46" or so.

I managed to make it to Spring Quilt Festival in Chicago last weekend. It was wonderful! I only had a day to take it all in, but I managed to acquire numerous projects (including three complete kits) to add to my stash. One vendor, Primitive Pastimes, had so many incredible wool applique patterns and kits that I had a hard time controlling myself! Lucky for me (or perhaps not so lucky) they are going to be at Paducah for the first time this year.

Speaking of Paducah, only 3 more days to wait! I can't wait! I need to get my act together this weekend and finish purchasing and packing supplies for my classes. I'm taking two from Jan Krentz and one from Gail Garber. I am really looking forward to them.

Speaking of classes, Dierdra "DiDi" McElroy visited our guild for a lecture and workshop last week. Her lecture was one of the best I have ever heard! I have received similar feedback from numerous guild members. People are still talking about it a week later. The workshop was fantastic, too.

Off to work on the new rug and watch my first place Redbirds!

Caryl Bryer Fallert & Rug Camp

I certainly haven't accomplished much in the way of quilting or rug hooking over the past week, but I've certainly been inspired! I visited a neighboring guild to see Caryl Bryer Fallert's lecture last Tuesday. Her presentation was absolutely incredible! Not only is she an incredibly talented artist, but her presentation skills are awesome, too! I'm looking into setting up a group workshop at her studio.

I'm trying to switch gears mentally and put the finishing touches on plans for rug camp. I think I've covered most of the "management" aspects of the camp - I picked up the last of the supplies this afternoon - so now it's time to focus on getting my wool and supplies together. The rug pattern turned out HUGE. I think it may end up being the largest one I have attempted. I'm really excited about the pattern, though, so maybe I can keep myself motivated to finish.

In the meantime, I'm continuing the "de-pinking" effort. I've pulled out almost all of the wool that I need to replace with the exception of a few berries and a couple of teal flowers that need to be converted to purples/wines. I've also decided that I don't care for the center of my corner star. I can't decide what color to make it, though. I will probably leave it in a little longer in the hope that something will suddenly come to me. I also need to find a center for the goofy-shaped wine-colored flower. The lighter pink I have doesn't work. I'm hoping that Sue has something next week, otherwise I'll drag it back to Nola's for wool club.

"De-pinking" Progress

I haven't spent nearly as much time as I would like working on my rug. It's beginning to look like I won't have it finished in time for this year's camp, which is my goal. I'm not giving up yet - I still have 19 days! I do feel like I turned a corner over the weekend, though - I have finally replaced enough of the pink that I am able to visualize what the completed project will look like, and I really am starting to like it! I hope to get back to it tomorrow evening.

Getting Started...

I've decided to take up blogging (again). My first attempt was less than successful, lasting only a couple of months - a typical New Year's resolution. I have so many thoughts and ideas running around in my brain, though, that I feel the need to capture them somewhere. Given the amount of time I spend in front of a computer each day, a blog does seem to be the most logical answer.


I am actively working on a couple of projects at present, "actively" being the key word. I have literally hundreds of projects in the works, both quilts and rugs. I spent my sewing room time yesterday working on my Moda U mystery quilt. It's not really a mystery anymore... the solution was revealed at the December meeting. As usual, I'm behind, having only sewn about half of the individual units into blocks that will eventually be assembled into the quilt. A couple of over-achievers from the group already had their tops finished at the January meeting. No one will ever accuse me of being an over-achiever, at least not from that perspective!


My most challenging "active" project is the rug that I am currently working on. I started this particular project at rug camp last February. My teacher at the camp took the color plan a completely different direction from what I had requested. I decided to try to go along with the plan thinking it would be good for me to work outside my comfort zone. Wrong! Lots of pink. I mean PINK. I am not a pink person. I don't really have anything against pink, but there was a lot of it in this rug. Happy, cheery bubble-gum pink. Teal, too. I love teal, but a teal and pink color scheme isn't exactly the blue and gray I had originally proposed.


After struggling with the rug for many, many months I've finally decided to change the color scheme. It was a tough decision as it required a considerable amount of "reverse hooking". I'm still struggling with the colors, though. I've got an idea for another change that just might do the trick. Of course, it means rehooking the tulips a third time, but if I can get past this sticking point I may actually be able to get this thing finished prior to the next camp. Hopefully I will get some time to try my idea after the Girl Scout meeting tonight.