MARK YOUR CALENDAR

The Cataraqui Guild of Needle Arts presents the 2016 Needle Arts Fair, Saturday, October 1, 2016, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., at the Kingston Seniors Centre, 56 Francis St. Kingston, Ontario.  Click on this link for more information. 2016 Needle Arts Fair

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

As you can see, Captain Judy had a busy day when she offered to take some of the gals out on her boat. A good time was had by all.  So much so, that the Captain is looking forward to taking more  gals out in the warm weeks to come.  

The alert Capitan Judy, keeping warm under her teal quilt.  

    

Gill W. steadies the sail while Nicole W. and Pat M. offer guidance.

Decorating their kite in preparation for the Kites For Cancer fundraiser.

PAT H. -- ON THE EDGE

This is Pat's first contribution to our blog ... and what a debut. Carpe Diem! She did the CN Tower Edgewalk, that is hanging out at 116 stories above the ground. Woohoo!  Notice too, that our young little Irish dancer is not so young anymore. Well done Pat.  What are the rest of us doing for summer holidays?

GILL W. WANTS TO KNOW ...

I was fortunate enough to win this beautiful rug at this year's Boots and Baskets auction.   I would really like to know who was responsible for the original design so they receive the appropriate accolades.  Unfortunately the bare canvas doesn't photograph well, but any help would be appreciated.

Gill W.

 

WORLD WIDE KNIT IN PUBLIC DAY (WWKIP)- JUNE 18TH, 2016

This Saturday is World Wide Knit in Public Day.  It is the largest knitter run event in the world.  It increases public awareness of the craft and can also support popular causes.  You can check out the official website by clicking on the WWKIP link to read more about the event and how some KIP groups are knitting against gun violence, while another group  knits in support of victims,  families and friends of the recent violence in Orlando.

Does anyone know if there is a rughooking equivalent?  Hmmmm.  🤔

THE BARN RAISING PROJECT - RUGS AT THE BROCKVILLE MUSEUM

The Barn Raising Project: September 20 - October 16 2016
The Barn Raising Project is a travelling exhibition of traditional hooked artwork from the Simcoe County Museum and the Huronia Branch of the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild.  The 40 pieces depict the rural barns of Canada.  Brought to Brockville by the Brockville Thousand Islanders Rug Hooking Guild. Click on THE BARN RAISING PROJECT to connect to the Brockville Museum Website for more information and updates.

YARD SALE - THE FARM HAS SOLD

Andy and Kim have sold the farm.  In an effort to clear out, they are having a yard sale.

When: Saturday and Sunday,  June 18th and 19th, 2016,  8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where:  613 Escott Yonge Townline Road, Mallorytown, Ontario

Directions:  Leeds Rd. #5 North of Mallorytown, Left on Junetown Rd., take Junetown Road to the end, turn right on Escott/Yonge Townline Road, #613 is the first farm on the right, a ways in.

THOUSAND ISLANDS SENIORS EXPO

Women Matters has been invited to exhibit at this event as the we have been recognized as a group that contributes to the social health of the community.   Well done gals!  

Seniors’ Expo

June 18, 2016

10 am to 3 pm

Location: Landsdowne Community Hall

1 Jessie Street, Landsdowne

AGENDA

9:30 am                            Doors Open

10:00 – 10:05 am          Mayor’s welcome

10:05 – 10:10 am          Kim Goodman

10:10 – 10:20 am         Sarah Webster – Ontario Senior’s Secretariat

10:20 – 10:30 am         MMM Group Presentation

10:30 – 11:00                  Non-programmed time; Exhibitor displays

11:00 – 11:15 am         Presentation – Wendy Desrocher (Fitness)

11:15 – 12:00                   Non-programmed time; Exhibitor displays

12  - 12:15 pm                  Presentation - Eastern Ontario Financial Services

12:15 - 1 pm                  Non-programmed time; Exhibitor displays

1 pm – 1:15 pm                  Presentation – Library Services

1:15 - 2 pm                  Non-programmed time; Exhibitor displays

2 pm – 2:10 pm                  Presentation – Kim George (Gardening)

2:15 – 2:45 pm                  Non-programmed time; Exhibitor displays

2:45 - 3:00 pm                   Closing Remarks

LANSDOWNE TEXTILE FESTIVAL - SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

Mark you calendars. 

Lansdowne Textiles Festival

Come to the Textiles Festival in the
Lansdowne Community Building, 1 Jessie Street, Lansdowne, on
Saturday June 25 from 10 am to 4 pm. Spinners, weavers, rug hookers, quilters and many more will be demonstrating their art. Vendors will be on hand as well. Admission is free. 

This will be the first event for H'ewePhoria, Rhonda's hand dyed fabrics and fibres.  Please come and check out her booth.

Contact Liane 613-659-4708 for more information. Sponsored by
Lansdowne Association for Revitalization.

When:	Saturday, June 25, 2016 to Sunday, June 26, 2016
Hours:	10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Where:	Lansdowne Community Building, 1 Jessie St, Lansdowne, K0E1L0
Price:	Free!

PANTYHOSE ON THE BEACH!!!!

"Beach Path Inspired" is one of Deanne Fitzpatrick's designs that Gill W is hooking.  Always thinking out-of-the-box and trying something new, Gill has hooked her's in pantyhose and, if you look closely, you will see that she has successfully executed a sculpting technique that is normally only performed with wool.  The gold starfish on the right has a cut-loop centre.  Always ready to try something different,  this gal is soooooo creative.   

ECHINACEA ANYONE?

I just read an online article on the 10 Health Benefits of Echinacea. The 10th benefit notes that Echinacea "is great for your mental health".  I would certainly agree with that, especially when I look at Sarah's rug.  Besides being a chef extraordinaire, Sarah is also a very creative rug maker.  In this pic, you can see that her colour choice and use of textured wool is brilliant.  My spirits were picked up when I spotted this rug sitting in a corner of the room which proves that this echinacea is great for one's mental health. Well done Sarah.  We look forward to seeing the finished piece.  

BIGGER IS BETTER

Here is Rona's current project.  Her wool strips are extra, extra wide.  Perhaps as much as 3/4" wide. This means the design area gets coloured in quickly as long as you can pull those loops through the backing. Rona is doing just fine on that account.  Her rug looks fabulous. Don't you dig the colourful locks on this cupcake craving gal?

SO MUCH TALENT IN OUR GROUP!

It is true.  There is so much talent in our group.  Katherine is one of those talented members.  Besides hooking rugs, she also sews and created Pat M's worm bag to organize and hold the various coloured strips that Pat is using in her current project.  It even has a pocket on the outside.  Check it out.

            

ONTARIO HANDSPINNING SEMINAR (OHS) -- VENDORS

The Ontario Handspinning Seminar in being held in Kingston this coming weekend, June 3-5, 2016 at the Ambassador Hotel and Conference Centre.  You needed to have registered to attend the weekend long events including workshops.  However, the good news for us rughookers and fibre enthusiasts is that they have lots of fibre Vendors for us to check out.  Click on the word 'vendors' to see the vendor list.

After reviewing the OHS website, I was unable to determine when the vendors would be open to the public so I made some inquiries and this is what I have been told.

• Admission to the vendors is $5
• The vendor sales area is open on:

 Friday, June 3, from 3 pm until approximately 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 4,  from 12 noon until 2 p.m.

I realize that we are all anxiously awaiting the upcoming Textile Festival in Lansdowne, but if you are having trouble restraining yourself or you want to see some other vendors who have come from further afield, then this may be the ticket that you have been waiting for.  I was told to "please feel free to spread the news amongst all your fibre friends! We have an amazing lineup of vendors this year.  Be sure to bring lots of friends to increase their stashes too!  We look forward to seeing you this weekend."  What could be more inviting?

 

WHAT'S ON NICOLE'S FRAME?

Today, Nicole finished the hooking portion of her piece.  Now onto the finishing.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING SAT. MAY 28TH?

Well the forecast for Saturday, May 28th, is calling for a mainly sunny, warm day which is perfect for getting out of the house.  There is a lot going on in our region but the event that is most on our minds is the Thousand Island Branch luncheon at the Watermark Restaurant,  Gananoque Inn at 11:30 p.m.

On your way to or from the luncheon, why not take in Doors Open.  At the Escott Spring Fling Thing, which is one of 33 participating sites in the Brockville-Thousand Islands region, you can see and explore many local offerings. Held on the grounds of the Escott Public Library on Highway 2 east of Gananoque and West of Mallorytown, you will find many items for sale, including baked goods and annuals.  There are displays and demonstrations of both spinning and rug hooking.  This year, Rhonda will have a sampling of fibres and wool fabrics available, including an assortment of swatches priced to sell at $5 each.
            

Enjoy a fantastic weekend of food and fun.

HERE IS A WONDERFUL HOOKED GIFT IDEA

Lots of great ideas were shared at this year's OHCG Annual.  Here is one that I fell in love with.  

One Branch decided to have a coaster exchange with a twist.  Each member went out and bought a coffee mug with a design on it and then hooked a coaster to replicate or compliment the mug's design. These were then exchanged.  

If your household is like mine, then most of the coffee/tea drinking inhabitants have their favourite mug or cup.  Why not hook a coaster to match?

WOOL FABRIC BOUQUETS

Each year, at the OHCG Annual, there is a silent auction.  This year the organizers auctioned off a  number of floral bouquets made from wool fabric and other bits.   Enjoy these spring bouquets.

MORE PICTURES FROM THE OHCG 2016 ANNUAL

THE KEY TO WOMEN MATTERS

Each week at Women Matters, we have a door prize or two.  The key pictured below was part of last week's door prize.  What does it mean when you win this key?  It is a key that you can use to attend a Women Matters meeting and have free admittance which, without the key, costs $3.  This nominal fee  helps to cover the costs of coffee supplies and the rental of the space.  A shout out goes to Nicole who thought up this idea for a door prize.  Well done.

TRADITIONAL RUG HOOKING PLUS ...

There is usually a lot going on when the Women Matters group gathers and it is not always traditional rug hooking.  

Penny is working on a collection of pieces made from thick yarn and hooked, or should I say 'punched', using an Oxford punch needle.  These pieces are worked from the back of the pattern and the punch needle is designed so that all punched loops are of equal height which makes for an evenly punched design. Penny has mastered this technique and is enjoying the speed with which she is able to complete each of her original designs. Hopefully she will share with us a photo of her completed set of her chair mats. 

Sometimes when we gather, we explore other fibre arts as well.  Judy has been interested in adding hand spinning to her fibre-arts repertoire of skills.  With this in mind, she went online and found plans detailing how one could make a kick spindle.  I am guessing that because Judy and her husband are practically newly weds, he was ready to impress his bride with his wood working skills. Judy is now the proud owner of a hand crafted kick spindle.  She brought it to our gathering where we took it for a spin.  It works like a dream.   

Who knows what we will be sharing with one another at our next gathering.

PAT M's RUGS

Here is a peak at what has been on Pat M's hooking frame. Thanks Pat for sharing your rugs with us.

KIM GOT THE LAST LAUGH

Every Monday, our group holds a door prize draw and this week Gill W won it for the second time in a row.  You are probably thinking "what a lucky girl". Gil, however, wasn't so sure. This week's prize was donated by Kim S who has been doing some serious downsizing lately.

When she came across this she thought that offering it as a door prize would give us all a good chuckle when we saw the look on the lucky winner's face.

No, it is not a cookie jar, nor a piggy bank.  In this case 'it is what it is' as they say.

A big thanks to Claire who donated a hand crafted set of 4 wine glass coasters that Gill was presented with, in lieu of the gag prize.

Lots of laughs were had by all.  Thanks Kim. 

We Are On The Hunt

Here is a pic of some fabric that we are trying to locate for one of our rugs.  It was purchased from Ragg Tyme a while back and is now being used in a geometric rug but we are concerned that we may need more.  Rhonda hunted around and found 1/8 yard to contribute to the cause.

If you have some of this fabric that you would be prepared to part with, if need be, please email us at womenmattersrugart@gmail.com.

Thanks.