That Good Old Fashioned Look

Last week someone was asking about that good old fashioned look and how to achieve it.
I think this is a great example and it has leaves, I love leaves in a very up fashioned style.
I like the mind tease of this rug from Copake Auctions in 2007 , expecting between $200 and $300 they got $50.

In the same auction this cats paw was expected to get between $50 and $100, it brought in $175 Could more contrasting coloration have made a difference ?

It's That TIME Again !

Yes , I'm making a thing a day all during the month of December!
With low light and lots of others things to be taken care of I NEED to create to remain sane.

Meanwhile here is a beautiful inspiring piece of eye Candy from Kerry Taylor Auctions There is a great involved description at the link. I love the geometric elements interspersed with the figural.

Originality

This rug is one of a kind from Baker and Co, look at the hooked sawtooth !

Inspiration from the Past

I found this beautiful rug along with many other textiles and cloth made things like toys at Baker and Co Antiques. What a great selection of stock. Here is a close up. It is called Grandmother's Dream.

Does this look hooked ?

While perusing antiques I saw this rug here
I'm pretty sure it isn't hooked and you should see the price of it !
What do you think ?

The Phenomenon

We find a stupendous beautifully appointed place we go to see and meet and eat all we can of anything we want for nothing.
We have NEVER seen the like let alone belong to such a place.
We gorge ourselves on all manners of delights, we meet amazing people, we admire them,they admire us, we sup together, we take joy in the splendid, delightful and groaning buffet arrayed, we are very thankful to the provider, chefs and servers. We are glad and feel blessed to be part of such an arrangement and show appreciation every chance we get. We have never had it so good.
A Beautiful Crow enjoys a free buffet

After awhile slight unrest sets in. Why are the servers using those table cloths, my fork is dirty, I don't want to sit by so & so, where is my dessert, I want to take mine home, can't we have two meals a day, could you come and pick me up so I can come, don't tell me there are no rice dishes today, I don't like green peppers, why are you not giving me what I want?
This stinky thinking continues, escalates and expands.
The servers get thanked less and complained to more. Even though they continue to do everything just as they had and are even doing better than before with quicker service, choicer cuts and fresher vegetables. The chef and provider gets no or little thanks at all.

It takes time for this to evolve and it is a bit of a virus. Other people catch the misgivings. The marvelous arrangement is taken for granted and then quickly slides into being a source of irritation. Familiarity breeds contempt. Contempt grows demands.

How can such a marvelous thing be the cause for any kind of vexation?

I dreamt of pearls last night. Pearls of joy and wisdom coming from irritation. I wish for you the same with things that vex.

Enjoy your holiday and remember, be thankful. It's hard sometimes but it always bears peaceful results. Graditude, yeah that's the stuff rich lives are built on.

Change

They all say change is good for you and change is really the only constant in our lives.
Recently my most visited grocery store had a rejuvenation. You know what that means... you can't find a damn thing and all your favorite brands are not on the shelves because they are only stocking 40 kinds of yogurt instead of 75.

I found I was irritated and discombobulated slightly as I tried to get my goods. And of course I knew this 2 month long process had started up in late October so I was getting right down to only lentils and lima beans left because I wanted to avoid this very feeling and situation.
Then I had a sort of redress midstream. What in the dicken's was the problem anyway ? I decided I was going to have fun on my "hunt" for red tandoori powder, ground sumac and whatever else I needed.

That brings me to the subject of changing visual things up to refresh and re-energize our surroundings.
Sure, I like things to stay the same for my ease and convenience. But I realize as time goes by when we keep things exactly the same, in routine, in our surroundings, we become stultified.

When you come to a website and the same info is on there after a year ( guilty as charged on wandaworks.ca) or the layout of your favorite magazine doesn't bring any surprises, YOU WILL GET BORED.
Even if you don't want to you will.
It is in our hunter gatherer nature to crave shifts, to look for something different in our field of vision. This yields harvest. That means survival. We want that ! Artists need to think about survival too. It's important to embrace changes as well. Stimulate all your senses, you have 6 of them. Have a treat for your eyes, your skin, your ears, your nose and your tongue, don't forget about your heart.... loving is the most important sense of all.

Tony's New Blog

Tony just started a blog and I saw this great blog he follows by Jeff Mahorney, here is one of Jeff's painting. I love the planes !!!!
"Sad Old Sadie"

The Spiritual Home of The Group of Seven

I can't believe it has been two weeks since I promised to tell you more about what I saw at the McMichael.

I've been very busy and am happy to say my dream of having my giant air sucker as seen below

installed above my stove is now an actuality. I've NEVER, ever had to hold my arms above my head for so long.

I wonder why this hurts so much. No wonder they torture people this way. During the

installation Celie learned to climb the ladder. I would have taken a picture but I was otherwise occupied praising the new appliance,while holding it up.

So here are the things I noticed at the collection...

The pieces I thought showed up with vigour from a distance contained both very light and very dark parts.

More or several colours to create one value were more mysterious than a flat colour, though these had power also but not mystery.

I also noticed the various and splendid renditions of skies. If we like landscapes there are plenty of tips the be found looking at the skies in these collective works.

For the rug hooker to note about these skies:

• they went in every direction sometimes all in the same painting

AJ Casson - The White Pine

Frank Carmichael - Snow Clouds

• they radiated from a single point

• they glowed by gradation and placing light and dark

Lawren Harris Lake Superior

• they contained depth through placement and size of clouds

Tom Thomson Summer Day

• the colour values were greatly enhanced in their placement by temperature

AY Jackson

• the use and placement of unexpected colour provided a richness and quality to the skies

• you could feel weather of the day by the sky

Optical Delusions

This is a great website about the lies our eyes tell us.
Maybe it help our hooking ... if we have the knowledge it can be a sharp tool.

Pictures From Woolgathering ... Finally !

Friendship Rug - Markdale Hookers


Running Rabbit- Pam Grundmann


Christmas Ornaments ( sorry for my poor memory )



Irma Grundmann- various penny rugs and wool works


Stained Glass ( again memory fails me )



My Playing Card Rug- Nine of Spades


Suzanne Hill's Scrappy Rug


Faye's Fine shaded flowers



Hooking Honey's Provincial Flowers Friendship Rug



Leaf rug , also Fayes I think !

Inspired Yarn !

A few days ago while we were picking up our range hood in Toronto we went to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection on the way home.

I got to see a new set of paintings I hadn't seen before but I'll talk to you about all that and show more Woolgathering rugs and news in the days to come.

I frequently like to let the Group of Seven, the featured collection of the gallery, which touts itself as the spiritual home of the Group, inspire my dyeing.

I was able to buy a book which had many additional works I had not seen published. MORE WOOL ADVENTURES AWAIT !!!!

It is called the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, by David P. Silcox.

Pictured above you see the dynamic painting The Happy Isles by Arthur Lismer and my wooley interpretation ! I'm crazy for this painting !

The Other Side of the Teacher Tawk from a Camp Director

As usual my letters sometime ruffle feathers.

A good person and friend wrote to tell me they thought I was bashing rug camps.

I wanted to tell you their side of the story, what organizing a rug camp is like. I have a great appreciation for all the work it takes to get a camp started, going and successful.

Thank to those who do it.

Here is what they wrote:

I understand a lot of your feelings about money and teaching. Everyone wants to think they they should be paid as much as possible for their good work. I am sure there are even Investment Banker 's think they are not getting what they are worth. Your point is well taken . You have trained yourself to be one of the best in your field and that is honorable and deserving of compensation.

But on the way I do not think it is necessary to trash Rug Schools. Rug Schools serve a very good purpose and should be differentiated from Workshops. There are not so many places that you can get from 65 to 100 people together, get paid to teach, paid for travel, meals and lodging and still have the opportunity to sell your wares. At a Workshop you have maybe only 13- to 16 students that you might be able to sell something to. There is a difference and you should be compensated more for that reason. And at least in most places in XXXX you will also receive a tip and a lot of very kind words if you are a good teacher. If you are not a good teacher you will not be asked to come back and like a restuarant or other serive provider may receive a penny for your tip. There are a lot of teachers that no longer travel unless they want to. But they started at Rug Schools to get their name or product out there. It serves a good purpose. This is the place for newcommers to get recognition. You can be the best teacher in the world but if no one knows about you then you serve only you! I have watched some of the comments on the welcome mat and was surprised at all the students that have met you. Not through the internet but had to be in person and I believe not all of them have visited Wiarton. So you went to them. That was your choice.

I do believe that the XXXX Rug School is not the normal. We have worked very hard to keep prices down so people could afford to come to camp. There are not so many people in this area that can plunk down $500-600. ( think I am low) to come to a camp and learn how to be a rug hooker. That is not including what your kit or supplies will cost. So now we are talking over $1000.00 for 4 1/2 days at best. You seem to have forgotten to mention that people who organize rug schools work a good portion of the year to organize, plan, send out brochures, advertise and then never know if they cover their expenses. Only after a few years of hard work do they also get to the point that they make more money. Why is that different than you training yourself? Don't think we haven't had our problems also? Rug Schools get people who might not go on further to keep participating and learning. In the mean time they are buying wool, patterns or taking even internet classes from teachers that they have met a rug schools. Neither XXXX or I take anything more from the profits of rug school other than classes and a couple of meals. I am not patting ourselves on the back but could be making more. We turn this money over so more people in our area can learn about this great craft. We hold a fall workshop where people that can't afford the camp experience get to come and join in. We used some of our funds to have a catagory put in at the fair that was only rug hooking. We are trying to get people to pay attention to this beautiful are form and bring awareness to the community.

Wanda here again, I just have one thing to refute. People don't "know "me from going to teach at rug schools. They know me because of my long time work on Padula and RHM. They've met me at the OHCG Annual, or heard about me from others at teacher's workshop. I have rarely taught at rug camps compared to others on the circuit. AND I'm afraid all the lurid tales written on bathroom walls about me has helped enormously too.

AND two things to add:

I'm also interested in the general assumption I'll be selling stuff when I'm with a bunch of rug hookers because you know what .... you really can't count on it. On the record I'd much rather use mostly what you have because it gives you a good feeling to use up what you have on hand and I like that.

Despite what I wrote about being properly paid I'm not very focused on money in my life. I neither feel a need to grasp for it nor feel it is of any real importance. When I accept any job I know my compensation and I weigh the "cost " before I say yes and then I never think about it or begrudge it again. I've said yes for much different reasons, to be with friends, to enjoy meeting new people, to have fun. My eyes are wide open as is my heart.

Anyway as noted this is an extremely hot topic. But one I think needs aired out.

I welcome any and all comments on this topic, we can all do well to walk a minute or two in the other fella's shoes.

Woolgathering Report !

It was a bright, sunny , warm? day here in Ontario for Woolgathering yesterday.

I didn't report until now because I'm tired out.

It's a good tired though, my leg behaved and my laryngitis wasn't too bad. We had people come from about 10 different hooking groups.

Our program was Hidden Talents.

It was amazing what people brought to show us. Everything from stumpwork to quilts, singing to heart shaped rocks ! I felt gratified to see the

other sides of these wonderful people who come each time to Woolgathering.

There were wonderful door prizes and lots of happy hookers.

We had a few new people come from our area as well as some from further away !I love when we have newcomers, it vivifies all of us to see what terrific things you are making.

I can't thank you enough for coming out and sharing yourselves.

I also can't thank the people who helped me put this meeting on enough either. It is only due to you and you all know who you are that I'm able to make this work for one minute.

We saw lots and wonderfully varied rugs.

Here is one made by Vivien Tolton of Markdale, Ontario, I love how she varied the leaves and berries slightly, it really make a unified over design. More tomorrow !

Teacher Tawk - Thought you might want to know

Happy Students down in the studio !

A question on the Mat about tipping teachers had the most responses of any question ever asked !

I had a few things to say about teacher's pay

Namely:

If you are paying $300 for attending a whole week and there are fifteen of you in the class... The camp director gets $4500. I might earn between $750 to 1000 of that. So I work for 5 days, long hours, getting you what you want to the best of my ability. Let's divide $1000 by 15 that equals $66.66 divided by 5 = 13.33 per person per day ! YIKES , Would you all even get outta bed for that ? LOL Just thought you should know ! And that is the reason I'm not teaching at rug camps anymore, the best teacher and the worst teacher, the most experienced and the least, the guide on the side, the sage on the stage, all get paid the same!

I still had some things to say which I think we should all be aware of on the subject of teaching from my point of view :

Hi Everyone,

I have a bit more time today so I'd like to expand on this topic.

You all brought up lots of good comments.

Teachers fees vary widely.

There is a general Ontario Hooking Craft Guild fee of $175 but whether the teachers demand or are given this varies even in Ontario.

Generally you can be asked by rug schools or camps to accept any where from around $125 a day to $350 a day.

Doesn't this seem like such a lot of money for a day's work ?

What isn't taken into consideration is the expenses and time incurred before class for the class participants sake alone as well as the expenses and time educating yourself as a teacher. This could be in the accustomed manner, teachers workshops or through any self development and education.

The most I've been paid at rug schools is at Caraway, $100 per student for the week. This is a better system. If I attract a full class I'm paid accordingly. In other systems the person who has 8 in their class is paid the same as someone who has 15. This is where day care wins out ahead of rug teaching.

I often said a return to my first career in day care would pay me better than rug camps. My husband pays more to go in a race for a day. Something is wrong with this picture.

At least two weeks if not more of steady prep work, traveling time need to be taken into account.

Not to mention unforseen events you will need to pay for and never be compensated for such as supplementing inadequate meals, sudden needs for adequate or quiet lodging or a need for a fan when you thought there would be air conditioning, the list is long of what could go wrong.

Most often your fees for traveling are a fixed rate. If you have a long way to go, too bad. Suddenly your family is subsidizing the rug school.

There are many other ways teachers can teach, in guild or group settings my fee was $100 a day per student. Now I charge this for studio classes, size is restricted. I like teaching quite a bit. I will continue to offer courses here in my studio and online. These suit me best. The online classes are wonderfully affordable, only $20 a lesson ! You do it when you want to, and frankly people seem to absorb the materials better.

By my reading on tipping I'm afraid people are misinformed about rug school teaching and I pray teachers are not teaching the same thing over and over without revision and expansion. Each time you teach something you should be learning something too. Depending on the participants, a similarly schemed class could vary widely and should in my mind. Prepare, prepare prepare, then settle in and be ready for anything.

No good teacher expects you to buy anything they bring.

Too bad we aren't all good !

You would be surprised how people of all kinds will under estimate their value. There are many teachers who are just glad for a job and don't take into consideration economics or who accept poor pay in the hopes wool sales will fill in the cracks. Many teachers will not talk because they fear they will not get hired or be poorly thought of by students.

There is teaching on all levels and I like to think of them in terms of regular school.

Grade school, you teach the basics.

High school, you teach about what you are good at and what you like, show and teach a deeper understanding of the basics.

University, you are deep into your subject, specializing, learning it inside and out. You teach in a way that engenders abstract thinking and problem solving with your students, you give them tools to work alone in their own expression.

You mostly you get what you pay for.

Teachers who have excused themselves from the system by charging a bit more or even a lot more are giving a deeper, usually a richer learning environment. You are not going to hear the same old same old, regurgitation of simple ideas. You will hear fresh ways to do things. You will have your mind expanded if you wish it.

Making $13.33 before expenses... I did it for fun.

But the wear and tear on me, which is my cost of supporting this system by accepting poorly paid jobs, the economics of good health and well being; the valuing of myself and my time to create - priceless

T'was the night before Woolgathering

I think I've got everything.

If I don't well.... that's why I tell people if they want something they should let me know so I'll be sure to bring it. I hope I'll see you tomorrow at Woolgathering !

Talking of bringing it, I just got a couple of new books of interest.

Graphic Design- The New Basics by Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Philips

This is a great book about all the things we need to know to make a design as well as perfect those we buy. There are excellent examples and plenty of info to kick up our work to the next dimension and I'm not talking about devices such as proddy.

Is there anything more exciting than providing a 3D effect with good use of colour !

I tell you it excites the becheezis out of me !

Here is a quote from notesondesign.com

In this design primer, Lupton and Phillips represent graphic design basics for 2008 with profundity and clarity. The text reconsiders principles from the Bauhaus legacy, but in tune with current digital tools and culture. The approach is systematic,

rigorous and brimming with postmodern inspirational examples from professionals and students. Finally! I’ve been waiting for the celebratory return of formal language to design dialogue.

I also ordered The Daily Book Of Art. It starts right off with the principles of design and you know that makes me ecstatic. I scooped the following from Amazon ! I know I'm really going to enjoy this one ! A daily bath in ART !!!!!!

Description

In today's fast-paced world, creative people are as eager as ever to pursue their artistic passions, but many of them simply don't have enough time. Catering to this modern dilemma, we've concocted the perfect remedy for over-burdened artists. The Daily Book of Artincludes a year's worth of brief daily readings and lessons about the visual arts that entertain as they inform. Ten exciting categories of discussion rotate throughout the course of a year, giving readers a well-rounded experience in the art world. From color psychology and aesthetic philosophy to the proverbial argument over whether elephants really can paint, art-starved readers will encounter a broad range of inspiring subjects. The book also features a ribbon bookmark so readers can keep their place throughout the year. The ten categories of discussion include Art 101, Philosophy of Art, Art Through the Ages, Profiles in Art, A Picture’s Worth 200 Words, Art from the Inside Out, Art Around the World, Artistic Oddities, Unexpected Art Forms, and Step-by-Step Exercises.

About the Authors

Colin Gilbert of Laguna Niguel, California, is a freelance writer and photographer with a degree in philosophy; Dylan Gilbert is a freelance writer, musician, and art aficionado. He lives in Los Angeles, California; Elizabeth T. Gilbert, of Laguna Niguel, California, is a writer, editor, and in-house artist for Walter Foster Publishing; Gabriel Guzman of Montreal, Canada, is a martial artist and computer programmer with a penchant for art in everyday life; Rebecca J. Razo is a writer, editor, and poet with a degree in English and a background in 20th-century British literature; Amy Runyen of Los Angeles, California, is an art instructor with a master’s degree in fine art. Sharon B. Robinson, of Long Beach, California, is a freelance writer and independent curator who works in the Curatorial Department at the Orange County Museum of Art. She has a master’s degree in art history; David J. Schmidt of San Diego, California, is a freelance journalist, translator, and extensive traveler with an insatiable thirst for art and culture.

I'll be reporting in depth on Woolgathering tomorrow !

Until then happy hooking.

Heavy Weather Coming from the West/Beginning Dyeing

For sky watchers November has to be the best month.

We had blue skies, hail and sleet, snow and a perfect sunset all in one day.

Standing down at the bay you can see sky for about 180˚

At five in the north we saw amazing blue sky with cumulus-nimbus towers with lit pink tops that changed to lavender, then mint green with an basement of steel blue. Traveling toward the east a whole new panorama awaited, the sky was dark with a fog of deep shapeless clouds and you could see that snow was falling from them somewhere to the south. Further to the west the sky lightened and you could see low layers of pink blue and lavender clouds also lit up by the sun, it was a beautiful panorama!

Too lazy to get my camera or a coat for that matter I have no pretty for you to view. Sorry

This is a weak and wanting photo of the effect I saw in the sky tonight but it will give you an idea of the sky to the north.

It was hooking day and we had a tiny turn out, where have all the hookers gone ? Where ever they are I hope they are happy and healthy.

Erin talked of wanting to learn to dye and I gave her a list of necessary materials.

It was surprisingly short.

wool

wetting agent

dyes

toothpicks/chopsticks

jars

a flat pan

a pot

dyes

acid

We all talked about what stops people from dyeing.

Worrying about ruining wool was high on the list as well as making a mess.

I have only ruined one piece of wool by trying to bleed out some dye, not paying attention and letting it turn into a slime chamois.

Notice I wasn't even dyeing ?

There is indeed a mess made and time is involved just as there is when you learn anything new.

But it is so worth it !

Your rugs will be so much more YOU if you are dyeing the wool !

I think the best attitude to take if you are a rank beginner is one of fun and experiment.

Make sure you dye a sample of your dye colours when you get them.

This way you will know the "flavours" of them. Strong or weak ? Bright or Dull ?

You'll have a visual to judge them by. Oh yes, that blue is weak compared to that red violet. I will have to double up on one and cut the other in half to have them be the same strength.

You will be so informed !!!

I would get 2 or 5 yds. of wool and just play and play. Record what you do with samples pasted beside your notations.

It is a far better investment than to buy a dye book. You are creating your own.

With your methods at your house, you will be better able to match up what you've done.

Have a super night.

I saw RED and orange

Yesterday I was pepping up my line up of reds and oranges.

Not willing to tap into any bolts I worked on reconstruction !

I just used the reds and oranges I had already dyed on the shelf.

As usual there were no darks, plenty of mediums and lots of lights... why is everyone afraid of the light ?

The colour red is a naturally dark one. If you dye a light red it really looks horrible and isn't very useful for us. I as able to create some beautiful medium reds and some amazing dark ones. It always surprises me how much dye you need to over dye some textures.

As I ran through the pile to cull out those I wanted to re dye I tried to choose duplicates of things I had lots of.

I used a very simple method to dye. For the reds I used RED but lots of it. I mean over a 1/2 yd I was using about 1/2 tsp over already dyed wool. I could not believe how wonderful these turned out. I also used red violet over some of the reds with stunning results.

For the oranges, I did the same thing, ORANGE and lots of it. I was so impressed and frankly more pleased than if I started from scratch with natural. What lovely colours I have now and a full array !

Cathy ! You go ahead and give your gift, you don't need anyone's permission !

Seen and Heard

Walking in the rain provides its own delights. You want to be properly attired though so you can be comfortable.

Things you don't notice in the light are luminous in the rain. We were walking on a smoother part of The Bruce Trail to take it easy on my ankle. I noticed a type of moss or lichen (I decided I better find out for you what I was seeing ! According to this site it was a lichen ) that was glowing in the dim light of it's surroundings. It was growing low to the ground on tree trunks in each case and was very flat. What I couldn't get over was the silver shining quality of it among the duller forest colours and how wonderful it was. Oh to bring those qualities of light into our rugs. It is only the play of colour and is entirely possible all we need to do is open our eyes and see what is there and be brave enough to replicate it.

On the heard front, there is a great discussion going on on The Welcome Mat about people's experiences ( the best and the worst without names) on the teaching front in rug camps, workshops and classes.

The opinions vary from don't talk about that to people wishing they could hear the names if they were good.

When I posted the question I added:" the best of times and the worst of times ... all in the same room" Nothing could be more accurate, I can have people sitting side by side hearing the same things, doing similar work, having the same amount of help, one will say I'm the best in the world ! LOL and the other will say, NEVER again , the worst in all the world !!!

That is so informative to me. You can have such a range of reactions can it really be all you in either case ?

There is really no standard for teaching. There are standards for getting a certificate, they have little or nothing to do with have skills to work with humans or educate fellow adults.

There is no system for beginning teachers to get a foot into teaching in rug schools and camps.

There is no system to avoid the cult of the "well known" sage on the stage.

The rubric to run camps is a financial one. There has to be a bottom line.

This does not always create a good environment for learning or teaching. I get paid the same as someone who hands out a sheet of paper and spends the rest of the day talking privately to students. Why is there no reward for good teaching in this system? There is quite a bit awry in the rug hooking teaching arena. I feel I cannot continue to support it as it exists.

After careful consideration I've excused myself from traveling to teach.

It's hard on me. I'm not an easy traveler.

I really have to pull up my boot straps to "bring it home " for the students.

I want to give the class my all when I'm there.

This costs me a lot, mentally, creatively and physically.

In terms of economics, the above costs, nothing is worth it.

I'm continuing to teach here in my studio. If you want to learn what I have to offer, I welcome you. I'm teaching dyeing several times a year, a beginner and a mentoring class. I'm teaching about colour, but in a way never heard of in rug hooking before. I'm showing you about how you use colour and how you can use it better. I'm a tool and skill building teacher. I teach people about creativity and frankly you can come here and learn whatever you want. I will also convene a class for you and your friends if you want it. I also teach teachers how to be more effective and push them to greater heights in their expectations of themselves.

Yes it costs more than usual, but not more than going to rug camp. You are in a small class 4 to 6. You are in charge of what you learn. You are in charge of what you do or don't do. You are the boss.

That is priceless !

Look at www.wandaworks.ca for more info on the 2010 scheduled classes soon.

But don't forget you can also book your own !

Surroundings, down right inspiring !

Scenes from The Garden- Thea and Chris' handiwork on the pumpkins.

The car hurdles down the road, lashed by wind and rain. The sky is a study in steel and royal navy, light and shadow. The last of the leaves have fallen from trees and are cast over plowed fields, corn rows and rocky fences in a perfect spume, a triangle shadow shape angled north west. Confetti of fine glory soon to be forgotten under a blanket of white.

The fields and swamps are topped off with caramel and cooked apple grasses with chocolate studded cat tails. Right at the road edge the striking striking short new growth of green grass stands out like poison.

Every colour looks differently than it did the day before in sun and dry. The vistas are longer without leaves, the colours more exciting against the foil of the opposite coloured sky.

They say change is good, and I embrace that, but I do lament the shorter days ahead. Let's make the most of the light while we can.

Great Beauty - a wandering recipe

Great Beauty over 1/2 yd of natural wool with Majic Carpet Dyes with the Wandering method.

1/2 tsp orange

2/32/heaping tsp NF red violet

2/32 tsp turquoise

My Master - a wandering recipe

My Master over 1/2 yd of natural wool with Majic Carpet Dyes with the wandering method.

1/2 tsp blue violet

1/2 tsp blue

1/2 tsp orange

New Wandering Recipe - Duck Duck Teal

Duck Duck Teal

Over 1/2 yd natural with the wandering method:

Majic Carpet Dyes

1/4 tsp Bottle Green

1/2 tsp Blue

1/4 tsp Orange

Patinated Pewter Revised

I had noticed several people telling me their patinated pewter did not look like mine. Sometimes these things happen due to many reasons... but this time the fault is all mine !
Running out of Patinated Pewter caused me to remake it.

As I did I took photos and wrote down my actual measures as the first one was a happenstance event I took a stab at.

I found I needed twice as much yellow.

1/4 tsp yellow

1/32 red violet

1/32 turquoise

Now the wool should look like this in it's shallow pan

Then I added blue by using a chop stick dipped in Majic Carpet Blue (which is weak) stir the chop stick around in the dye bath in one

place. Do this six times in six different spots

Then add 2/32 tsp black. If you have any questions please ask. Now we are all on the same patinated page!