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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

A BOLT OF LIGHTNING? NO, A BOLT OF DORR MILL WOOL

My new Motto for 2011 is JUST DO IT.  I have followed that advice from a Rug Hooking Daily friend who once said to me,  JUST DO IT when I told her that I have been contemplating starting a blog but never even tried. Even my daughters wanted me to start my own blog but I thought that I had nothing interesting to say. So now I have this blog that you faithfully read and I am humbly thankful for your faithfulness. It has brought some great friendship and hours of pleasure and has taught me  how to do many things on the computer  that I didn't know how to do before and I visited many of your homes. It has made me laugh and has made me cry. Many thanks...

So on that note I just took the bull by the horns today and JUST DID IT again by ordering a bolt of Dorr Mill Natural off white wool for dyeing.  It is being shipped tomorrow. I"m just thinking $$$, lots of it.  Not only a yard or two but a bolt. And for a second time today I JUST DID IT again. I joined April DeConick's Virtual Rug Camp Group on Palette Dyeing on Rug Hooking Daily. This is a huge commitment for me as I've been putting it off for about a year now. At least this is free. Thanks April for your generosity. This should be an interesting adventure for me.

 Another first for me, in mid January, I'm flying to Ottawa to be with my daughter who is expecting at the end of January and I need to buy my air line ticket. I was always accompanied when I flew before but this time I'll be by myself. It would be nice to have someone I know sitting beside me in the plane though. Don't worry, I won't pilot the plane, not this time any way. I'm very lucky that I live only several minutes from the airport. I can't wait to see my grandson. I pray for good weather for flying and also for the trip to the hospital.  The weather is so mixed up lately that I worry about traveling in the winter.

One good thing I learned today is that I will not have to buy another compression sleeve to fly as I can use the same one that I used when I flew to Scotland. That one cost me $125.00 around five years ago and I was told that I should have a fitting if I lost weight and had to fly. I lost weight but I grew muscles.  I had some lymph nodes removed from my armpit  in 2002 and to avoid getting a swollen arm for the rest of my life  I have to wear a compression sleeve  when I fly.  It's only a two hour flight. The compression sleeve was so tight that my arm looks like a big sausage when I wore it. Not very comfortable at all.

I'm not sure how long my stay in Ottawa will be but I don't want to overstay my welcome. I'm thinking a couple of weeks at the most. The baby may be two weeks early or two weeks late.  It depends on the circumstances but my husband think that I'll be there for a month. That's what he's telling his friends.  Humm... Is that wishful thinking on his part? lol...
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Sorry, no pics this evening.  JB

28 comments:

  1. Julia ~
    How cool that you "just did it". All of us need to do that more often.
    Are you taking your hooking with you?
    It sounds like you will have great fun dying. I'd say a bolt is A LOT of wool. That's still something I have not yet tried (other than using walnuts). One of these days...
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  2. Hi Julia, Thats the attitude! A new Grandbaby wow!You have a lot to do this January and the class your going to take that's great!Cheri

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  3. oh Julia you are growing by leaps and bounds. I live an hour from dorr and have to make sure I only go once or twice a year as It gets out of hand easily.
    Many blessing to your new grandbaby. how wonderful that you will have that time to spend with your daughter. keep us up to date on your travels and the baby.
    Cathy

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  4. Oooh, a whole bolt......I am drooling. The fun you will have experimenting and dyeing. And we will get to watch all the fun.
    I'm excited you are going to be with your daughter. Now we will all be on "baby watch" with you. This little boy is going to so lucky - he is joining a wonderful family.

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  5. Thanks Lauren for your comment. I'm not sure wether I'll take my hooking with me. If I do I'll only take my wooden hoop and some wool worms to do small sections as the rug is rather bulky and my farm is kind of awkward to bring on the plane. We now have to pay for a second piece of luggage. They allow a carry on and one piece of luggage, anything extra, they charge quite a bit.
    I'm not worried about buying too much wool as I can sell some to hookers around here if I find that I have too much. JB

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  6. You go girl! I hope everything goes wonderful for the birth of your new grandchild! I didn't realize just how much I live by 'just do it' until you have brought it to my mind. Trusting your gut and little small Voice, you can't go too wrong, even if sometimes we learn from a mistake or two. Have a safe trip. /deb

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  7. Cheri, the class is on computer. I don't even have to get out of the house. Every month I have to dye a palette of colors. One color with different shades using only three primary colors, yellow, red and blue. With that I can get all the colors. Cathy, how much do you pay a yard for a yard of Dorr Mill Natural wool? Here we pay $27.99 a yard plus 13% tax plus shipping. It's cheaper per yard to buy a bolt but over all it's still a lot of money.
    Kim, I'll post a lot of pictures when I do my palette dyeing. Who knows, maybe I'll entice others to do the same. Dyeing wool is very rewarding.

    I love the smell of new baby but not so much the smell of poopy diapers. lol. Sometimes, little boys sprinkle, I'll have to wear some goggles to be on the safe side. lol... I'm looking forward to holding him.

    JB

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  8. Thanks Deb. I owe it all to you. Hugs, JB

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  9. Wooo hooo, way to go on just doing it! You will be happy you did when it arrives..
    Will keep you in my prayers for safe traveling. Wishing you a wonderful visit!!

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  10. Thanks so much Kathy (woolfind) JB

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  11. You will have so much fun dyeing up that entire bolt of wool....I'm telling you...that is money well spent!

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  12. Flying is fun. Just do it. Strike up a conversation with the person who is sitting beside you. You don't need a known companion in that seat. I've met all kinds of interesting people on planes, and some of them I turned out to have close connections to. Some not. But it's all an experience. And safer than driving a car.

    Poor George. I doubt his saying you'll be away for a month is wishful thinking. He's probably just betting on what the reality will be.

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  13. I've never tried dyeing and to be honest, am not sure I want to!!! I think I would end up with an awful mess if I did. Congratulations on the new grand baby, how fun, I hope you get to stay as long as you want!

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  14. Tammy and Anonymous I hope you're right and thanks for the encouragement, I know I'll enjoy doing both as I love doing new things.

    Karen (Through the barn door) , to me, it gives personal satisfaction that I did it myself. You never know until you try. JB

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  15. Hi Julia, so glad you just did it! I have been dyeing by the bolt for the last 30 years and find it very rewarding to have all of my rugs with my own hand dyed materials. I know you will love it once you have gotten deep into the dye pots. Money well spent! Please keep us up to date on the baby and the dyeing. I love the things you share with us.

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  16. Julia, I think you are going to be very happy with the wool and the dyeing process. Let me know if I can answer any questions or help in any way. Also, the book helps...I simplified things even more there and worked out better explanations.

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  17. I think we miss out on a lot in life by not "Just doing it" Happy you have adopted this new motto.
    A whole bolt of wool to dye and work with that is great.
    Best of wishes for your flight and praying for a safe trip and safe delivery for mom and baby.

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  18. Thanks Doris, I'll keep you informed of my new grandson. Wow, 30 years of bolt dyeing. That's very impressive track record.

    April, I plan to get the book very shortly, and thanks for your offer of help.

    Katie thanks for your prayers, I know that I have missed out a lot in life by just NOT DOING IT when fear of failure kept me back. JB

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  19. You can stay as long as you want Mom. :)

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  20. Hello Julia,
    I went on line to look at pictures of a bolt of yarn to see exactly how big it was and I saw 2 of your hooked rugs, the cow and the rooster,also your peach quilt.Never know where your posted pictures end up.Love you lots.Happy New Year.Mine has started much the same as last year with car trouble to the tune of $853.All that,when I just went for a oil change.The oil pan thread all came out and they have to order another one plus the gasket plus the oil plus the labor and tax.I think I will go see if I can sell my kidney to pay for that.lol.Have a great day,Your sister Delcina.

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  21. I will keep you and your daughter and the baby and your arm in my prayers. It sound like you have so much going on already this year. I know you will do great on the flight. I wish you the best when you do go and I look forward to your next post.

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  22. Have a wonderful trip and bring back lots of fun pictures!! Your just do it" campaign will get you everywhere! It's my motto too...when things seem overwhelming and I don't want to work...I "just do it" and then it's done and over with!! A little different spin on the meaning but I love it!
    Good luck with your new wool....I'm sure we will see beautiful things!!!

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  23. Christine, thanks but I will try not to over stay my welcome.

    Delcina, it's a bolt of wool fabric that I ordered for my rug. Ouch, sis, sorry about your car. It just like my body, it goes one little piece at a time but unlike your car, I can't get replacement parts for the old model. lol... Hope that your car will be fixed and as good as new. Parts cost more for luxury cars.

    Kim, thanks so much for your prayers. I really appreciate them.

    Donna, we should all get on the JUST DO IT wagon and just do it to see how much more we can accomplish this year... I'm looking forward to playing with my new wool. JB

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  24. Hi Julia! How exciting - you'll soon get to see your little grandson in person! I hope all goes will for your daughter and the baby! There's nothing better than holding that precious little gift in your arms for the first time. I have 10 grandchildren and everytime I've held them my heart just melts! Sometimes I wish I could keep them that size forever!

    I bought April's Wool Pallette Dying book and got it the other day. I bring it to work and drool over it on break or lunch. I need to get all the supplies (I have a few) and some natural or cream wool and I'll be ready to start. Probably won't be until spring but hopefully by then I'll have read the book and have a clearer understanding.

    Take care,
    Char

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  25. Hi Julia!!
    I wanted to answer your question on my post about my long arm...ha! All of my stitching is freehand~no computerized designs for me....I think they are beautiful, but I like to have lots of wiggle room when I quilt. By the way your rug is MAGNIFICENT!!!! It will be a masterpiece....your flesh colored wool came out perfectly~love those onion skins! Congrats on the new grandbaby~enjoy your visit~such a precious time!
    ♥ Eileen

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  26. GO big or go home eh? A whole bolt of wool! Well, I'm sure that it will go a long way.

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  27. Yeah, Jackie, I've got the wool but I ain't got anything else... I have to learn how to dye swatches of wool with 8 values and I'm planning to get serious after I get back from Ottawa. I need to buy a set of dyeing spoons and a color wheel, and a Cushing's Perfection Acid Dye chart and then some cushing dye, a large canner with a rack for 8 quart wide mouth canning jars.. Wish me luck... Mom

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