Howdy from Holetown

How remiss am I in my posting on this blog!!! I guess being in Barbados and not having brought hooking with me this year, I am feeling a bit detached. And sharing too much of the scenery here seems to be a bit unfair. We are more than half way through our stay here. I explain to people it is not a holiday: more like a trip to the cottage which happens to be a 5-hour plane ride away.

That said, I have hooking to share that is not mine, but the work of students who have shared with me and given permission for me to share here.

First up is a remarkable sunrise mat hooked by a student at OHCG school a couple of years ago in my "Photo to Mat" course. Not only did she do an amazing job, but she astonished her husband (and possibly herself). It is easy to see why.

This is the same class I will (hopefully) be teaching at Rug Camp in Newfoundland this coming August.

Another student who hooked with me in my studio in Parry Sound has been working on some mats that are for a special stool in her home. She sent me pictures of the series she has created. Her grand kids love to sit on the mat and love the whimsical patterns.

Although I didn't bring hooking this year, I did bring knitting and have been working away on a sweater for my daughter's birthday next month. Amazingly, it has been windy and cool enough to knit on my perch on the deck by the sea. The sound of the waves and the palm trees swaying are quite a different scenario for knitting from anything at home.

Here's a progress shot of this beautiful pattern "Bello" which you can find on ravelry.  One of the knitters who shared her project is tall like my daughter, so I was able to see the modifications she made to make it longer. Nearly finished the body and I will get going on the sleeves shortly.

This is a picture of the sweater finished and the lovely designer who created it.

Before starting Bello, I finished a pair of "scrappy socks" for a friend, knit with leftovers from all my other socks. If this gets done with time to spare, I have yarn for another pair. And if I don't get done, the socks will still be the plane project for the flight home.

Keep warm everyone.