THE MAGDALENA RUG..WELL, PARTIALLY

AHH..the art of changing a rug pattern to suit your own tastes! If you can make it out, the black outlines were the original designs by Barb Carroll...but, she let the gates open wide when she told us to change the design of the rug to make it "our own"! I had so many red lines (that's the changes), that I couldn't decifer what line to hook on...I wasn't too big on what I considered upside down animals, in true Magdalena form, so I had them all going the same direction..well, almost! And how about them colors???

MARIA'S RUG
This is Maria's rug...as you can see...Maria made some changes to her rug also. I love her BIG animals! She was using a 9 cut and I couldn't believe how much hooking she had accomplished! She always has such nice colors and her hooking is beautiful!

MAGDALENA YOUR WAY...A WORKSHOP WITH BARB CARROLL AT AULT'S

This is the entrance to Ault's...I love the Rug Hooking sign..it sets the tone as soon as you walk into the shop..of course all of the gorgeous wool you see in the baskets below...sets a tone too...you want to have it all!!! But then, the cross stitched phrase below.."Never Enough Thyme" kind of brings you back down to earth..Gloria and Larry Ault are such wonderful & graceful hosts! Their shop is just beautiful...so warm, so comfortable. There was so much attention given to every detail! They checked on us (and there were 16 hookers in all), to see if we needed anything. The fridge was stocked with water & soda, the coffee pot served endless cups of coffee. Gloria served bagels, scones, pastries in the morning as we arrived on both mornings. Then for lunch we had wonderful sandwiches from a local sandwich shop.

There were hookers from Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, and Ohio. The weather wasn't the best....but nothing can stop a dedicated hooker!! Please enjoy the pictures...I know this post is long, but....I just didn't want to leave anything out! I will post pics of my rug later this week...Enjoy!

The workshop focused on the hooking style of Magdalena Briner and how to hook in the Magdalena tradition, but hooking her designs your way. Barb focused on the simplistic folk art of this early and most well known rug hooker. However...choosing the design was the easy part...choosing the colors...well, that was the tricky part. This sample was hooked by Barb's assistant Lisa in Pennsylvania. This is Barb's sample. Barb hooks in the more primitive, looser fashion. She called it "developing your own rhythm"...well, I don't think I have a rhythm..I just keep pulling up the wool..some loops are shorter and some at taller...

This is Jenny...Magdalena was her great, great aunt. Jenny brought a beautiful book with pictures of rugs hooked by Magdalena and rugs hooked by her, using the designs of Magdalena. It was very special having her at this workshop..thanks Jenny!

Barb Carroll helping with color selection for the "Magadalena Your Way" workshop. Poor Barb..we had her running from table to table and room to room!
One lovely cupboard after another, just stocked with beautiful, buttery soft wool. It was so hard to make a decision!
Barb brought a huge selection of wools for us to choose from. Every color you cold imagine, in every amount, every size. But she took us each individually to the wool tables, and there were many, to choose the most interesting and "cool" colors, as Barb would say!Loved this apothocary cabinet in the shop....

This is the group of gals I shared a hooking room with at Aults. There were two rooms with ample space to be comfortable and hook till your heart's content. Such a pleasurable atmosphere! These gals, some were from Michigan and some from Ohio, were a riot!! Besides, lots of hooking...we did lots of laughing!

Ok...this didn't have anything to do with hooking...but I fell madly in love with this asparagus fern Gloria has in her shop.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's day...it's cold here in Michigan, but at least we haven't gotten anymore snow. I don't have anything new to report this week. Wasn't able to get much hooking done. It has been crazy at work and by the time I get home...I'm exhausted, to say the least! I did go to the monthly hook-in, Thrums and Chums yesterday in Brighton, which is Kris Miller's group and needless to say..it was very entertaining! There are some really, really funny and witty hookers in the group. Kept me laughing till I had tears in my eyes...and I did manage to get a bit of hooking done.

I am going to Ault's this week for the workshop with Barb Carroll. I am so excited! I have never been to a "retreat or a workshop" in all of my hooking history...so it will be wonderful..plus...I am going to make the trip by myself....I have never gone anywhere without my hubby or kids, so it should be interesting! Of course, I'll have to leave a light on in the hotel...I scare really easily!! Have a great week everyone and I will take pictures of the workshop and post next weekend..

"EMMA"...Such a delight!

For the past two Sunday evenings, there has actually been something deliciously delightful on TV. On the Public Broadcast Station, Masterpiece Theatre, has been presenting the works of Jane Austen. This Sunday is the final chapter of "Emma". It has been nothing but wonderful!! I have DVR'd the episodes and this Sunday...of course being SuperBowl Sunday..I will have to wait and watch the final episode on Monday...oh joy, oh joy!! I have seen "Emma" twice with different actresses, one being Gweneth Paltrow....which was pretty good..but the two hour movie cannot compare with the works of PBS. Love, love, love Jane Austen..but of course..who doesn't?