Whipped.

It turns out that, depending on volume of traffic, the distance between my house and my office provides just the right amount of time to whip around the three edges of a ‘jeanius bag’ front. These are some of the fronts that have made the trip - and there are two more still in the car.

It’s fun to line them all up like this and take a picture. It does demonstrate how anything goes for these little bag designs - wool, pantyhose, bright colours, muted colours, any subject you can think of - it all works.

These future “jeanius bags” are part of my inventory for my upcoming stint at The Rosseau Farmers Market (see link at right). I am making good progress - at least on the “purse front” front. I think I now have a total of 16 bags hooked and I’m aiming for 20. So I am in good shape. Mind you, that means there are 20 bags to be assembled, but that’s another day - or 5. And there are still lots of other items on my list.

In some ways, it’s good to have a list. It keeps me focused and I always have something waiting to be started - or finished. And, since no two designs are alike, it does allow for spontaneity.

But, in other ways, I question my sanity at even signing on for this “guest vendor” stint. It’s a constant to and fro between convincing myself that everyone will love to see something new at the show and thinking that perhaps traditional hooked items will have a much smaller audience than I think. However, it will definitely be a litmus test and give me a good indication of overall reaction in cottage country. Since my retirement plans revolve around hooking and teaching and so on, it will be good to see the reaction.

This weekend, to pass the dismal day on Saturday, my husband and I did a trek to Port Carling and looked around the shops there. It was great to be ahead of the crowds - seems like not too many cottagers are eager to be up north for 12 degree days filled with black flies and mosquitoes. There were a number of hooked pieces in one of the more upscale shops. Pillows, small mats and larger rugs. These are pieces that are hooked in India and are for sale at prices that certainly do not reflect the time it takes to make them (at least not the time it takes me). One vendor assured me that they were hand done and that the working conditions of the supplier were supposed to be excellent. Yikes.

Regardless, I will continue on with my inventory building. The worst that can happen is that I will end up with a different bag for every outfit and a bunch of belt buckles and catchy sayings to hang in my studio.

In the meantime, the whipping will continue in the treks to and from the office. At least for a while.