Friday, May 25, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Visitors at The Bee Hive
Things have really been buzzing at the Bee Line - Townsend Bee Hive! We've been shipping to shows and visiting shows, and have hosted visitors! One of the visitors at the Bee Hive was none other than Jan Pierce, one of our BLT Fairy Godmothers and the person who originally connected the dots between the Townsend products and Bee Line Company.
Jan not only visited to pick up her brand new Bee Line 14" Orbiting Stand Frame (available at distributors and on our website this week), but to show me some of her work as well. Lucky me!
I'm hosting a Rug Hooking Exhibit at the Quad Cities International Airport this fall, and asked Jan if she would be so kind as to lend us a few pieces of her work. The biggest problem is that there is so much from which to choose!
Me and Jan with her first piece, a frog pillow which won an award. Her husband Bud was obviously so distracted by his lovely wife that he didn't get the whole pillow in the picture, so here is the whole piece:
Jan not only visited to pick up her brand new Bee Line 14" Orbiting Stand Frame (available at distributors and on our website this week), but to show me some of her work as well. Lucky me!
Jan's new frame - happy hooking!
I'm hosting a Rug Hooking Exhibit at the Quad Cities International Airport this fall, and asked Jan if she would be so kind as to lend us a few pieces of her work. The biggest problem is that there is so much from which to choose!
Me and Jan with her first piece, a frog pillow which won an award. Her husband Bud was obviously so distracted by his lovely wife that he didn't get the whole pillow in the picture, so here is the whole piece:
Pretty, no? Here are the other terrific rugs I had the pleasure of viewing:
Viking Ship
The turkey in this rug is made entirely from recycled and repurposed wool -
amazing work with the color scale on this one.
Santa Rug
This beautiful Storybook Rug - this picture does NOT do it justice.
A paisley rug, which is a work in progress.
A close up of the paisley - love the colors here!
This beautiful woman, who had just been framed.
A little closer on the woman -
I believe this was hooked in #3's, #4's and #5's. Lovely.
Since I'm a bona fide newbie, this was a great day for me. It's so fun to see the work of others, and to hear the stories behind each rug. We're lucky to have Jan's input and influence, and love to have hookers stop by the shop. If you're ever in the Quad Cities, call me! I'd love to see your work and show you around!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Hooking at Hopkins Hook-In
Unfortunately, I haven't been hooking much in the last two weeks because we've been getting ready for the five, count 'em, FIVE shows we shipped this week. If you're interested in seeing any Bee Line - Townsend equipment in the next couple of week, here is where we'll be:
1. Nola Heidbreder's booth at the Hook In at the Kirkwood Community Center this Saturday in St. Louis
2. Cottage House Primitive's Booth at the Cream City Hook In in Milwaukee today!
3. Sheep Thrills booth at the Hook In in Saline, Michigan on Saturday
4. River Gallery's booth at the Nova Scotia Spring School in early May
5. Hopkins Hook In at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, MN in the Going Gray booth this Saturday!
Shari and I, the two people who answer the phones and handle all orders at Bee Line, will be traveling up to the show to see Martha Reeder at Going Gray, and hanging out at the Hook In for the afternoon. We get to make a stop at Ewe and Eye in Osage, Iowa, on the way up north, so it will be a hooking extravaganza packed into about 26 hours.
I'm bringing my Iowa Postcard Rug and one of our new 14" Orbiter Frames to hook on, and I'm hoping to find some white wool. Everything I've found thus far is cream, but I'd really like some white for my clouds and letter outlines. It's always fun to look around at the booths and be tempted by the wares...sometimes seeing all of the wool available, after not being able to buy any locally for months, is a little overwhelming. I get panicky, thinking, "This is my last chance until the next show, what do I need?"
What I NEED is to make the liner for this:
The Magdelena Purse for my sister. Unfinished projects make me crazy. But sometimes it's more FUN to start a new project with new wool. But oh, the guilt on that purse...
Hope to see you this Saturday!
1. Nola Heidbreder's booth at the Hook In at the Kirkwood Community Center this Saturday in St. Louis
2. Cottage House Primitive's Booth at the Cream City Hook In in Milwaukee today!
3. Sheep Thrills booth at the Hook In in Saline, Michigan on Saturday
4. River Gallery's booth at the Nova Scotia Spring School in early May
5. Hopkins Hook In at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, MN in the Going Gray booth this Saturday!
Shari and I, the two people who answer the phones and handle all orders at Bee Line, will be traveling up to the show to see Martha Reeder at Going Gray, and hanging out at the Hook In for the afternoon. We get to make a stop at Ewe and Eye in Osage, Iowa, on the way up north, so it will be a hooking extravaganza packed into about 26 hours.
I'm bringing my Iowa Postcard Rug and one of our new 14" Orbiter Frames to hook on, and I'm hoping to find some white wool. Everything I've found thus far is cream, but I'd really like some white for my clouds and letter outlines. It's always fun to look around at the booths and be tempted by the wares...sometimes seeing all of the wool available, after not being able to buy any locally for months, is a little overwhelming. I get panicky, thinking, "This is my last chance until the next show, what do I need?"
What I NEED is to make the liner for this:
The Magdelena Purse for my sister. Unfinished projects make me crazy. But sometimes it's more FUN to start a new project with new wool. But oh, the guilt on that purse...
Hope to see you this Saturday!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The "I"s Have It!
I posted last week that I opened my wonderful packages of wool from Nola Heidbreder and Gene Shepherd, and even though it was so lovely I was almost loathe to cut it, I still did. Cut it. With my Bee Line - Townsend Cutter, of course, with a #7 cassette.
I started hooking the letters to see how the colors worked together. The reason I purchased this Roman Sun collection of wool from Gene Shepherd is because I wanted the letters in the rug to have a variation in the color without having definitive layers of color. I wanted it to look less "candy corn" and more like an Iowa sunset. I started at the beginning - the I in Iowa.
While I can still see some color layering, it isn't as obvious as the photo that came with the pattern. I wanted the orange, but I wanted the colors to blend a little bit more. The color in this wool is so vibrant and fun, it brings a lot of energy to the rug.
The other thing I like about this wool is that it looks a bit like some Iowa corn. Obviously I don't have the straightest rows or most even loops - that's for a few years down the road, when I can look back on some of these early rugs and chuckle to myself and say, "Oh, I remember when I really struggled with uniformity!" ...That does happen, right?... but for now I'm enjoying the actual hooking and seeing where it takes me.
I'll be back when I have a full set of four Iowa letters! Have a great week!
Worms! Worms! Worms!
I started hooking the letters to see how the colors worked together. The reason I purchased this Roman Sun collection of wool from Gene Shepherd is because I wanted the letters in the rug to have a variation in the color without having definitive layers of color. I wanted it to look less "candy corn" and more like an Iowa sunset. I started at the beginning - the I in Iowa.
While I can still see some color layering, it isn't as obvious as the photo that came with the pattern. I wanted the orange, but I wanted the colors to blend a little bit more. The color in this wool is so vibrant and fun, it brings a lot of energy to the rug.
The other thing I like about this wool is that it looks a bit like some Iowa corn. Obviously I don't have the straightest rows or most even loops - that's for a few years down the road, when I can look back on some of these early rugs and chuckle to myself and say, "Oh, I remember when I really struggled with uniformity!" ...That does happen, right?... but for now I'm enjoying the actual hooking and seeing where it takes me.
I'll be back when I have a full set of four Iowa letters! Have a great week!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Under The Roman Sun
Buying wool online is a little bit like Christmas - you know what it looked like on the website, and you THINK it's going to work in your project. The box arrives, and there is a moment where you get to open it and it's so exciting because you get to see the wool and touch it. Non-hookers will think this is a creepy sentiment, but y'all know what I'm talking about.
Last week I got TWO boxes of wool! Lucky lucky lucky.
The one on the upper left is called "Snow" and the beautiful marbled one is "Turquoise Jade Spot" and both are available from Nola Heidbreder on her website: NolaHooks.com. The turquoise particularly is so intense and deep, it's just spectacular. I don't know what I'm using it in, but I'm saving it for something special.
The next box I opened came from Gene Shepherd. I'm still hooking my vintage Iowa Postcard pattern, also purchased from Nola, and I've been looking for a multi-hued orange wool to do the Iowa letters. On Gene's website, I found the perfect wool - his set called "Roman Sun". It was pretty on his website, so I went ahead and took the plunge since I'm an impatient person by nature, and the nearest shop where I can buy wool is nearly two hours away.
I opened this box and it was like opening a box of sunshine. Really beautiful wool, the colors were just spectacular. It just makes me happy to look at it. As an added bonus, it's incredibly luscious wool, and ran so beautifully through my cutter.
This piece looked like flames were literally jumping off of the wool. It was just lovely. I almost didn't want to cut it....ALMOST.
I tend to use a #7 cassette. I can't really explain why. I started with the #7 on my first rug because our top sellers are the #6 and #8 cassettes, and I always cheer for the underdog. I really like the #7, so I've stuck with it.
And now I have THIS on my desk! Do you know how hard it is to work with these piles of beautiful worms staring at you, saying, "Julie....you should be hooking...." I've been working on my letters for about a 15-30 minutes in the morning and 15-30 minutes at the end of the day. I'm almost done with the "I", and I'm liking the effect of the varying shades of orange in it so far.
Shari, my cohort at Bee Line Townsend, and I will be going to the Hopkins hook-in up in Minnesota in a few weeks to join Martha Reeder from GoingGray. I'm hoping to be done with my letters so I can buy an accent wool to hook around the shaded parts of the letters. Of course, I will need to buy too much wool. It's part of my job description, right?
Last week I got TWO boxes of wool! Lucky lucky lucky.
The next box I opened came from Gene Shepherd. I'm still hooking my vintage Iowa Postcard pattern, also purchased from Nola, and I've been looking for a multi-hued orange wool to do the Iowa letters. On Gene's website, I found the perfect wool - his set called "Roman Sun". It was pretty on his website, so I went ahead and took the plunge since I'm an impatient person by nature, and the nearest shop where I can buy wool is nearly two hours away.
Oh. My. Gosh.
I opened this box and it was like opening a box of sunshine. Really beautiful wool, the colors were just spectacular. It just makes me happy to look at it. As an added bonus, it's incredibly luscious wool, and ran so beautifully through my cutter.
This piece looked like flames were literally jumping off of the wool. It was just lovely. I almost didn't want to cut it....ALMOST.
I tend to use a #7 cassette. I can't really explain why. I started with the #7 on my first rug because our top sellers are the #6 and #8 cassettes, and I always cheer for the underdog. I really like the #7, so I've stuck with it.
And now I have THIS on my desk! Do you know how hard it is to work with these piles of beautiful worms staring at you, saying, "Julie....you should be hooking...." I've been working on my letters for about a 15-30 minutes in the morning and 15-30 minutes at the end of the day. I'm almost done with the "I", and I'm liking the effect of the varying shades of orange in it so far.
Shari, my cohort at Bee Line Townsend, and I will be going to the Hopkins hook-in up in Minnesota in a few weeks to join Martha Reeder from GoingGray. I'm hoping to be done with my letters so I can buy an accent wool to hook around the shaded parts of the letters. Of course, I will need to buy too much wool. It's part of my job description, right?
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Compartmentalizing
I'm going to reveal a little part of my psyche here - I can't outline a box and not fill it in. There is something about incompleteness that nags at me. Which is really funny if you've ever seen my desk or house, because those entire spaces are studies in incompleteness.
When I started my Vintage Iowa Postcard rug, I wanted to outline the entire thing first, because I've heard other hookers say that's how to start your rug. But I can't do it. I can't have that big outline and not have it filled in right away. I find myself MEANING to outline the entire border, but then I'll start the trees and next thing you know, that small part is outlined and then filled in. I start the cornfield, and then it's outlined and filled in. Then the barn. You get the drill.
It's a little tougher with the sky, because it's so big. I can't really outline the entire sky, nor do I want to, so I'm outlining chunks of it and then filling in with swirls and wavy lines. It's interesting, because as much as I want to think I'm consistent, each "chunk" turns out different.
Once again, I'm packing, and once again, I'm counting on the magic of steaming to work out some of my issues. I just bought some wool from Nola Heidbreder to use on the clouds (you can see it on my desk - there is this fantastic turquoise/jade color, and the "Snow" wool is underneath it), and am waiting on some orange wool from Gene Shepherd to fill in my letters.
Onward....
On some days? This is clean.
When I started my Vintage Iowa Postcard rug, I wanted to outline the entire thing first, because I've heard other hookers say that's how to start your rug. But I can't do it. I can't have that big outline and not have it filled in right away. I find myself MEANING to outline the entire border, but then I'll start the trees and next thing you know, that small part is outlined and then filled in. I start the cornfield, and then it's outlined and filled in. Then the barn. You get the drill.
It's a little tougher with the sky, because it's so big. I can't really outline the entire sky, nor do I want to, so I'm outlining chunks of it and then filling in with swirls and wavy lines. It's interesting, because as much as I want to think I'm consistent, each "chunk" turns out different.
Once again, I'm packing, and once again, I'm counting on the magic of steaming to work out some of my issues. I just bought some wool from Nola Heidbreder to use on the clouds (you can see it on my desk - there is this fantastic turquoise/jade color, and the "Snow" wool is underneath it), and am waiting on some orange wool from Gene Shepherd to fill in my letters.
Onward....
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Signing the Card
One great thing about learning to rug hook is that the rug hooking community is so supportive and willing to teach the newbies. I find I learn a lot from looking around at other people's blogs and websites, and it helps me to reflect on my work and see what I can do to improve. Some of my favorites are Gene Shepherd's, Susan Feller's, Rug Hooking Daily, and The Welcome Mat.
The other day I was perusing Gene's blog, and I saw some signed rugs, and I thought, "Egad! I haven't signed anything I've hooked!" Since Bucky Bee is technically Bee Line Company's rug I wasn't too concerned, but my sister's Magdelena purse (hooked, but yet unfinished, I have until Dec. 22 to get it to her before her next birthday) is not signed, and my Iowa Vintage Postcard is also unsigned. I worked to fix that immediately.
I finished my barn and the patch of sky next to it. My barn is a little slopey, but hey, so are a lot of barns in Iowa! It's unintentional realism, people!
It's fun seeing the rug start to take shape and get some color in it. I love the pop of red from that barn, and am still in love with that pomegranite wool from LeAnn at Camp Wool in Maine. When I took my rug off of the frame to take my picture, I realized there is still an issue:
Oh dear. Once a packer, always a packer? I certainly hope not! Looks like I'll be relying on a good steam again for this rug.
The other day I was perusing Gene's blog, and I saw some signed rugs, and I thought, "Egad! I haven't signed anything I've hooked!" Since Bucky Bee is technically Bee Line Company's rug I wasn't too concerned, but my sister's Magdelena purse (hooked, but yet unfinished, I have until Dec. 22 to get it to her before her next birthday) is not signed, and my Iowa Vintage Postcard is also unsigned. I worked to fix that immediately.
Numbers and letters aren't exactly "my thing" yet, but I can read them so at least I'll know when I hooked this piece. Provided I get it done in 2012, of course! It looks a little more like a child's vintage needlework sampler than the beautiful, flowing letters I see on some hookers' work, but it'll do.
It's a wonderful thing that Bee Line Company has recognized the importance of having a rug hooker in the company, and so I'm able to do some hooking during the day. I get PLENTY of ribbing from people walking through my office area while I'm hooking, but I know I'm pretty lucky, so I only have a sharp retort for the fourth or fifth person who comments. :) Great restraint, I know! Today was one of those lucky days when I have a little time to get some hooking done.
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