HOT HOT HOT

Hot as Hades. Hot as blazes.  Hot as hell. Hot as the devil's kitchen.  Hot as ten thousand suns in one. Hot as pepper. Hot as love's flaming climate. Huh?  Yes, I've been looking up similes for "hot." It seems to be all we talk about, think about, and swear about. I've had it. I want 72 degrees and a cool breeze off the bay.

My guild, the Peconic Ruggers, had their annual August hook in on Saturday. We were to meet in the basement of a church with no air conditioning. Not. Thanks to our very smart member Sue, we moved across the street to the library and hooked in the frigid air of the children's room.

Of course, I am blaming my lack of productivity on the heat -- its an easy scapegoat. I think I need some sunlight and vitamin D after spending a month in the air conditioning. I have made several 3-D sunflowers, a project I taught my class last week. I'm working on a tutorial for my followers on Instagram.  I've also been working on some new needle punch designs and trying to find a new source of wool thread for them.  

Fall is fast approaching, even though it doesn't feel like it.  My rug designing colleagues are all working on Halloween and Christmas designs . . .  I'm not so sure I will catch up! Our first show of the season is the Hallockville Fall Festival, September 10 and 11, 2016.  My guild, the Peconic Ruggers, will host their biennial rug show in the Naugles Barn during the Festival. I think that deadline will help me get in gear at long last . . . 

Please send some sweet condolences to Cathy at Orange Sink/The Red House Wool Studio. Her mother passed away on Saturday.  She could use some wooly hugs.

What Happens When You Have Way Too Much Wool

In my effort to clean my studio. I piled one too many bolts of wool on top of my grid boxes and the whole middle portion came tumbling down.  That was two days ago.  I haven't made much progress since.  Today's the day I tackle it -- and the rest of the room, too.

Summer is really here.  We had several days of rain and really high humidity and heat.  Today is gorgeous.  Pete and I are going to transform our driveway and side walkway this weekend -- we hope.  July 4th is our deadline for several projects -- some of which are completed already.  Clara is coming home with her boyfriend and our friends from Amherst will be joining us, too.  We plan to spend the whole weekend swimming and clamming and fishing and eating, so Pete and I want to be ready to relax.

Barb and I had a less than stellar showing at the quilt show two weeks ago.  I think there were far fewer  attendees and they were mostly interested in Star Wars fabric and making quilts for their grandsons.  I did set up another rug hooking class at Farmhouse Quilts in Southold, though, which made the whole weekend worth it.  The class will be held on Saturday, August 9.  We'll be hooking a sunflower.  Contact Janet at 631-236-6030 if you are interested.  We're hoping to set up a regular schedule of rug hooking classes at Farmhouse.

I'm thinking we may take the first swim of the season today.  The bay is so inviting.  Perhaps that will be my reward for cleaning up the studio . . . .