The Wool House

About 100 yards from our door step there is a cute little house.  The house is owned by my Mother in law.  When we moved to northern NY 10 years ago with the intent on retiring here she decided to buy it since it was so close to us.  The thought was that maybe someday she might move into it.  That day has not come yet, she still lives in Mass., so over the past 8 years we have rented the house to various service members.  It's so close and we even share a driveway.  So, when we knew that the house was going to be vacant again in September I made the decision to rent the house from my Mother in law for "production" for The Old Tattered Flag.  Things had gotten very cramped in the little dye kitchen in the back of our house.  We use to have to walk sideways to get to certain areas in the room as there was so much wool stacked everywhere.  My office was also crammed with stuff.  So, when we started moving that stuff over in September, though it felt strange, it also felt amazing.  We now have dedicated spots to cut kits, cut wool, fold wool, label wool, I have a huge new light table with a big shelf next to it to store all my monks cloth and linen.  We have a table for punch needle pattern prep and folding, 2 washers and dryers and a whole upstairs for storage, not to mention a large kitchen for dying. It truly is heaven!  Mom heads over to what we affectionately call "the Wool House" in the morning, connects her ipad to her Bose speaker, turns up the tunes and is in her glory all day.  I spend mornings packing boxes, answering phone calls and emails and labeling packages then head over in the afternoon to draw patterns, cut wool, do whatever is necessary.  

This past Sunday I went over all by myself....I should tell you that we rescued two little stray kittens who are now living in the wool house.  They are in heaven, but every morning we have to clean up from their frantic night of chaos. They spread wool scraps and linen "hair" everywhere!!   So, I went over Sunday and surveyed the kitty mess, but then I noticed the sun streaming in on the wool and decided to snap a few pictures.  Yes, it was messy, but it was also beautiful.  

I think you'll agree.......

Piles of wool are everywhere.....

...and piles of pennies.....

...even the stack of pattern envelopes with things waiting to be drawn are beautiful...

......monks cloth and linen crumpled up....a blank canvas waiting to be filled....

....more wool......

....plants that have come in to the warmth from the cold days now, with rolls of wool for binding rugs....

....more wool....

.....dye pots......

....bolts of wool peeking out over the staircase......

....a color chart......

.....snippets of colors......

.....Mom's act of defiance.....

....more wool.....

......ahhh, my sharpies.....

......my speaker.....sometimes it's blaring and sometimes it's silent, both are good....

...more wool....hand dyed wool....

.....the view from the little Wool House, looking over at our house.  I can be at my light table and see hubby and the boys come home from work.  Then I know it's time to call it a day....

....and the fridge, lol, Mom's staple...Sam's club caffeine free diet cola, she doesn't go anywhere without it!

So, that's a little glimpse into our slice of heaven.  We are so lucky to be able to do what we do... and now have the room to do it without stress.  

Until next time......