Hooking Rugs on Prince Edward Island

We have plenty of rugs and small pieces hanging on our walls this summer. We have been busy creating new patterns and kits as well.

we stop and help people learn the best way to hook..some just need a little tip or two

And while we are in the shop we very often have to cut the burlap and linen for each pattern. jack is never far from the action as you see.


the lap of luxury...every time...he's always snoozing somewhere



Today we had one of our most interesting local hookers show us her lupin mat. She dyed the leaves with koolaid.  In the past rughookers had to be ingenious.... Cindy is one of the modern ingenious hookers..always trying new things as she hooks.

August on Prince Edward Island - the view from here at Pastimes PEI....

July and August bring out the best of PEI. The weather usually cooperates with all the events that take place outside but when it doesn't, there is always a kitchen to sit in or a hall that is hosting a ceilidh, just a kitchen party with a few extras. Today Jack and I are home alone. I put out my new sign "OPEN" because Jack thinks it's nice but not nice enough to pose with. He thinks it looks better from a distance. I'll show it to you.. and Jack looking at it from a distance... we sit on the doorstep to contemplate life in general. And look at the gardens around us that include alot of Barry's machinery, like the old plow down at he gate. Brenda Watts of Cattails and Brenda Watts Woodworking http://www.brendawattswoodwork.com/ made my 'open' sign to replace the tacky one we had. She does lovely woodworking and has a lot of really cool painted vintage-inspired signs to go with her acorns, cutting boards, rolling pins and and all manner of natural wooden products that she turns out in her shop.

Down here we have lots of birds to keep an eye on. Weare hoping formore ducklings before too long as only one baby survived this spring of the two that hatched alive.

Our Arts and Heritage sign finally has some lilies around it. Most of them are from http://www.redlanegardens.com/ just a few miles from here.

here's Jack looking over his kingdom this morning.




And the window box that is finally getting some PEI sunshine.

These roosters are brothers that hatched last summer. Lets just say that they rool the roost even tho Jack thinks he does. have a great day, everyone.

Pastimes PEI and the Artifacts at Orwell Corner Historic Village

Because I sometimes work down the road at the Orwell Corner Historic Village, I meet a variety of people from all around the world. They come to see what PEI looked like in the olden daysand experience some of the things that would have gone on long ago. The blacksmithing shop is popular with people who realize the value of making implements and shoeing horses, for example. We had one in Vernon when I was growing up. We loved the place and Dinnie Docherty who could make anything for Dad while we waited and talked.

On Sunday at Orwell Corner, we joined a group of artisans who were showing people how to create many of the things that would have been made by hand in the olden days. They had lunch that was made from the garden vegetables with fresh biscuits from Anna's Tea Room. Visitors got to try their hands at painting with Bette Wichers, bird-carving with Jim Jenkins, rug hooking with us and they learned how to make soap from ashes and lard from Cindy Rice as well as how flax is turned into linen by Brenda Whiteway. Bev Beaton and her family talked about her photography and the staff of Orwell Corner made candles and ice cream with help from visitors.

I am telling you all his to set the stage for showing you what we all look like in historic costumes because a friend who shall remain nameless, told my husband he saw an artifact - a beautiful artifact, he may have said, sitting on a bench at Orwell Corner.  I have been called many things in my life, but an artifact has not been mentioned before. Now I knpw why I fit in so well at the Village. I'm not a relic, I am an artifact, whick, I would say, would elevate me to a higher status, I should think. Anyway, here are a few artifacts and things from Orwell Corner's "made in PEI" Day this past Sunday.


Ellen and Shirley filling the plates for folks...



The Beaton family enjoys lunch....

Heather shows how to hook a mat...

the cotton candy was great.... dessert....



Brenda Whiteway explaining how to work with flax...



wagon rides with Kevin drew a crowd...

Cindy and her soap artifacts....

the official artifact herself...

cotton candy ..did I say delicious?? ask Annie

Heather and I were relics with relics again on Monday..oops, artifacts....





Pastimes PEI Crow Pattern Beautifully Hooked

Easy to see creative genus...here.. Laverne

Laverne's on the left has been embellished beautifully...

Many times we see delightful versions of our patterns as hookers use their own creative minds to make over a simple pattern of ours into a piece their own. It's easy to do with a hooking project because there is no right or wrong way to hook a project. Today was delight for me to see how she had done. Laverne's version of our crow had a spider trapsing down her web in the moonlight. She recreated her own version as you can see with beautiful blues of all shades for whimsical bird. That's what makes rug hooking such a fun way to express yourself. A hook, some rags, frame and backing is all it takes. No need to buy expensive equipment until you find it's for you. We have created many simple patterns - in fact, that's all we do create, so that everyone can hook successfully with a little patience and a whole lot of pleasure.

Today our rag bins are overflowing as I 'made' packages of bits and pieces that you can purchase for a 'song'. Nothing goes to waste here. Lots of patterns, dyed wool, wool yarns from PEI and New Brunswick, too.

Pastimes PEI Crow Pattern Beautifully Hooked

Easy to see creative genus...here.. Laverne

Laverne's on the left has been embellished beautifully...

Many times we see delightful versions of our patterns as hookers use their own creative minds to make over a simple pattern of ours into a piece their own. It's easy to do with a hooking project because there is no right or wrong way to hook a project. Today was delight for me to see how she had done. Laverne's version of our crow had a spider trapsing down her web in the moonlight. She recreated her own version as you can see with beautiful blues of all shades for whimsical bird. That's what makes rug hooking such a fun way to express yourself. A hook, some rags, frame and backing is all it takes. No need to buy expensive equipment until you find it's for you. We have created many simple patterns - in fact, that's all w0 do create, so that everyone can hook successfully with a little patience and a whole lot of pleasure.

Today our rag bins are overflowing as I 'made' packages of bits and pieces that you can purchase for a 'song'. Nothing goes to waste here. Lots of patterns, dyed wool, wool yarns from PEI and New Brunswick, too.

PEI Arts and Heritage Trail - watch for the signs



PEI Arts and Heritge Trail is open..



our potting shed is waiting for the sign..



Gunter doesn't get it.....



neither does Jack...

Today we saw our new arts and culture Trail sign for the first time. It is called "Robbing Peter to Pay Paul" - an old quilt block and now a hooked rug design too. the sign in on the potting shed in my front yard here in Millview, PEI.  A long time ago I hooked the original rug from rags and to date, it is still my favorite rug. Although it it still for sale, I'll be happy if no one likes it enough to take it home.