Rita

My June was fairly calm compared to the previous month and I enjoyed a little more personal time since restoration work had slowed down after I finished restoring a beautiful estate-size, machine-made tablecloth of most likely French origin. As usual in machine-made pieces, the solid sections were in beautiful shape, but the connectors—subject to heavy handling and washing—were frayed and broken in large areas. Machine stitches are very hard to duplicate, but with a small needle and heavy yet fine quilting thread, I was able to recreate the tiny blanket stitches and return the cloth to its original beauty.

A cool and wet May was the perfect backdrop for my family trip to Ohio. My sister flew down from PA and we did a little visiting around Asheville as usual and of course I had to take her to the Folk Art Center to see the exhibit in the Focus Gallery. Soon we were on the road heading towards Ohio—traffic jams and detours between here and Cincinnati were stressful well before Memorial Day traffic, but we made the best of it.

With our spouses gone, we visited some of our old hangouts, restaurants and shopping spots. Our sister used to manage Town and Country Mall in Kettering, outside of Dayton, and of course we had to shop there. We still love Trader Joe’s and the popcorn shop next door. After Pam passed away, the town honored her by naming the road behind the mall after her. That entire area has grown to include a First Watch Restaurant and another bank

I always welcome May with a lot of anticipation! As I am writing this on May 1, 2025 – spring and my busy season are finally here. I fondly remember May Day in Europe, dancing around the May pole and little girls selling Lily of the Valley bouquets at every street corner in France. I wonder if they still do this… We don’t have as much fanfare, but I love May because all my houseplants will now safely move to the sunporch and heavy coats and jackets can be put away until next Thanksgiving.
May has two fun events in store for me. Of course, there is our annual Fiber Day at the Folk Art Center with lots of fiber people and animals, since we welcome rabbits, sheep, goats and llamas to the celebration. It is fun and educational for the whole family. I have my usual spot in the auditorium next to my lace-knitter friend who always brings her great wheel, which is usually the center of attention. We are surrounded by spinners, weavers, basket makers and other fiber artists.

Welcome Spring! As I am writing this on March 27, 2025 – we in Western North Carolina remember the devastation of Hurricane Helene six months ago. GOOD MORNING AMERICA visited Asheville live this morning to update all their viewers on the progress that has been made, highlighted our communities’ resilience, and invited everyone to come and visit our area. We are ready to welcome visitors back again and there is much to do and see despite the visible ongoing recovery efforts.

Watch the coverage here: Asheville Rising on Good Morning America

We are currently watching several wildfires in the mountains nearby but hope for relief this weekend with lots of rain in the forecast.

If you read this in early March, I will be in Gatlinburg, TN at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts with a lively group of ladies, participating in my “Fun with Geometrics” workshop. We are exploring and working with Circles, Squares, Triangles, and Rectangles. These shapes lend themselves to a variety of design possibilities for your own ideas.

While in Gatlinburg, I will have time to revisit their exquisite Aquarium and the Smoky Mountain Spinnery Yarn Shop. Pigeon Forge is right next door with many offerings for entertainment; the only one I like is Dollywood, because Dolly not only offers regular theme park fun but has a special area to honor the Blue Ridge Mountain artisans and culture.