**Albannach - what a great Scottish band, and the bass rhythm drummer Jacquie (on the right) is unbelievable! You can listen to their music here.
**Raymond - he is the maker of my new needles! I had been using the plastic toothbrush needle (from Aunt Philly's) but my friend Louise has this very creative neighbour Raymond who made us each a wooden needle and a bone needle.
This is what the needles look like when threaded with a strip of fabric. The bottom needle is Aunt Philly's, the yellow one Louise made from a plastic toothbrush, the white one is bone, and the brown one is wood.
These needles are amazing and are like stitching through butter. My new favourite is the bone, and Louise prefers the wooden needle.
**Steel City Rovers - another great band, and these folks are from Hamilton. To hear them, click here or come over to the festival right now!
**Students - we had great interest in learning how to make rag rugs. Most people couldn't resist touching the rugs we had on display. And we heard wonderful stories about rug makers from days gone by, who used all kind of different materials including ties, saris, bottom cuts on trousers, nylon stockings, and binder twine.
**Handwork all day long - This photo is of Louise helping to me start another rug. The beginning is the hardest part of this whole process, and between the two of us, we can usually figure it out with a minimum of swearing.
**Quilting - I snuck over to visit with the quilters and couldn't resist putting in a few stitches while I was there.
Uh oh... busted!
Get back to the rug making table!
The things to watch out for:
**this guy, who usually carries a large hatchet and is scary looking!
and
**these guys, who shoot their old (LOUD) guns right beside the heritage tent, and scare the living daylights out of people who have sharp objects in their hands!
Today is day 2 of rug making at Fergus Scottish Festival, but Louise can't come today, so if you're in the area stop by and keep me company, and make some rag rugs.
Those of you who can't come to the festival, link up your blog post below and share what you are hand stitching at your place.
27 comments:
Wish I was there! :)
Looks like fun! Thanks for sharing and love seeing the needles you use. How lucky that you found someone who makes them.
Looks like you all had fun. So fascinating to see the different kinds of needles used ... I didn't expect them to be so big. I learned something new.
looks like a real fun day
I have always wanted to make rag rugs. Sigh....another thing to add to the list. That festival looks like a whole lot of fun.
That looks like so much fun! Wish I was closer.
This looks like a great way to spend a couple of days! And reminds me about rug making, which I haven't done for years.
I just knew you would find the hand quilting area! Nice rugs! Have fun today!
Looks like a fun festival. Funny how you just had to sneak over to the hand quilting tent.
My great grandmother made beautiful braided rugs from scraps and I crocheted a few from scraps back in the 70s.
And how do we get Raymond to make us a needle?
Looks like lots of fun. Thank you for the music links. We are always looking for new Celtic music.
Looks like a very fun day!!
I no longer have the booklet or Aunt Philly tool. I could never master the art of starting the rug. Maybe once out of a couple dozen tries.
This is our first year missing the local Highland games. So fun!
Thanks for the visit to the festival. Being Scottish/Irish I would have loved to have been there! Great job on the rugs.. look like great needles. The right tool is so important.
Kathy, this looks like so much fun! I'd love to come visit with you, but I'm over 9 hours away, so I don't think I can zip over there today:)
It looks like you are having lots of fun! I am glad you got a little quilting time in.
That looks a fun event. I wish I'd been there.
Wish I could've visited you at the Festival - it looks like fun!
Looks like fun! Glad you got a few slow stitches in.
That sounds like a lot of fun!!
Looks like a great festival! I love those Scottish plaids.
What, no haggis?!? : )
Love the bone and wood tools. I have the Aunt Philly plastic one, but have NEVER tried it!
I'd love to go to the Fergus Festival!! We have a Highlander's Games here in September and I'm planning to attend again. I haven't seen any crafting like yours though!
Maybe you could teach us how to make a rag rug at the next TOGA. Maybe a video, to show how to start it (with out the swearing;)
Looks like a lot of fun!
Very fun! I bet you did have a lot of interest in the rag rug making. They look wonderfully fun to make!
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