Things I Learned on Retreat on Off the Wall Friday

Rug Hooking Retreat at the Heritage Inn

 When I was in college, I belonged to the Newman Center group on campus.  The priest who was the moderator would take us on a spiritual retreat to a monastery outside of Elmira, NY.  My time there made a big impression on me. I loved the fact that we were getting away from campus.  I would catch up on homework, get up early (5 am!) to hear morning vespers, take long walks on the farm and explore the monastery.  It would center me.

That's why when I heard that Sauder Village offered rug hooking retreats at their pretty Heritage Inn, I quickly signed up.  The place is interesting with Sauder Village, a historic living museum plus a bakery, restaurant, quilt shop, blacksmith shop and a pottery.  Then there is the resort itself with an events hall and a new educational center.  Plus, nearby Archbold, Ohio is this pretty little midwestern town.  I mean who doesn't like corn fields and history?

Across from our retreat room, sunrise at Sauder Village 

I got a standard room in the pool wing which was spacious, quiet and very clean.  Breakfast everyday was held in their indoor park area and there were plenty of options for most diets.  I was struck by how clean all the common areas where including the ladies room.  Our retreat room was just a short walk down the hall.  It was a very comfortable room and only about 20 ladies were in attendance.  Most people knew each other, but thankfully Cindi Gay took pity on me and invited me to sit with her.  It was very sweet of her and it was super fun to meet some of my online classmates in person.  

There was one rule ...you could do as much or as little as you wanted for the whole weekend.  The room opened around 7ish and closed when the last person went to bed.  Since the group was small it wasn't unusual for there to be whole room chit chat or people would talk at their own tables.  You could easily listen to your own earbuds without seeming rude.   I made sure to get up and walk around to see what people where working all - plus stretch my leg.

And that's where I started to learn things...

I had a discussion with Linda Hershey about my next project.  I showed her my pathetic line drawing and we started talking about composition elements and things that could eliminated.  I made sure I wrote down the whole discussion, because even now a week later I can only remember half of it.  

Sue from my regular weekly class brought her spinning wheel and yarn.  It was the first time I got to hear the chatter of it and found it really relaxing. It was so fun to watch her work and she never got tired of answering questions.

Here's Sue who had to the nerve to tell me she
wasn't very photogenic! 

After spending the weekend hearing names of popular rug hookers who I had no idea who they were, I decided to go around the room and ask everyone their favorite hookers - live or dead.  So many names popped out and I busily wrote them all down to research later.  It was fun to see the people's names who showed up at every table.  After being a quilter for 30 years and knowing the who's who of the quilting world easily, it was unnerving to not know any of those names.  

I learned from my new friend Jodi about a band that could become a new obsession, The Arcadian Wild  which "blurs the lines between chamber folk and progressive bluegrass" (really that says it all).  Listening to it, I can't decide if I love the gorgeous melodies with the blended harmonies better or the instrumental parts.  Its the kind of music that is cozy, but still interesting.  Plus Jodi was working on a rug that was a replica of the rug that sit in Bilboa Baggins study in the movie version of the Hobbit.  (Another thing we both like!)

Jodi working on her Stainglass Piece 
She uses tape to keep her strips all in the order she wants to hook them. 

When a lady over dinner asked me what kind of work I wanted to do, I had to for the first time articulate where I foresee my rughooking going in the near future.  For the last few months, I've spent learning the basics.  It's kind crazy how you learn how to make a loop in 5 minutes and then years perfecting it.  There are so many avenues I could go down, but  I think I see myself doing what they call fine work maybe 3-5 cut and working on my own original designs.  Not too big of pieces but working with fine shading (that's what the fruit is teaching me) and playing with composition and value.  It was nice to say it out loud.  

I learned that there are still groups of ladies who can come together and just enjoy the company of each other and a simple years old art form...without drama, judgement, or division.  It felt like a true safe space.   Looking at the news today you wouldn't think that could happen could you?

And finally, I learned that what I like most in a vacation is a low maintenance, cozy creative time.  I loved the social time as much as the time alone.  I loved that for a full 3 days I didn't have to explain what rug hooking was or why I'm obsessed with it.  I love the "Escape" factor of it.  

Heritage Inn's Lovely Lobby 

Onto this week's Rug Watch....I'm getting closer to the end!  I probably could have finished this weekend but I didn't bring quite enough background strips! 

Looking at the picture I can see where I would like to adjust some things, but I'll wait till the background is done.  I'm interested to see how the background is going to look once its all done.  I still think it might be a bit too busy, but we'll see.  One thing about rug hooking its much easier to pull loops out then to unquilt something! 

Oh and finally .... Sauder hosts MANY quilt retreats .... tempt ...tempt...tempt!

What are some of your favorite retreat spots?

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America and Other Things I Love on Off the Wall Friday

Fall, 2013
Cotton dyed by Artist, Rough Edge Applique, machine quilted 

 I know it's a bit old fashion, but I love this country.  I'm not sure if it's because I was brought up in a military household (both my dads were veterans) or that I can be a true political history geek (since my teens!), but I never take living in the US for granted.  Even with the current climate of division, I revel in our differences.  What most people don't realize (unless you're a political history geek) is this type of polarization within the country is nothing new and has happen many times throughout our short history.  It's all cylindrical and our country will come back together sooner or later.  (but I'm prayin' sooner rather than later because LORD it's drain')

Now lest you think I'm bringing politics on to this blog, oh Nay, Nay (John Pinett, may he RIP), not a toe dipped in that quagmire.  This post is about things I love...including this great country! What brought it up is  Williamsburg is celebrating it's 250th birthday this year, and they put out a call for quilt blocks.  Here are the details and you still have time to submit one since the deadline is November 30th. 

What is it about quilts that can unite diverse women from all walks of life?  So, no matter if you are on the Left, Right or a little bit of both and love this country like I do...make one!  

Of course, I have an idea for one... And no, I'm not going to subject you to another design post...three weeks in a row...lol.  But so far here is my design inspiration from a newspaper article I read.  I loved this image. 

It's funny how it took a bit of rug hooking strips and the rhythm of pulling loops to break the creative funk, I've been in the last couple of years.  Creative ideas are popping in my head all the time! 

Another thing I love....Fall Palettes...Maybe it's because I'm hooking Autumn Fruit or social media has once again exploded with all things pumpkin spice...but I love the color scheme of autumn. 

The Point of Point Rock, NY

My princess, early fall, up the road

I always think of Fall as God's way of getting us ready for the long dreary grey days of winter . (If you live on the banks of the Great Lakes, you know what you know) 

And finally, under this week's loves is the site Create Whimsy created by Lynn Woll.  There they share the collective stories of makers and their amazing works.  Along with those, you'll find "How To" articles that will help you cross-train on your creative journey.  But beware...this site can get a little addictive, so don't come yelling back at me when you go down the creative rabbit hole of Whimsy!  

I stole this from their site...but I love the sentiment....

With that, I'll get back to packing for my rug hooking retreat at Sauder Village.  By the time you're reading this, I'll be happily hooking my beloved wool strips.  

What Have You Been Up to Creatively?

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The Start of a Design on Off the Wall Friday

 I've had a week.

 In typical manner, just when I've thought, I've created some boundaries with work, nope...it comes roaring back in.  But honestly, that's how life is.  You try to compartmentalize different aspects but it's not unusual for the boundaries to get crossed and some compartments to get bigger than others.  Luckily for me, I actually like my job so I don't mind giving a bit more energy than normal this week.  As long as it's the exception, not the rule.

I did finally carve out a little creative energy to start my next design.  I decided to design a rug pattern, like I do a quilt pattern. 

The Inspiration

I finally am using the greeting card that has now been sitting on my dresser for years.  This is a Forever Card designed by Ge Feng who resides in England.  I love their work.  I could have used many cards for inspiration, but this one really captured my attention. 

The Design

The idea to is to use this as inspiration, not a copy.  But I wanted to get the feel of the proportions.  So, I first made a photocopy of the card. The reason I did this, is because an important design element of the card are the paper cut lines.  Those won't translate to a rug pattern.  

Now I trace over the important elements of the composition, playing attention to the pattern and proportions. In this black and white representation, I'm starting to divorce myself from the original. 

 With that by my side, I start brainstorming my new composition.  Out of my handful of tries, this is the only one that comes close to working.  

Like I said, not a lot of braincells this week left for creating....but still it's a start and there isn't any big rush since I'm still finishing Autumn Fruit.

And speaking of my current project....

On this week's Rug Watch...I chose the background! 

 Cindi Gay mentioned in one of her lessons that it's not a bad idea to choose the background before finishing the whole rug.  Her reasoning is that you make sure the main composition elements worked nicely with the background.  I never really thought of it that way.  Normally, I pick a palette that all works together and make one design decision at a time. The background color is one of the palette colors.  Sometimes the background is first - sometimes last - rarely in the middle.  

This time apparently it was going to be in the middle.  I already had in my mind that I wanted Autumn rusts.  I bought a few quarter yards of wool in them varying the values, cut them up in a size smaller than the fruit cut ...background - 5 - Fruits - 6.  The thought process is that the loop size won't detract from the main subject of the rug.  

I wasn't quite sure when I started hooking, how all those values would look. One thing is for sure, it's not the background you'd see from a traditional hooker.  I'm thinking it's giving more "tell me you're a quilter turn rug hooker" vibes more than anything.  I wasn't quite sure I liked it actually, until I took the picture for this post.  Yep, it's working.

This weekend, I start packing for my Rug Retreat at Sauder Village in Archbold, Ohio next week.  Can't wait. I sooooo need a few days away!  

(linking with Kathy's Slow Stitch Sunday) 

What Have You've Been Up to Creatively?

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Designing with Geometrics on Off the Wall Friday

 

Heritage Medallion, 60" by 60
Nina-Marie Sayre, 1996

Well, you can imagine what I thought, when my rug hooking teacher, Cindi Gay announced the next big topic was designing with geometrics.  I mean as a 35-year quilter, geometrics is kinda like our bread and butter, right?  Apparently, some rug hookers shy away from geometrics because the rug police said your lines must be straight, edges perfect (hard to do with fluffy wool!).  That totally reminds me of the quilt police judging if your points match and your seams are press properly.  (huge eye roll)

Her design directions were very loose.  Design a geometric pattern that would fit on a square grid. To get us started she gave us a PDF full of geometric shapes to cut out and play with.  Oh, that's new.  I never tried to do it that way.  Over the years I've tried a ton of ways.  

Back at the beginning, I would grab graph paper and pencils.  With my engineering diploma all shiney I had a ton of graph paper left over from school.  Here are a couple of my designs from the early 90's...

Nothing fancy but I already was playing around with new designs and geometrics.  

But really who am I fooling...I've been playing with geometrics since the '70's when I got the book Altair Designs by  Ensor Holiday at the book fair in 5th grade  (1977...lol).  In those days a coloring book of geometrics was an oddity.  I found the patterns fascinating and had no problem spending hours working out designs.   My husband couldn't believe I still have it and easily pulled it from the shelf to take some pictures to share here ... this is 10-12 year old Nina's work...

Am I the only one that is amazed at how good markers hold up after 50 years?
gasp! Lord Jesus, where does the time go?

Along with color books you can look to traditional quilt blocks for inspiration....and there is no shortage of them!

I even had the first version of Electric Quilt back in the late 90's to design with but found it way too clunky.   What I haven't tried though was taking geometric little cards and forming them into blocks.  So, I took some time to at least play with Cindi's blocks and here are some of my attempts.....

If I was actually going to do this, I would print them on card stock and they would be much easier to move around.  I do like how keeping it black and while you can just concentrate on the shape.  Adding in the circles was interesting and I think I'll explore that some more. 

You could take it one step further and get a set of mosaic blocks to play with shape.  

It's funny how there are so many ways to create and brain storm simple geometric patterns.  Cindi encouraged us to look at the world around you and see what shapes you are drawn to.  Look at the rhythm of the shapes and the composition ....

After taking the week to explore geometrics, I realized how much more I had to learn.  I haven't even really started on my design, but I have some good ideas going.  It's going to be so much fun to do this as a hook along with the rest of the class...it's fun to discover something new on a topic you thought you knew so well!  

Also, as I discover rug hooking bloggers, I'm starting to invite them into our link up.  As always - if your post is creative, it's welcome! 

So, What Have You Been Up to Creatively?

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My First Hook-in on Off the Wall Friday

 

The calm before the storm

After going through the Covid plague of 2020, I made myself one promise...I would make sure I wasn't blowing off chances to socialize just because it seemed like "too much bother".  What that awful time made me realize was not to take socializing with my community for granted.  To that end, I took a leap of faith and went to my first Hook-in.

It all started with me seeing a Facebook post on a rug hookers guild page for their Hooktoberfest 2025 Hook-in.  After a guild member said it was open to the public and encourage me to go, I sent in my registration.  Right about then I "liked" a post on another's guild page, and their social media chair, Debbie reached out with a friend request.  I accepted it once I saw she was a rug hooker, and a new friendship was made.  Apparently, Facebook is actually still good for something these days.

With an invite, Debbie decided to ride along to the Hook-in with me since she's only about 25 minutes from my house.  I'm so glad she did!  I'm not sure what I was thinking but that day it dawned on me that if I hadn't had Debbie with me, I wouldn't have known a soul there.  Everyone was sitting with their friend groups so Debbie generously had me sit with hers. The ladies were all nice and from my neck of the woods.  Here is my new friend Marsha and the lovely project she's working on! (I was watching her work and thought - wow she's so pretty  - so I bravely asked to take a picture for my blog)

Marsha and her lovely Cowboy

The Hook-in was held at the Strongsville , Ohio Senior/Rec Center which is a huge and amazing building. We filled the Event Hall with about 100 ladies (and a few men) all sitting at roomy round

This is another quilter turned hooker - Pretty right?

tables.  The edges of room were taken up with several vendors.  I finally found out how most ladies are buying their wool.  Apparently, there are several small business owners that sell wool off the bolt, over dyed wool, and hand dyed wool at these social events.  Plus there was all sorts of textile notions, wool yarn and Valdani pearl cotton.  Truly there was a LOT of wool there.  With Debbie at my side, I got a lesson in wool shopping.  Once I got my hands on it, I knew exactly what I wanted.  You could feel the different weights just by touch and seeing it in person.  I love how once you touched it you can tell what was tight weave, loose weave and just right!   I bought some hand dyeds for the background of my current project and a few plaids because they are getting harder and harder to find.  Still, I'm sticking to my promise of not letting my wool stash get out of hand. I really think project by project is a good idea.  

the Hook-in Haul - sorry - wool is hard to pick up the right colors 

It really was a fun day.  We hook a little, shopped a little, had a nice lunch and did a LOT of talking. All for the reasonable price of $35.  Oh and I even won a handful of wool as a door prize!  It was such a nice time that I wish we would do that with quilters - bring your hand work and come socialize for 6 hrs,

Debbie's Door prize - Cigar boxes with pretty Motif's on them 

On this week's Rug Watch...finished up the red grapes and onto the grape leaves....

On buy of the week...also found in the Facebook's group "Selling my sewing supplies" ...a  bought these two books for $5.70 each (that includes the postage)....Millefiori Quilts I & II

I remember when these first came out and they were kinda pricey (about $55)  so I forego buying them even though doing a Millefiori English paper piece quilt is on my bucket list.  So I thought - oh good buy right?!  Well apparently, since then, the books have become more rare and English paper piecing more popular, so their prices have gone through the roof. Millefiori Quilts 2 is selling anywhere between $50-$160 right now.  (We'll see if that continues because whenever that has happen in the past, a publish on demand option becomes available and the prices drop - but so will the quality of the book itself).  These are gorgeous books, and I'm so blessed to have snagged them.  I'm taking it as a sign to not put off one of these quilts.  

That's me this week...

What Have YouBeen Up to Creatively?

(Linking up with Kathy's Slow Stitch Sunday) 

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Another Journal on Off the Wall Friday

 

 Is anybody out there just a glutton for cool stationary supplies?  Maybe it's because it's back to school time and the shelves are full of the coolest ones.  Or maybe it's because Cindi Gay has a whole series of lessons about journaling, but it got me in the mood to give journaling another try. 

 I have had several failed attempts.  Once I set one up for quilting.  Barely used it. I mean really, blogging about my quilting journey was plenty,   I did have pretty good success with the The Happy Planner series, mostly because it was a planner and not a journal.  Plus, they have a whole lot of stickers that you can buy with it.  (Does it say something about me that I still love stickers at 60?) But now with my phone on me all days, the calendar on it keeps me straight so that fell by the wayside.  

With this new venture into rug hooking though, I thought it was time to give it another go.  I really do wish I had a record of those early years of quilting. This way, I have another shot at getting all the ups and downs of a new art. So down the Bullet Journal (aka BuJo) rabbit hole, I fell...again.

This time though I knew what works for me and what doesn't.  I picked a quality journal with quality paper that didn't ghost or bleed through with whatever pen I used.  I also wanted all the materials of the journal to have a good texture.  (For me it's always about how does it feel in my hand).  With a little bit of investigation, I settled on the Scribbles That Matter Pro.  It has 160 gram paper weight and a nice soft vegan leather cover.  It's not too cutsy and had a lot of colors to choose from.  I settled on aubergine.  It has nice prenumbered pages, 4 big index pages, and little dot guides so you know where the center of the page is.   Oh and the pages are pure white - which apparently isn't the norm in journaling strangely enough.

Luckily, I had everything I needed...pens...stickers...rulers...templates.  But how to set it up?  I did some research, and shockingly, I couldn't find one for a "Maker" that used a journal just for their creative journey.  That seemed crazy to me.  I mean isn't there a video on anything you want to learn on YouTube?

I decided to just wing it.  I thought about how I wanted to use the journal and what purpose it would serve.  I wanted to keep it minimal, personal and low maintenance.  I don't want journalling to become a chore.  Things that I wanted to include in it where:

• An index
• To-Do List
• Blog Ideas List
• Books/Videos I like
• Names/Emails
• 2025-2026 hooking tracker
• A big section for Projects
• A big section for Class notes 
• A list of supplies I bought/where/how much

That didn't seem too difficult.  Also, I set up some rules for myself.  I wanted my journal to look well put together but not become a form of creative expression in itself.  I also wasn't going to worry about imperfections.  My handwriting wasn't good in school and it hasn't gotten any better after 30 years of keyboarding.  (But I can type about 90 wpm - just 'sayin').

I've sprinkled what the pages look like around the post.  Like I said nothing fancy, but still I like to have everything rug hooking in place.  I have a feeling that a big part of hooking is traveling to meet other hookers.  What better way to keep everything straight than a little journal?

I'll get to put that to the test because this weekend is my first Hook-In.  Don't worry, I'll take pictures and fill you next time!

Now for this week's . . .

Rug Watch

The pink grapes were hard again. I really think that part of the issue is that the pattern wasn't plainly drawn.   When I take pictures, I can see the lines well enough, but when you are hooking they all kinda jumble together.  Might be the age of the pattern.  I really am enjoying doing the grape leaves though! 

So, What Have You Been Up to Creatively? 

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