Halloweenies

It's been a long while since I've blogged . . .  Don't know if I'll keep up with it or not . . . Life has changed a lot in the last few years, so we'll see how I do.

Here are some rug hooked Halloween characters I designed for my students.  I've listed the pattern in my etsy shop if you're interested.  I'll include my technique for the shirring and quillies of the features when you purchase the pattern.

Happy Halloween!

Changes . . .

 I’ve lost my domain name - thepaisleystudio.com.  So if you are looking to purchase patterns or wool or whatever, please go to my etsy shop or contact me directly at paisleyrugs@gmail.com.  Thanks.

Long Island Fleece and FIber Fair

6038 Sound Avenue • Riverhead, New York 11901 • 631-298-5292 

10 AM to 4 PM

110TH Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival

110th Connecticut Sheep, Wool & Fiber Festival
2019

Saturday, April 27, 2019 - 9 AM to 4 PM - Rain or Shine

Parking includes Admission - $10/vehicle

Tolland, CT Agricultural Center

 Route 30, Vernon/Rockville, CT

The Connecticut Sheep, Wool and Fiber Festival celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009 and we are off to a great start for our next century.  The festival, started in 1909 by the CT Sheep Breeders Association as a program “to promote the keeping of sheep in Connecticut”, has evolved and expanded into a premier sheep and fiber festival. This event is a family friendly agricultural and learning experience for the general public as well as shepherds and fiber enthusiasts.

Barb and I will be vending again this year.  Find us in the Green Barn.  We'll have lots of woolly goodness for you! 

DIck LaBarge

I am saddened to hear that Dick LaBarge, rug hooker extraordinaire, passed away yesterday.  He and his husband George Kahnle, were quite a pair.  Barb and I took a class with them called Dye and Design once, but we called it Fun with Dick and George because they kept us laughing the whole time.

Here is a link to his obituary:

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesunion-albany/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-labarge&pid=189459487&

Loss and Lightness

It's Mother's Day -- the first one since Peter's death.  My daughter is at home in the Pacific Northwest, wrapping up her master's degree, so I spent the day alone.  When she called this morning I told her I had three dying trees cut down yesterday, including the sweet Japanese maple Pete gave me for Mother's Day 6 or 7 years ago.  It was sickly almost from the beginning, with some sort of black disease creeping up its limbs and this year, half of it was dead. I knew it had to go.  Even so, I was sure that at some point today I would be crying yet again, mourning the loss of the tree and the man who gave it to me.

After Pete's funeral in February, when everyone had left and I was alone in our lovely home, I felt a sudden lightness, a lifting of the shroud that had encompassed us as we fought our way through chemotherapy three times a week, 90 miles away from home, and three very long hospitalizations.  I hadn't even been aware of the shroud then, I just faced each day with every ounce of strength I could muster.  I adhered to all the restrictions Pete was given after his stem cell transplant -- all 12 pages of them.  No travel,  no restaurants, no houseplants, no dogs, no gardening, no movies, no house guests, no tap water, etc., etc.  We had a new normal, and that was okay.  Whatever we had to do, we did it.  We wanted to beat the disease.

We lost the battle on February 8, five days after my daughter married her sweetheart Josh at Pete's bedside.  As rare as T-Prolymphocytic Leukemia is, it is even rarer to find anyone who survives it.  During Pete's final two weeks in palliative care, when it was clear he would not survive, Pete and I, along with his brother Clem, Clara and Josh, were able to plan his funeral and to organize all the stuff that needs doing when someone dies.  

So here I am -- three months a widow (such a very strange word!), still grieving, but moving forward a little bit at a time.  I'm working at my rug hooking again and planning a big party to celebrate Clara and Josh's marriage.  I'm catching up on deferred house maintenance and trying to garden a little bit each day.  It's good to have the sun on my back.  And just a few minutes ago I found a tiny Japanese maple seedling growing by the back porch.  I'm going to pot it up and watch it grow.

Fiber Festival of New England

I'm on the ferry, heading up to the Eastern States Exposition for the Fiber Festival of New England.  This is the last away show of the year for me, and I have to say, it will be a relief to stay put in Greenport for awhile. Barb and I will once again be in booth 457 East, with lots of delicious wool for rug hooking and appliqué, as well as miniature needle punch supplies and finished goods.  So come and see us!

This year has been remarkable for me on the rug hooking side: my work was featured in my friend Tracy Jamar's wonderful book Coils, Folds, Twists and Turns: Contemporary Techniques in Fiber (I have a few copies to sell this weekend), and I was invited to teach and vend at Sauder Village Rug Week -- an honor and a delight, to be sure.  My work will also be included in a show at the V.S.O.P. Gallery in Greenport -- more on that to follow.

On the personal side, dealing with Pete's T-PLL (a rare and very aggressive type of Leukemia) has been life-changing, to say the least.  We live with many restrictions, but Pete has sailed through the process of chemo and the stem cell transplant with relative ease -- until a few weeks ago.  The disease has reared its horribly ugly head again, and his white blood cell count is climbing.  He received a boost of donor stem cells that had been frozen back in April on Friday.  Wednesday he began a round of a chemo drug to boost the efficacy of the donor cells.  At the end of a long day at the clinic, he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his left leg and had to be taught to inject himself with a blood thinner.  Thursday morning he faced debilitating nausea.  That's under control now, or I wouldn't have left him for the weekend (some special neighbors are keeping a watchful eye on him for me).  

The coming year will see us continuing the battle for Pete's health, as well as planning our daughter's wedding to be held on the shores of Peconic Bay next September.  It's so good to have something joyous to plan and participate in, in between trips to the clinic. We look forward to having Clara, Josh and their golden retriever puppy, Bernadette, with us at home often in the coming months while we plan and execute the wedding of their dreams.

I started writing this because of all the sickly people on the ferry this morning.  So many people are coughing and sneezing and spreading germs and really should be at home.  I have managed -- with lots of prolonged hand-washing and gallons of Purell and lots of Clorox wipes - to stay healthy for the past year so that Pete can stay healthy, too.  A cold is no longer just a cold to me, now that I know what a catastrophe it can be to a person with a compromised immune system.  All you sickies should be home in bed until you are no longer contagious! Someone's life may depend on it!  I'm going to be royally ticked off if I get sick from a ferry ride . . . 

A New Name, Same Fabulous Fiber Fest

The Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival is now the Adirondack Wool and Arts Festival!  Always the third weekend in September, this fine festival outside of Saratoga Springs, New York, is a delight.  The weather is usually perfect, and the leaves are just starting to change, making for a great weekend out in the open air.

​Adults $5, Kids 13 and under free.

Saturday, September 23rd
10 am to 5 pm.

Sunday, September 24th,
10 am to 4 pm.

Barb and I will be heading up on Friday to set up our booth.  We are, once again, in Building 12, Booth 7 -- the building you go through right at the entrance!  We have some beautiful hand-dyed  and mill-dyed wool fabric for rug hookers and quilters, and I have some new pattern designs for you as well as old favorites.  Please come see us!

Here is the website: Adirondack Wool & Arts Festival   There's a $1 off coupon on their home page!  Hope to see you there.

Hallockville Fall Festival

I'll be demonstrating rug hooking in the Peconic Ruggers' tent at Hallockville tomorrow if you'd like to join me.  This Fall Festival is always fun for everyone.  Hope to see you there.

Some of the Rugs at Sauder

Octopus, Simone Vojvodin, Parkhill, Ontario

The Conspiracy, Marion Sachs, York, Pennsylvania

Merry Christmas, Norma Batastini, Glen Ridge, NJ

Steampunk Michael, Donna Hrkman, Dayton, Ohio

No Greater Love, Donna Hrkman, Dayton, Ohio

Nick at Night, Donna Hrkman, Dayton, Ohio

Speaking Shakespeare, Marian Hall.  Designed by Marion Hall & Ellen Banker

Sushi Deluxe, Wayne Bressler, NYC, NY

Ancient Egypt, Tatiana Knodel, Sudbury, Ontario

Nagari, Denny Seller, designed by Leonard Freeman

Our Booth

Setting Off for Sauder Soon . . .

I've been a whirling dervish the last few weeks, dyeing and pattern-making and pricing and planning. Barb and I leave for Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week at the crack of dawn on Monday.  I'm excited to present our style to a whole new crew of rug hookers, and really excited to be teaching a class, too.

Some of the hand-dyed wool we will have for sale

Some of the patterns we will have for sale

A nice selection of out-of-print books will be available, too

My etsy shop will be closed while I am away and will reopen at the end of August.  Also, classes are suspended until September, and will then be open to only those who are currently enrolled.  sorry, but I have to keep the class size small because of my husband's medical condition.

Speaking of my husband Pete, he hit his 100 day mark (100 days since transplant) on August 5, and he is continuing to do well.  The doctor has started to wean him off the Cyclosporine, which has been holding his immune system in check.  When I get back from Ohio we can go out to dinner to a "reputable" restaurant!  It's been 10 months or so since we've been out to eat.  We are both looking forward to a change of pace . . . 

Please come and see us if you are in or near Ohio next week!  Here is the information for Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week 2017:

Dates & Hours:

Exhibit:  Wednesday – Saturday, August 16 - 19, 2017,
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

• Admission:

  Tickets into the Rug Hooking Week and entire Historic Village... Adults - $17.00, Students (6-16) - $11.00 (Senior, Military and AAA discounts apply)
  Tickets into just the Rug Hooking Week  - $11.00 (Must be purchased in Founder's Hall where exhibit is located.)
  
  

Did Some Dyeing Last Night

I'm getting ready to head to Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week, August 14 through 19, 2017.  Barb and I will be vending, and I am teach a workshop called Why Whip? Interesting Edges to Enhance Your Hooked Rugs.  The darker blue -- I call it Anthem Blue -- is stock for our booth next month.The lighter blue is the background for the bird rug I started a few years ago while on vacation in Northern Wisconsin.  It's about time to complete it, don't you think?  I'm hoping to have it ready to display in our booth at Sauder.  Keep your fingers crossed!

#21

I was scrolling down my Facebook page a couple of days ago and saw a post entitled "Top 60 Rug Hooking Blogs & Websites for Rug Hookers."  There I was -- number 21.  I laughed so hard I nearly fell off the couch.  I haven't posted since April, before that January.  I have been the least active blogger I know.  Part of the blame goes to Instagram, which I love, and part to Facebook, which I don't love so much, but which can be a great tool for keeping abreast of things.  But most of the blame goes to T-Prolymphocytic Leukemia, a rare and aggressive cancer that my husband Peter has been fighting since late October.

Illness can be all consuming, but when it is rare, and when the only specialist who takes a patient's insurance practices 91 miles away, there is no time left for normal life.  We are lucky to have insurance through the Affordable Care Act, lucky to have found the three amazing women who lead our medical team at North Shore University Hospital, lucky that Pete's brother Bill was a perfect match and donated his stem cells for a transplant -- the only option to keep Pete alive.  And while we sometimes bemoan the fact that we can't travel, can't go out to dinner, can't have houseplants, can't swim or bike ride (the list of don'ts is 12 pages long!), we are so very lucky that Pete is recovering. His hair is even growing back!

We spent our 32nd anniversary last month making a list all the places we will visit when the doctors tell us Pete's immune system is strong enough for travel.  First stop: Wisconsin to see my 97-year-old mother-in-law and spend time at the family cabin on Lake Superior.  Second stop -- maybe the Galapagos or a cooking school in Burgundy or the Retiti Elephant Sanctuary in Kenya.  We're dreaming big, and as soon as we can, we'll be living big, too.

It's taken me a while, but I'm getting used to our new normal.  The first two weeks after Pete's discharge from the hospital were terrifying, knowing I was now responsible for him and an hour and a half drive away from the doctor.  Our little 15-year-old Jack Russell became very ill a few days after Pete returned home and had to be put to sleep.  That was tough, but also a relief.  I was up all night every night taking care of him, and was so exhausted I neared my breaking point.  I have help with the house and the yard now, and Pete has learned to enjoy grocery shopping (wearing a mask and gloves, of course) and cooking.  Since most of his work is computer based, he has been able to work the entire time -- even through two hospital stays totalling more than six weeks. We have wonderful, supportive family and friends who help us in so many ways.   So, all in all, life is limited, but life is good.

I am teaching two rug hooking classes twice a month, and my talented students keep me on my toes and give me some structure, as does my fall schedule of fiber festivals and shows.  Right now I am preparing for vending and teaching at the renowned Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week, August 14 through 19.  I'm hoping this post is the start of more consistant  blogging, since writing is something I love to do . . .  and I need to earn my spot on the list of "Best Rug Hooking Blogs on the Planet."

Spring Has Sprung!

The daffodils are up, the forsythia is in bloom, and the robins are collecting bits and bobs and building their nests.  We have two mourning doves that are setting up shop on our pergola in the twists and turns of the wisteria vine.  Spring is here!  And so are the springtime fiber festivals.

This mug rug will be available at the Connecticut Sheep & Wool Festival

The 108th Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival is a mere two weeks away.  Sponsored by the Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association, it is located at the Tolland Agricultaral Center on Route 30 in Vernon, Connecticut.  Saturday, April 29, 2017, 9 am to 4 pm.  Barb and I will be in the green building, which is pretty faded unless they've repainted it since last year.  We are listed in the program under Barb's business name, thimblefolk.  For more information and directions go to: CT Sheep & Wool

I may be making up a kit for this little sachet.

Coils, Folds, Twists, and Turns

My friend Tracy Jamar has a new book out and she will be selling and signing copies Saturday, February 4, 2017 at the

VALENTINE CRAFTMARKET In The Heart Of Springs 

in East Hampton

February 4, 2017

Saturday  10:00 AM

Ashawagh Hall

70 Springs Fireplace Road

East Hampton, New York 11937

Tracy graciously included a few of my pieces, and it is a thrill to see them in print!

Congratulations, Sandy

Fiber Festival of New England

Please join us at the Fiber Festival of New England this weekend, November 5 and 6, 2016 at the Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts.  We are once again in booth 457 East.

The Whole World In a Weekend

Another Rhinebeck has come and gone . . .  What a wild weekend it was!  The weather was exquisite, and the crowds were enormous.  Someone asked me how it was and I replied that it was exhilarating and exhausting. I returned home on Monday, after breakfast with Barb at the Eveready Diner in Hyde Park, during which we recapped the show and squared away plans for the Fiber Festival of New England on November 5 & 6.  I was still tired on Tuesday.

We saw so many of our friends and customers -- it really felt as if we saw the whole world in a weekend.  One long-time customer brought me 2 yards of beautiful wool.  We heard about births and deaths and divorce, surgeries and celebrations, illnesses and ingenuity.  It was a whole year of life encapsulated in these two special days that happen the third weekend of October every year.  

What's New and Exciting?

The rainy, gray days that Hurricane Matthew has provided for the last week or so are not very exciting, but the upcoming New York State Sheep and Wool Festival is!  We are counting down the days -- only 11 more -- and working hard to bring our favorite customers even more folk art, ornaments, rug hooking and needle punch supplies, out-of-print books, buttons, baubles and embellishments -- the list goes on!  We hope to see you there.  We are in Building A, Booth 28, as we have been for the last dozen years!  

I was contacted by Artsy recently -- they somehow discovered that I love the work of George Nakashima --and asked me to add them to my list of interesting blogs over there in the sidebar.  So I have done just that.  It's a great resource for people interested in learning about and collecting art, so go take a look! Maybe I'll find a Nakashima table I can afford.  Not.

Barb and I had a lovely weekend at the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival.  We had two days of jewel-like weather -- brilliant blue skies, sunshine, and crisp air.  I was surprised and pleased to see my Instagram friend, Marilu (@518frenchgirl).  She's a doll, and I can't wait to see how she hooks up my Outstanding in Her Field pattern!  (Follow her on Instagram if you don't already.)

Tammy of Wing and a Prayer Farm

I was extraordinarily pleased to meet another Instagramer I follow:  Tammy of Wing and a Prayer Farm (#wingandaprayerfarm).   I found her through Charlotte Lyons of House Wren Studio, who hosts crafting weekends with her friend Meleen up in Vermont (Meleen and Charlotte's Vermont Getaway).  Tammy's farm is nearby, and the crafters take field trips there to do natural dyeing and to visit the sheep and alpaca and dogs and a miniature donkey named Bilbo among other things.  Tammy shears and spins and nurses lambs and dyes and bakes amazing pies -- sometimes on a live feed.  She's pretty much the Wonder Woman of fiber farm life.  She hosted a natural dye workshop recently that I would have loved to attend.  And -- the cherry on the cake --  Tammy is a gifted writer.  Visit her blog at: Wing and a Prayer Farm.

We ended the weekend with a visit to our friend Martha who lives on a farm in the Adirondack Park.  She raises sheep, chicken, turkeys, and pigs.  We were treated to a delicious dinner of pork cooked with apples and her own maple syrup, and roasted vegetables from her garden.  Martha sent us away with our very own pints of syrup -- a gift worth its weight in gold!

Martha's Farm

Our other big news is: Barb and I will be vending at Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week in August 2017.  Sauder is one of the premiere rug shows in the country, and we are honored to have been invited.  I'm going to teach a class, too!  More on this soon.  For now, it's back to the drawing board -- I need to make up some new patterns for Rhinebeck!

Hallockville Fall Festival & the Peconic Ruggers Rug Show

Two weeks and counting to our first show of the year.  We love this one -- Hallockville has always embraced folk art and my guild, the Peconic Ruggers, is honored and thrilled to be able to present our biennial rug show in the beautiful Naugles barn during the annual Fall Festival.  

I am busy working away -- getting my hooked pig finished to enter into the guild's "Pulled Pork" Challenge. In addition, I am hooking up some new pumpkins and dreaming up some new Christmas designs.  That's not an easy feat when it is hot and steamy outside . . . 

Here is the information for the Hallockville Fall Festival.  Please join us for this fun-filled weekend.

        

                                                                  Hallockville Museum Farm

               Saturday and Sunday,  September 10 & 11, 2016 10am-5pm both days. RAIN OR SHINE!

                                         6038 Sound Avenue, Riverbed, NY 11901 631-298-5292

My sister Barb of thimblefolk has whipped up another bunch of Halloweenies for the show.  If can't come to the Festival, but are interested in purchasing one of her creations, you can email her at thimblefolk@comcast.net.