Thursday, October 13, 2016

Fall Online Classes with Wanda; how they work

Hi,
If you are interested in how my online classes work it would be great to read this letter!
Many of you are desiring deeper understanding of your craft.
I'm here to help you do this.
One of the ways I encourage this is through online classes inside my Welcome Mat now free.
I have two going this fall and I've had a number of questions about how they work so I'd like to explain further.

Spark is a year long collective, more than a class Spark is meant to gently push you over the edge to new territory in your hooking.

 Each week I'll present one of the following thrusts for you to think about, act upon, watch or ignore as you wish: Process, Colour, Teaching, Inspiration. I'll also be providing around 5 inspiring thoughts, suggestions, links and eye candy during each week to expand our horizons.
There is nothing you need to hand in or do in this class, it is meant to spark your understanding, depth of meaning and execution of your ideas through any medium. This is a class like no other offered. It is about you, your artistry. I'll be there to help you, make suggestions and inform you about the hooking work you choose to do in class to help you grow as you wish.
As with everything though, what you put in grows 10 fold into what you take from any group dynamic.
We have already started hooking on a pattern called Intersection, participation, size and cut are determined by you, great stretching is taking place as we explore our stashes and colour planning and intersections. Pattern is provided.

Wanda Kerr
Jean Schoderus

I'm only accepting students until October 15. We would be happy to have you join us. Go here to read more about it and press the paypal button if you are a Canadian.
If you are an American or other nationality just go here to join up and pay.
Only $150 for a whole year of creative thriving or 41¢ a day. You are not too late rather, just in time! We want you to join us.

The Exploratorium
This class is one month long.
It has a kit, including 2 sets of transitionally dye wool, some yarny splendid goodness, hand dyed nylons, and two textures +. Each kit is unique. Shipping is included in the price of the class.
Class will start Monday, October 24. I'll send you a notification of where to go to see it  the night before.
There are 4 lessons in this class and they will be set up in the first week so you might work at your own speed, fast, slow or somewhere between. When you complete a lesson or you need a boost or question answered you send in homework and I respond to your questions on the lessons, questions as you work, your homework and any other dang thing.
In this class we will look at how colour can transition to make your rug hooking more artful. There are many ways to work this pattern and we will explore them all. Colour choices cannot be made for your kit by you but all are gorgeous and I'll use my finely honed instinct when shipping, I promise.
                                                                      Each roll is part of one kit  
I only have room for 5 students. Will you be one of them? I hope so. Cost is $380 in the denomination of your residency country. This includes class, pattern you trace, bountiful kit and shipping. 
Here are some of the results of this class.
Jamestown Class
Asheville Class

If you have already contacted me about joining this class I'll be sending you your invoice today to be paid asap and shipping your kit on Monday. 

If you want to be in my group of students in this elite class, please write wlm@bmts.com pronto as I'm taking students on a first come first serve, first paid basis. You will be sent a paypal invoice.

I hope that has answered some of your questions about my classes and how they work and you are inspired to join us!
Thank you, Wanda

Monday, September 12, 2016

Spark Up

Wanda is starting a brand new year long class on The Welcome Mat.



It is called Spark. 
IT IS INTERACTIVE.
Wanda relates and responds to you.
Inside Spark there are 4 sections
Inspiration
Process
Teaching
Colour
Each month we will touch on all four.
There will be patterns, challenges, learning and musings to ponder over.
Find out more about colour use in rug hooking, find out more about Wanda's process and your own. She will teach you all her tricks about creativity, spirit and art.
You will see more of Wanda via videos and teachings.
Best of all she will inspire you to ignite your spark as she fans hers.
Your desires in hooking are your tinder, all we need to do is flash a spark to get you fired up. 
Spark Starts on September 22, 2016
Cost: $150  as per your country of residence.


If you are a US citizen just join us here.


If you are a Canadian citizen and need or wish to pay in CAD please press this button and add a note of your Welcome Mat name  and email so I might send you your invitation.
 

We are only accepting SPARK applications until September 30, 2016
This is a one time class, it will not be offered again.
Join us for the time of your life!
++++++
“I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out
in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in
magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.”
Jack London

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Our French Colours Series

On The Welcome Mat I've been exploring France as a source for dye formulas.
This week we've been to a French Cafe
 Here's our Parisian Apartment Formulas

And those from a French Farmhouse

We have hundreds of formulas I've created just for my Welcome Mat dyeing column, Dye Matters, join us, you'll be glad you did.

" This is a lot different than when I belonged before" exclaimed an excited recent returnee.



Monday, January 4, 2016

Happy Birthday Present From The Welcome Mat

New Skills Monday - How to Enlarge And Print Your Own Pattern

This article contains the steps for creating a pattern from digital content, like a photo. It both enlarges and prints. I'll be sharing this all in my blog too just to show people our riches on The Mat.
I have with great success in the past turned something I drew freehand into digital content by taking a photo of it ( you have to be directly over it to take the photo) or scanning it.
Create a PDF of your artwork or photo.
Do this by clicking print and looking for the words PDF in the window.

Click this drop down PDF menu open.



Select Save as PDF.

This window will pop open.



Name it and make sure it goes where you want, have it end in .pdf
Open up this PDF
Click Print
You will see this window or something very similar



Now it is time to rejig the settings to enlarge our photo into pattern size.




Click on Poster in Page Sizing
Then increase the size of your pattern until the contents reach your desired size, I choose 350 %
Click on the photo to change the tiling to represent what percentage you've chose.



Click Print.
Tape the pattern together, removing any excess paper.
Go over all important lines with a black sharpie.
Look at it from a distance
Good?
OK.
Create half cross hairs in the corners for lining up if you need it later.
I sometimes do this tracing step on a window in the day time.

Tape your paper pattern onto a tabletop or counter, be aware sharpie might go through so take precautions such as a plastic sheet below the paper.

Tape your tracing medium over the paper.

Trace your lines and be sure to write a word in the margin of the photo so you will know which side is up when it comes time to transfer it.

Remove tracing medium from paper pattern and lay down your backing in it's place, make sure you have about 4 inches of backing outside the actual  pattern.

Tape your backing to the plastic covered counter so it won't move.

Tape your tracing medium down on your backing right side up ( this is where that word you wrote comes into play)

Trace over the lines slowly with a new black sharpie, the slower you go the better it will be.
Check to make sure you have done all the lines by lifting up the bottom of the tracing medium only.
All done?
Ok now go over all these lines again so they are clear and sharp.
What a pain in the hoochie but my darlings it will be yours.... all yours! The rewards are great!