Getting Ready for Sauder!

I was hoping to get the Iowa Postcard Rug done by Rug Hooking Week at Sauder Village, but it isn't looking good time-wise.  So much to do before the Big Week!  But what better place to be to finish a rug?  Here is the shipment of Bee Line - Townsend product going to Sauder Village:

Over 1000 pounds of wool cutting equipment and frames in these two pallets.

Pretty excited to go.  If you're going to be at Rug Hooking Week, be sure to stop by the Bee Line table, see our new 14" Orbiting Floor Frames, and grab a Tootsie Roll!

I used my new navy blue wool from Wheaten Woolens on the outline of my letters, and I love how that turned out.  The navy really pops, but it coordinates well with the blue in the sky background.

Plus, I stopped by The Woolen Needle in Williamsburg (one of our fantastic BLT distributors) and Carla helped me pick out some black for the bird wings and some darker gold for the spots on the bird.  Then I stopped in at The Rug Hooking Store to see Janice Lee.  You can maybe see some lines in the sky above the barn - once again, I underestimated how much wool I would need for the sky.  The part under the Iowa is in a pretty marbled light blue, but then I ran out.  Janice found the blue I'm using above the Iowa, and told me to pull some worms out of the lower sky and incorporate them into the upper sky, and vice versa, so they'll blend.  I'm working on that now.

Here it is with worms out....

Here it is with worms in.

I can't believe how close the two blues are, and how well they blend.  Janice was helpful in not only helping me with my sky issue, but also with my "double wool twists" on the back of the rug.  But that is a topic for another post!

Hope everyone is enjoying cooler weather and maybe some RAIN!  The crops are certainly sad around here.  Have a great week!

A Day in the Candy Shop

Hello all!

It has been crazycakes in the Bee Line-Townsend world!  The orders for cassettes and cutters have been pouring in, and we've been able to ship some cassettes.  Orders with cutter bodies should start going out this week, we're waiting on our sticker to put on the new Cutter Caddy, of all things.

However, I did get to go on a very fun field trip last Friday - the first leg of my journey as a Rookie Hooker!  First, I stopped at one of our storefronts, The Woolen Needle, in Williamsburg, Iowa.  I have pictures, I need to download them at home and post tonight.  Carla, Annette and Julie have a beautiful shop, chock full of goodies and customers.  I didn't get to stay nearly as long as I wanted, because I needed to get on the next leg of my journey, but long enough to know I will need to make a return trip soon. 

Then, my husband drove to our next stop - Altoona, Iowa, where Sharon Townsend opened up her lovely home to us.  Steve Woodward, the VP of Operations for Bee Line Company, Katie Lane, and Dean, the engineer at Townsend, were there as well.  We all chatted about the new product, and stood gawking at Sharon's beautiful work.  Her studio is fantastic.  Very light and bright, with bins and bins of neatly folded wool.  I started touching EVERYTHING.  I was like a toddler, touch touch touch.  If you've never met Sharon, let me tell you, she is graciousness personified.  I also got to see the lovely Katie Lane again.  Double Bonus!

Sharon, Katie and me. And loads and loads of gorgeous wool. 

It looks like my arm is around Katie, but I

might have my hand in a bin of wool.  Don't tell.

Then, we made the guys pose for a picture, Dean on the left and Steve on the right:

I don't think they were touching any of the wool.

Apparently I am the only one with boundary issues.

I talked with Sharon about how she got started, and different projects she is working on, and some of her favorite pieces.  There is joy in that studio, this I know for sure.

After seeing Sharon and Katie and crew, my husband and I drove to our final destination, the Iowa Junior Honors Orchestra in Ames, home of our alma mater Iowa State University, where our 8th grader was playing.  A perfect end to a perfect day.

Thanks for your e-mailed suggestions so far!  It's so helpful!

Weird weather today - is it warm in Iowa, with a cold front coming in, so there is a Tornado Watch right now.  Hopefully this dissipates by Thanksgiving!  Happy travels and a terrific holiday to everyone.