The Field Report, Happily Hookin', Yarn and Exchanges, and Miters,

What a difference a week makes. The entire soybean field isn't as stripped as this section, there is still a lot of yellow, and even a smidge of green, but the dry-down has begun (despite an inch of rain in 20 minutes yesterday).

Our cottonwood tree is turning as well. Some years, the cottonwoods give up early and the leaves go straight from green to brown. It looks like we'll have color from our largest trees this year.

I won a lovely little Snowman wallhanging kit from On the Prairie Rugs at NCFF. A couple of nights ago, I gave rug hooking a shot. Guess what? It's a lot harder than it looks. Okay, it's not hard exactly- the process itself is simple: use a hook to bring narrow wool fabric strips from the back of the piece, to form uniform loops in a design on the front. It's the uniform loop thing that I'm having trouble with.

See?

It's fun, and the piece is supposed to be primative (boy oh boy, is it ever primative). But I saw some of the totally gorgeous finished pieces in the On the Prairie Booth at NCFF, and my little snowman would be embarrassed to show his frosty face in that company. That said, he'll fit right in with the Folk Art/Primative style of some of my holiday decorating.

Though I might be tempted to hang him back side out.

Remember the yarn and book exchanges that are absolutely not chain letters ?  I still have 2 book exchange slots if anyone is interested (the last yarn slot was filled. Thanks). Please follow the link for instructions and limitations of the exchange. In the meantime, I got my first exchange sock yarn in the mail: a lovely ball of Austermann Step (with Aloe), in blues/pinks/creams/yellows. It's lovely!

Thanks, Julie from Maine!

Though most of my time lately has been taken with getting workshop handouts ready for SAFF in October (I want to mail the handouts and all of the yarn and dyeing supplies next week, rather than trying to take them on the plane, and tempting fate to mis-place my luggage)(not that I'm not tempting fate with the P.O., but I'll have time to replace stuff if it doesn't arrive). Anyway, I did find some time to work on Jane's Koigu Mill End Mitered Square socks. I have the cuffs finished and sewn, the stitches picked up, and the heels done. All I have left are the feet and toes, which will be lovely road knitting for my trip to Sioux Falls and appearance at Athena Fibers tomorrow! Hope to see some of you there!