It's all about Wool...., isn't it always?

I've really enjoyed getting back to the writing on my blog.  There are a million other things I should be doing right now, but, oh well.  Today's blog topic is....what else....wool!  I am a relatively new shop owner.  I've operated my website for 11 years, but a shop is a whole other bag of wool....cute eh?  I am striving to keep it new and fresh, constantly moving things around, changing color schemes, so sometimes things with me anyway become stale, I have to take the time to appreciate what's in front of me.  Today I wanted some blog photos so I saw the shop with a new eye.  Here are pictures of what else....wool in our shop!

Then, there are the stacks of the bolts, beautiful in their own way!

...and here are some special dyes....so pretty!

This beauty is a gorgeous antique chair pad that Mom found last week at our favorite antique store...

My mother gave me this beautiful penny rug years ago....

Here's an experiment with pennies and hooking.  The prim sunflower is hooked right through the wool, the pennies are hand stitched on...

 Mom made the gorgeous cape below (the orange red one) for herself last week.  The cape immediately below is currently in our shop.  A great way to show what you can do with wool besides hooking or wool applique.  So pretty!

Here's a beautiful rug just finished by Cathy, one of our local hookers.  It is a Barb Adams pattern.  I love it, but then again, it's a flag!!

..and here's a new design by me that Mom is currently working on.  I'm calling it "Cora's Garden" in honor of the wife of the original owner/builder of our home that was built in 1831.  I can't wait to see this come alive with color.

...and here's what I'm working on.  Lori Brechlin's "A Midnight Clear", an adaptation by Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Studios.  I LOVE Lori's designs and hooking another designers work is something I think all designers should do.  I find it inspires me and makes me want to better my own work.  Thanks for the inspiration Lori if you are reading this!

I started hooking this design with a #10.  I LOVE the look of the wide cuts...but sadly I just couldn't do it.  I started with the facial features and though I cut the eyes down to a #8 I then did the rest of the face with the #10 and didn't care for the feel of it.  

I also constantly lose my hook.  Thankfully I make hooks and don't really have a favorite "go to" hook.  I like them all as long as they have right tip on them.  I use a smaller tip for hooking everything, all sizes.

Last but not least I wanted to show you my hooking spot.  Could there be anything more relaxing than sitting down at the end of the day by the lights of the Christmas tree (and an ott light) and hooking?  Where is your favorite hooking spot?  

 Come back tomorrow, I'll be photographing punch needle!

Until next time.....