Home from Shake Rag Alley

I had a wonderful workshop in Mineral Point Wisconsin at Shake Rag Alley.  This is a wonderful historic town that really supports the arts.  You can read more about Shake Rag Alley at the following link.

shakeragalley.com

I arrived in town to set up early on Thursday so I could spend some time in the many antique shops and well as galleries.

Okay so here are some pictures from the workshop.

Here is the group picture we took on the patio area outside the Smeja's studio where the workshop was held.  The facility was wonderful with good lighting and plenty of room for everyone to work.

Ellie, inspired the plaid that you can see in the picture (which will be a braid) is well on her way to a wonderful primitive floral---Nottingham.

Teresa chose an oriental paisley pattern from Ingrid Hieronimus ---this pattern had lots of detail and to get it to work with the texture that Teresa wanted we had to simplify some of the design as well as make some small adjustments to the pattern---Teresa missed the last day of the workshop but got a lot accomplished in two days!  She chose not to hook the pattern as a traditional oriental---the blue fields really popped in the piece better than my camera shows.

Pat was working on a pattern of her design---a paisley influenced crewel design---can't wait to see this one finished---it will be a beauty!

Pam chose a Red Barn Rug's pattern---I love the non-directional hooking on the pot ---she first wanted to use a green plaid for the backgound that just didn't work---so tried another one---so if at first you don't succeed, try try again---she is going to dye a light background when she gets home and I am confident she will; get it right!

Sheryl was working on a Magdalena style rug she started in Ohio with Evelyn Lawrence---she designed the rug was doing a great job with this primitive style which is not her usual  thing---Almost got it finished---should be done soon...

hazel chose a Lynn Rudeger design with crows and sunflowers.    Hazel used a lot of Sari Silk ribbon to create interest in the sunflowers---a fun and challenging design.  If you look closely at the yellow flower you will see some fringing done with the silk as a possible addition---I like it!

I am having an open studio day today but not much activity yet so I had some time to work on my blog...but I really should stop and work on my packing for California as I am leaving on Friday for my trip to see my daughter in Oakland and then on to Long Beach for the Biennial---will be gone for two weeks all together.

Will post the rest of the pictures from Shake Rag in a little while.

Thanks  Harriet for pulling it all together---great job!!!