TODAY ~ ~ ~

There will be a beginning rug class in my little studio, taught by me! These are the patterns that I generally offer ~ very simple ~ something the new rug hooker can see an end to! I know the gals who are coming and actually, I did a chair pad for one of them ~ she begged me! And on Saturday, I'm doing another small class ~ busy weekend for mama! It should be fun ~ I really like to teach and I love it when they leave with a sense of accomplishment and the ability to finish their new rug! My classes are from 10-4 and include a tour of the house to see the rugs I've hooked and a nice homemade lunch of chicken salad on croissants and 7-layer salad ~ and a little pastry! It is 12:45 a.m. now ~ I need to make this quick and get this old body to bed!

This photo of dyed antique black wool is for Jane ~ she commented on my dyeing post last week asking if I had trouble getting a good antique black and did Cushing's black turn purple!! Here's your answer, Jane!!!! And the answer is YES!!!! The white part of the plaid ends up a bluish purpleish color for sure ~ there's a piece in the middle that was a solid base color and I do like the result of that one! And mixed together, they will give a nice dark background. There was another piece that I dyed and loved the outcome ~ but I swear, it is lost somewhere in the depths!! I had it with these pieces and now I can't find it anywhere! When I do ~ you notice I say 'when' ~ I'll post a picture of that as well!

This pile is all the other wool I dyed last week. A friend of mine is often the beneficiary of wool and occasionally gives me a pile to dye ~ she provides the wool ~ I do the dying ~ and then we split the pieces ~ a good deal for both of us! I love the blueberry color in the upper left corner! The really light piece is actually a great slate blue but it doesn't show well in this photo ~ the greens are great and so is the red! The wool to the upper right turned out pretty funky but will give a very antique look to a rug, me thinks!!

I posted a photo of something I received in the mail today but it went into cyber space and I really don't have time to re-post it. My blog friend, Jacque sent me this cute fabric basket she made and a sheep pin ~ it was from her Pay It Forward post from last fall. Now, I need to get going on my two PIF's for Helen and Julie! Hang in there, girls ~ I'll get them done! Jacque said we had a year to do this and I'm the wrong person to give that kind of time frame to ~ as soon, as I get the tax prep done and delivered to the accountant, I'll tackle my PIF's!!! And I'll show the picture on the next post of today's gift!

Okay ~ this girl is done, it's 1:15 now! ~ we'll have fun today ~ and I'll post all about it on Sunday!! Spring is sprouting in the midst of all this snow we have left on the ground here in Ohio! I hope it's springy where you are!
Alice